Christmas Day Dinner in Kyoto, Japan

Yes, I’m writing this in February.
If you’re stuck in Kyoto around Christmas in the year 20?? (I’m guessing blogs won’t exist come 2100) then you can’t do wrong with waddling up to Hyatt Regency in Kyoto for some tasty and surprisingly affordable Christmas Day fodder to snuffle into to.

As we were in Kyoto during the Mexican beer scenario, external tourists in Japan were zero and the Japanese, in general, don’t celebrate Christmas the way us weirdo other-landers do usually. So we were happy that the Hyatt had a menu available (and a vegetarian one too!) for our Christmas day needs.

It was a set meal affair with shared meat plates for the normies but due to my weird semi life trying to cut out red meat and Mrs. Horizons being all out veg(an)etarian I sent them an email with our stupid needs. And it was all good; no beef option for me and full on vegetarian menu was a-okayed.

As you can see, the Cobb Salad was added to our set menu as a little compensation (our friends didn’t have the Cobb as they went all out MEAT!) for not getting the beef plate and this was much appreciated. Well it was until we barely could waddle out of the place after the gorge-fest.


Truffled Mushroom Bisque was nice with a smooth balance between the mushroom and truffles. Appropriate size to start things off with.


The Cobb was very tasty and quite filling. We both agreed we could have had it for our main and be happy with our existence. I had some chicken in mine whilst the other one on our table did not. Naturally.


My main course was a lot of food. Veggies with some potatoes (I could have done with more potatoes ala the way mum makes them usually) accompanied the chicken cuts with a not-thick gravy. Again, I’m a thick gravy fan usually. Anyway, it was during eating this I realized I hadn’t eaten this much since a Christmas Day dinner back in Ireland many years ago. Probably. I could feel the weight of the food with each mouthful.

Mrs. Horizons had to endure a lot of heavy gnocchi and cheese. From already being full from the Cobb, it was a hard slog. A wine helped wash it down in places.


I was too polite to say no to the “festive” desserts. Then I had to eat Mrs. Horizons as well, sadly. I really enjoyed the strawberry one, but the chocolate one I could have done without. Well, I could have done without the dessert at all, let’s face it.

All in all, highly enjoyable for a mere 3800 yen for a LOT of food. We walked most of the way home, to ensure our arteries were not clogging up at record pace. If we are stuck in Kyoto again next Christmas we will definitely pay a visit. After fasting for two days to prepare.

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