Did you know there is a traditional farmhouse café themed around "soy sauce" right near Sakatsu Park?
At Kurashiki Sabou Ouka, you can enjoy a handmade obanzai buffet.
Obanzai refers to side dishes that have been made in general households in Kyoto since ancient times.
Additionally, the rice topped with egg and "yellow garlic soy sauce" served with obanzai is also exquisite!
I would like to introduce Kurashiki Sabou Ouka, which has a nostalgic and calming atmosphere, making it a great choice for families.
A garden that reflects the seasons
The traditional garden and farmhouse evoke a sense of nostalgia.
When the café is full, you can sit on the engawa (veranda) and wait while enjoying the view of the garden.
The plants in the garden are planted so that flowers can be seen throughout the year, allowing you to enjoy seasonal blooms.
During the interview, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom all around Sakatsu.
In spring, you can also enjoy the cherry blossoms in the garden.
Now, let's step into Kurashiki Sabou Ouka.
A cozy Japanese-style room in a farmhouse over 100 years old with a traditional atmosphere
Kurashiki Sabou Ouka is a café located in a farmhouse over 100 years old, where you can enjoy an obanzai buffet while overlooking a beautiful garden.
It opened on March 13, 2014, as a place where you can enjoy the taste of soy sauce up close.
As soon as you enter the café, the wooden shelves lined with obanzai buffet dishes catch your eye and stimulate your appetite.
The interior is a Japanese-style room, creating a calm space reminiscent of a countryside grandmother's house.
You can feel the attention to detail in each light fixture and small item.
From your seat, you can see the garden well and enjoy the view while dining.
In the vase, there are always flowers blooming in the garden.
Additionally, works by artists from Kurashiki are displayed, and you can purchase any works you like.
The artworks are suitable for a wide range of ages, from children to the elderly.
Lunch buffet menu at Kurashiki Sabou Ouka
At Kurashiki Sabou Ouka, you can enjoy a lunch buffet filled with plenty of vegetables sourced from Okayama Prefecture.
The lunch includes an obanzai buffet with over 10 types, genki rice, today's soup, and a small dessert.
The prices for the lunch buffet are as follows:
| Target | Price (including tax) |
|---|---|
| Adults | 1,500 yen |
| Elementary school students | 700 yen |
| Children (including preschoolers) | 500 yen |
| Lunch drinks (coffee, tea) | Lunch price + 100 yen ※Every Friday is free |
They also offer takeout, which is nice because you can take home obanzai.
The takeout prices are as follows:
| Target | Price (including tax) |
|---|---|
| One obanzai dish | 250 yen |
| All obanzai dishes | 1,000 yen |
| Genki rice (rice) | 150 yen |
| Bento | 500 yen |
For takeout of all obanzai dishes, cold items can be packed in one container, while warm items like "Sato no Ko Age" are packed by the staff.
A lunch buffet where you can freely choose from over 10 types of obanzai
The obanzai changes each time based on the vegetables that are in season, which is one of the joys.
Particularly popular are the "Japanese-style okara salad," "Sato no Ko Age," and "curry," which are offered as regular menu items."
The "Japanese-style okara salad" tempts your appetite with the sweet flavor of okara and the tanginess, while the "Sato no Ko Age" has a crispy coating and a fluffy inside, making it a beloved dish among many.
At the obanzai buffet, you can freely serve your favorite dishes onto your plate.
The "glazed carrots" are sweet and add color to your plate.
“Chives Omelette” is fluffy on the inside.
When all the obanzai (Japanese side dishes) are plated, a luxurious dish like this is completed.
And, at Kurashiki Sabou Ouka, you must try the “Tamago Kake Gohan” (rice with raw egg) topped with Tora Soy Sauce's Yellow Chives Soy Sauce.
Let's bring the egg and yellow chives soy sauce to the table one by one.
When all the menu items are laid out on the table, it looks very luxurious.
For a small dessert, there was a delicious sweet red bean yokan with just the right amount of sweetness.
The genki rice (mixed grain rice) and soup will be brought to you by the staff.
All the obanzai, including the side dishes, are available for refills.
The menu for the obanzai buffet at the time of the interview is as follows:
- Simmered Beans
- Japanese-style Okara Salad
- Simmered Konjac
- Glazed Carrots
- Simmered Komatsuna and Fried Tofu
- Shredded Daikon Radish
- Chives Omelette
- Namul of Bamboo Shoots and Fern
- Simmered Dried Daikon Radish
- Fried Sato-no-ko
- Curry
All the obanzai have a gentle yet rich flavor, making you want to come back for more without getting tired of the taste.
It is said that the obanzai is prepared one dish at a time, taking time from the night before.
The reason it doesn't taste bland is that the soy sauce seeps into the ingredients over time.
Tamago Kake Gohan topped with “Tora Soy Sauce's Yellow Chives Soy Sauce” is exquisite
Another popular dish alongside the obanzai is Tamago Kake Gohan.
The eggs are from “Ubukokko-ya,” a specialty egg shop in Tamashima, Kurashiki City.
Tora Soy Sauce's Yellow Chives Soy Sauce pairs perfectly with the Tamago Kake Gohan.
When you crack the egg into the genki rice and mix in Tora Soy Sauce's Yellow Chives Soy Sauce, it becomes absolutely exquisite…!!
The faint aroma of chives further stimulates your appetite, making you want to have seconds.
Of course, I had a second helping of Tamago Kake Gohan.
The café menu after 3 PM features special Japanese-style sweets made by a red bean artisan
The charm of Kurashiki Sabou Ouka is not just the obanzai buffet and Tamago Kake Gohan.
After the lunch buffet ends, it operates as a café from “3 PM to 9 PM.”
The café menu is rich in Japanese-style sweets, and the pancakes served with plenty of red bean paste, slightly bitter matcha, and soy milk whipped cream are a popular item.
For those who are too full to eat pancakes, anko latte is recommended.
The slightly bitter coffee combined with the sweetness of plenty of red bean paste and soy milk whipped cream creates an exquisite flavor.
Mitara Dango also provides a sense of satisfaction.
The staff's recent recommendation is the “Classic Custard Pudding.”
This can also be ordered during the lunch buffet.
Photo provided by Kurashiki Sabou Ouka
In the latter part of the article, I spoke with Rika Miyake and her mother, Sumiko, about the background of starting the obanzai buffet café at Kurashiki Sabou Ouka and what to look out for.
Kurashiki Cafe Ouka Data
| Name | Kurashiki Cafe Ouka |
|---|---|
| Address | 2429 Sakatsu, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-441-8713 |
| Parking | Available 4 cars |
| Business Hours | 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM *Lunch time until 3:00 PM |
| Regular Holiday | Thursday |
| Payment Method |
|
| Reservation | Available |
| Seating | 24 seats total: ・Tatami mat seating for 4 people × 4 ・Tatami mat seating for 2 people × 4 |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking allowed in designated area only) |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Kurashiki Cafe Ouka Instagram |
