JPN: Le Pont de Ciel
A non-French restaurant atop Mount Kinka!
Don't ask me why, but having a French name, Le Pont de Ciel (lit. The Sky Bridge) on top of Mount Kinka in Gifu City is a restaurant that serves Japanese cuisine. Surprisingly affordable given its offering of sweeping panoramic views of the city and beyond, the restaurant is a great spot to enjoy your lunch or tea break without breaking the bank.
Order your food from the vending machine outside of the restaurant, then hand the ticket(s) over to a staff member.
Keichan Don ¥1,100 (~S$10.05)
Taste: 7.5/10
The Japanese writing of the dish on the menu is 道三ケイちゃん丼. Keichan is a local dish featuring stir-fried chicken and cabbage, reminiscent of Chinese style stir-fry. Interestingly, the set meal came with a representative confectionery of the prefecture: a sponge cake in the shape of sweetfish with a soft and chewy filling made of glutinous rice flour.
Hida Beef Yakiniku Don ¥1,700 (~S$15.55)
Taste: 8.5/10
The Japanese writing of the dish on the menu is 飛騨牛焼肉丼. Hida beef comes from a black-haired Japanese cattle breed raised in Gifu Prefecture. For the price, the set meal was certainly value-for-money as the lightly caramelised beef slices were so tender and juicy. Served alongside the rice bowl were miso (Japanese fermented rice, barley and/or soybean) soup, cabbage salad and pickled red ginger.
Hot Ginger Drink ¥600 (~S$5.50)
Taste: 7/10
The Japanese writing of the drink on the menu is ホットジンジャー. The hot ginger drink was pretty soothing, although it leaned on the milder side. Its subtle sweetness that made it pleasant to sip, but I was hoping for a more pronounced kick from the ginger.
Melon's Rating
Taste: 7.5/10
Ambience: 8/10
Overall: 7.5/10
The restaurant serves hotcakes for dessert or tea break. Pika's advice: You may want to purchase the sweetfish-shaped confectionery crafted by Tamaiya Honpo, a long-established shop that's been around since 1908. These charming treats are widely available in the city, including at major locations such as Gifu station and Takashimaya.
Le Pont de Ciel
18-3 Keyakidani
Mount Kinka
Gifu City, Gifu
Japan
(Daily: 11.00am - 10.00pm)
*Prices quoted are nett prices.
Have a nice meal,
Cliff(y)
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