Sakontaro Kyōto, Japan

Situated on historic Kiyamachi, Sakontaro tries to retain some of the ambiance of the place as it was in the Bakumatsu period (when the shogunate was in decline and intrigue abounded). The cuisine is East meets West as is appropriate to an age when Japan was opening up to foreign influence. You can thus expect a choice of Western-style pastas and salads or traditional Japanese set meals. There is also an extensive a la carte selection. Add to this a good number of local and regional sakes plus foreign cocktails and you might just think you are back in 1860.