Hands up if you’re a fan of omurice! For the uninitiated, omurice is a dish where fried rice is topped with an omelette. Try the dish at Kichi Kichi Omurice, an immensely popular restaurant helmed by Chef Yukimura Motokichi.

Getting a seat is by no means easy, mind you. There are only 14 seats in the restaurant, and advance reservations are a must. There are a few Western dishes on the menu, such as beef stew and chicken cutlet, but the star of the show is undoubtedly the omurice.

Enjoy the regular portion for JPY2,500 (~SGD25), or a half-portion at JPY1,350 (~SGD13). The prices are admittedly a little steep for just omurice; however, most guests are here at Kichi Kichi for the show!

Each plate of omurice is whipped up on the spot by Chef Motokichi, who puts up a highly entertaining act. Snag a seat at the counter that faces the open kitchen if you’re lucky; if you’re seated at the other private area, you can stand behind the open kitchen seats to watch the show.

First, the chef fries chicken cubes with a mixture of onions, mushrooms, and edamame. He adds pre-cooked rice, and mixes it all with a flourish. This rice is placed on each plate using a mold.

Next is the part that everyone visits Kichi Kichi for: Chef Motokichi will then cook an incredibly fluffy omelette, placing the uncut version on top of the rice. 

He’ll then slice it open right in front of your eyes, revealing a glorious molten steaming interior. A copious amount of demi-glace sauce is added, and garnished with chives. And voila! The masterpiece is served.

If you’re seated at the private area, Chef Motokichi will bring over the uncut omelette to cut open in front of you. So don’t worry, you’ll still have front-row seats to the show!

Do note that the demi-glace sauce contains beef; however, there’s a vegetarian version available upon request. Do let the staff know if you’re allergic to edamame or anything else as well.

We were delightfully entertained by the show, as well as by Chef Motokichi’s antics. He was friendly and witty, making his audience roar in laughter at many intervals during the night. However, taste-wise, the omurice left much to be desired. It did taste homely, but fell a little flat on the palate. For the price and hype, we definitely had higher expectations.

We would say that it’s worth visiting once for the show — but if you’re after a delicious meal, you’d be better off dining elsewhere. If you’d like to give it a shot, make your reservation via the official website, with a new meal session available at every hour. Give Kichi Kichi Omurice a shot, and let us know what you think!

Address: 185-4 Zaimokuchō, Nakagyō-ku, Kyoto, 604-8017, Japan

Opening hours: 12pm to 2pm (for lunch on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays); and 5pm to 9pm (for dinner daily)