Rakusenroh

One pleasure of Rakusenroh’s boiled dumplings is being able to change the flavour as you eat. Handmade without garlic, they have a pleasantly chewy wrapper. The recommended way to enjoy them is to try one plain while it is piping hot, then dip it in the three sauces, and finally add the house chilli oil. The menu also recommends the celery dumplings, whose fresh aroma pairs with a juicy filling. Diners have also singled out the chewy wrappers of both the celery version and the regular dumplings.

For noodles, consider the black vinegar noodles, said to have originated as a staff meal. The sauce is based on Zhenjiang black vinegar, described as mellow in acidity and rich in flavour; the menu calls it a satisfying bowl that is also refreshing. One diner found that the vinegar’s tang and the robust flavour of the minced meat worked especially well with the noodles. The dish appears on the weekday and weekend lunch menus, with options to adjust the noodle portion or add a tea egg.

For a substantial lunch, the sweet-and-sour pork set centres on a tangy sauce that goes well with rice, and comes with soup, three small cold dishes and pickled mustard greens. One lunch guest recalled that the pork was crisp outside and tender within, and that the sauce made the rice hard to resist. Another enjoyed the balanced sweetness and acidity, as well as a set that also included fried chicken and shumai. Weekday set meals include free rice refills; on weekends and public holidays, some menus let you switch white rice for black-rice porridge. Choose according to the main dish you fancy and your appetite that day.

The shrimp-and-egg set is another lunchtime option. It pairs a main dish of soft, tender egg with shrimp, rice, soup, three cold dishes and pickled mustard greens. One diner described the egg yielding softly to chopsticks, with generous pieces of shrimp and a seasoning that made the rice particularly moreish. If choosing a main proves difficult, the daily set meal is another option.

For a meal to share in the evening, try the two-broth hot pot, which comes with boiled dumplings. One combination pairs spicy broth with mild white broth; another substitutes curry broth for the spicy one, making it an option for those who prefer less heat. Choose pork loin or lamb, and enjoy free-flow vegetables including Chinese cabbage, bok choy and Chinese chives. There are 11 sauces and seasonings, so you can mix sesame or black-vinegar sauce with spring onion, chilli bean paste and other additions to make a dip to your taste.

Rakusenroh is in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, on Higashinotoin Street, just south of Shijo. Dogs are permitted on the terrace, according to the restaurant’s information, making it an option for a meal out with your dog.