The first restaurant in Nara being introduced is the Awa Naramachi Shop where you can taste Yamato Vegetables, the traditional vegetables of Nara. It is about a 10-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station and located in a 140-year-old machiya [merchant house], an old-style house, in Naramachi that has been renovated. The two syllables of the name of the shop Awa, "A" and "wa", in combination could also represent "the harmonious beginning of everything", according to the owner.

Only additive-free locally grown Yamato vegetables and vegetables from other parts of the world are used. In the relaxing atmosphere of an old-style house like this it is easy to sit back and let the time go by.

Slide the clattering door open and walk straight back along the corridor to the rear. There are counter seats on the left-hand side and the chef will raise his head in greeting.

This is the Yamato Beef and Vegetables course costing 3,900 yen (without tax) that I ordered. It consisted of Yamato vegetables, vegetables from other parts of the world, and Yamato beef. A sumptuous lunchtime meal is one of the joys when traveling. I wanted to savor each and every bite.

The hanako this day consisted of 9 dishes. Especially recommended are the Yamato vegetable dishes Himo Togarashi [elongated red pepper] and deep-fried silken tofu; a side dish of Yamato-mana, which closely resembles Japanese mustard spinach; and bitter gourd in sesame sauce, a summer seasonal dish. Sampling a variety of vegetables one at a time is definitely one way to enjoy a sumptuous lunch.

Next was a dish of Yamato vegetables simmered together. The nine types of ingredients all cooked together included Awamochi [millet dough cake], made from locally harvested millet, frozen tofu, and Yamato vegetables. The soup thickened with kudzu [arrowroot] is accented with spicy Japanese peppercorns. The carefully cultivated Japanese peppercorns give it a rich, sophisticated flavor that goes well with the gentle taste of the soup.

The main dish is Wagyu Beef Toban-yaki [cooked in an earthenware pot] Steak. The unique feature of Yamato beef is its lean and not too fatty bold flavor. It comes with three types of seasonings: salt, Kinzanji miso, and ponzu. The Kinzanji miso imparts a sweet, full-bodied flavor and goes very well with the meat and is most delicious.

The owner believes it is important to help more people learn about traditional vegetables. Towards that end Awa began conducting research and study of traditional vegetables at a place called Kiyosumi no Sato located in the outskirts of Nara City. The village, set among the pastoral landscape that appears unchanged since ancient times, continues to this day to grow "Yamato vegetables that will make families happy."

In addition to the lunch course there are the Awa Harvest Festival offering Yamato vegetables in a more casual arrangement, 2,900 yen; the Awa Yamato and World Vegetables course, 3,900 yen; and the Awa Naramachi Shop full lunch course offering Yamato vegetables and Yamato beef, 5,000 yen (all prices do not include tax).

Awa Naramachi Shop offers carefully prepared delicious dishes made from the traditional vegetables of Nara that have been handed down through the years which families can eat without worry. Please come and try the high-quality Yamato beef and Yamato vegetables that are in season.

The next establishment on our list is Pokupoku which serves dishes featuring Yamato pork, a pork brand designated by Nara Prefecture. This restaurant in Nara, operated by a married couple, can accommodate about 12 people in its cozy atmosphere. It is always fully booked and during the tourist season and weekends, there is a two-week wait for reservations for 3 or more people.

This restaurant in Nara offers tonteki [sautéed pork loin] and shogayaki [pork ginger], but the most popular dish is the tonkatsu [pork cutlet]! The owner mastered his skills working in Japanese-style restaurants and hotel restaurants and only uses Yamato pork loin in his dishes.

Only the finest quality Yamato pork obtained from reliable sources through his own independent channels is used for the cutlets which, after coated in coarse bread crumbs, are deep-fried in oil.

Customers can order either 80-gram, 120-gram, 150-gram, or 200-gram cutlets according to their preference. I selected the 120-gram size which is said to be the most popular.

The proprietor, who also loves pork cutlets, has researched the nutritional value so as to enable as many people as possible to enjoy the healthy benefits of pork. He points out that pork cutlets contain oleic acid and linoleic acid which are good for your health.

It also contains vitamin B1 which relieves fatigue, so it's a good idea to eat a delicious pork cutlet when you feel tired.

