Mala Restaurant
Mala Restaurant, located within Moksa Rebirth Hotel in the Yase Village region of Kyoto, was where we ate breakfast each day of our stay. Mala, which means both ‘circulating’ and ‘connecting’ in Sanskrit, offers guests breakfast and dinner when they stay on the property. Here, we enjoyed both the traditional Japanese breakfast and their ‘healing’ breakfast. Both are suitable for gluten-free pescatarian diets and can be made vegan upon request.
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Inside: Moksa Rebirth Hotel
Address: 601-1255 Kyoto Prefecture
Kyoto City, Sakyo Ward
Kami-Takano Higashiyama 65
Food Type: Breakfast
Meal Duration: 60+ Minutes
Dining Experience: Indoor
Price: Included in Hotel Stay
Dress Code: Casual+
Special Diets: Gluten-Free, Pescatarian, Vegan
Ambience
Located within Moksa Rebirth Hotel, it shares the same tranquil environment as the rest of the hotel. Overlooking the moss garden and the flowing river fed by Takano River, there’s no better place in all of Yase Village to dine. Whether it was sunny or raining out, the view was stunning.
There is no music here beyond the babbling water or rain steadily plinking against the glass floor-to-ceiling windows. Everyone spoke in hushed voices, and while it was unusual, the serenity of this place more than compensated for that.
Above: View of Moksa’s Moss Garden
Our Meals
There are only three options for breakfast, and as far as I’m aware, it does not change. Meals must be ordered the night before via a card outside each guest’s room. Mala can accommodate allergies with enough notice, so be sure to mention that if you must in your booking.
Breakfast options include:
- Healing Breakfast: Yuba (tofu skin) porridge & yuzu citrus sauce, rice, and five side dishes consisting of pickled vegetables, pickled plum, and more vegetables.
- Japanese Breakfast: Grilled salmon, tamago (egg) omelet slices, Japanese eggplant, pickled vegetables, raw egg over rice, and miso soup.
- Western Breakfast: Eggs, ham and chicken, vegetables from Ohara, bread, and more. (We didn’t try this one because we don’t eat meat.)
Japanese Breakfast
This was delicate, delightful, and filling. We never left hungry, and the assortment of seasonal, locally sourced produce made every bite better than the last. I could’ve eaten my weight in the pickled vegetables on the bottom left of the photo below – they were incredible!
Wellness Breakfast
I tried yuba last time we were in Japan and immediately fell in love. If you’re a vegan, vegetarian, celiac sufferer, or someone who enjoys traditional Japanese food, this local take on Yuba porridge is amazing. The cold citrus agar-agar side was perfectly citrusy and balanced to perfection. This meal came with enough rice and porridge to feed a small army. They also serve unlimited soup and tea with it.
Final Thoughts
I looked forward to breakfast every single morning. Everything we ate was delightful. If you’re a fan of Japanese food, as I am, you’ll appreciate the subtle, understated, yet satisfying flavor profile of food that’s neither too sweet nor too salty. The umami of our breakfast was unmatched. Though it was a fixed menu, there was enough variety to energize us. If you stay at Moksa, don’t skip the complimentary breakfast at Mala Restaurant. It’s incomparable!
