The menu is called shitadai, an old-time word that seems somehow fitting. The nuance seems to be, ‘this is our way of welcoming you’. Soba dishes get top billing because Gombei was originally founded as a soba restaurant. Udon dishes, such as the ‘Shippoku’ with lashings of simmered vegetables and ‘Keiran’ with egg-drop and ankake sauce, are typical Kyoto fare. The oyakodon (a bowl of rice topped with chicken and eggs) is also famous. Gombei operates throughout the day, so it’s easy to drop in.