The set menu includes tonkatsu, mekabu tea, a large salad, a side dish, rice mixed with other types of grains, a clear soup, and black oolong tea. Many types of seasonal vegetables are used in clear soup such as okra, seaweed, yoshino konjac, shimeji mushrooms, Jew's mallow, and new burdock.

Most surprising about this elegant and savory soup which reflects the culinary skills of Japanese-style cuisine is its very affordable price.

The cutlet is served straight out of the fryer. In order to get the most flavor out of Yamato pork fat, salt rather than sauce is the preferred condiment here.

The Yamato pork loin though juicy is not heavy. I ate it with relish because the salt brought out the sweet flavor of the fat. This tonkatsu tasted completely different from any others I have had! It really left a lasting impression!

Other dishes included on the menu are the Umami Tappuri Tonteki Set [Tonteki full of flavor set] from 1,600 yen (including tax) and the Yawaraka Nikuatsu Shogayaki Set [Tender thick-cut pork ginger set] which uses an unusually thick cut of meat, and that starts from 1,600 yen (including tax).

Both come in three sizes: 120-gram, 150-gram, and 200-gram.

Incidentally, the mekabu tea that is served here is recommended to try first because it is said to keep blood pressure from rising.

The policy of this restaurant near Nara Park is to provide customers with the best hospitality by looking after their every need. I hope that it will be able to maintain this spirit in the future, too.

It is the quality of the shop master that keeps customers coming back time and again. Unfortunately, there is only a limited amount of Yamato pork that can be served each day, so it is best to request it when you make reservations in advance.

Finally let’s turn to Quiche Specialty Shop Le Case, a restaurant in Nara Park. The shop was opened in December 2011 by the proprietor who previously cooked Italian dishes.

Colorful quiches line the showcase inside the restaurant, a renovated old-style house near the foot of Mount Wakakusa. The selection on display varies from day to day depending on the seasonal vegetables available locally.

For that reason, there is always a new selection awaiting you when you visit.

Normally there are about 15 types of quiche on display, all made with freshly picked seasonal vegetables obtained from local farmers with whom they have contracts.

Many of these are limited to the season and when we visited in August there was a wide selection of chilled quiche made with traditional Nara vegetables such as Yamato round eggplant and corn.

As with cakes selected in a patisserie, you can either take out your purchase or eat it in a lunch set inside the restaurant, which is what we did.

We ordered the Quiche Lunch A which cost 1,600 yen (excluding tax). You can select any quiche you like from the showcase. Since we were in Nara, we naturally selected the Yamato Round Eggplant Melanzane Quiche. The set also included soup, small pasta and seasonal vegetables. Afterward, you have a choice of coffee, tea, or apple juice.

The chilled consommé went well with the chilled and rich potato soup. Taken together with the tomato jelly it produced a tarter and cleaner flavor. I really liked it! The type of soup changes according to the season, so I would really like try some of the others sometime. I’d be willing to come back just for the soup.

Finally we come to the main quiche dish. The quiche is so adorned with vegetables you can hardly see it. Among those included were carrots, okra, squash, and eggplant. Each one had a rich vegetable flavor! It came with a mustard-flavored marinade that was very refreshing.

The plump Yamato round eggplant goes very well with the quiche and gives the Yamato Round Eggplant Melanzane Quiche (550 yen each, tax excluded) a mellow flavor. The lightly grilled and garnished sweet Yamato round eggplant is quite sumptuous.

I also tried the Chilled Quiche Caprese (600 yen, tax not included) which is very popular with ladies. The quiche made with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella cheese is a delight to behold.

When you bite into it, the quiche is chilled and the sweetness of the tomatoes is clearly evident. And it has a truly rich tomato flavor! The flavor of the cheese lingers to the end. This would go perfectly with a glass of wine.

There is also a take-out lunch box for 1,100 yen (tax not included) but it needs to be reserved by 3:00 p.m. the previous day. I recommend getting one and eating it in Nara Park.

Careful attention is paid to the delicious flavor of the seasonal ingredients and as much as possible organic vegetables are use, so this is really a quiche you should try at least once.

How did you like these places recommended for lunch in the Naramachi neighborhood? If you happen to be sightseeing in Nara, then enjoy a sumptuous lunch made with locally famous ingredients while you are there.

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