Please, whatever you do, don’t break down and eat in Porta, the underground shopping area by the station. I have eaten at 5 different restaurants there, for various reasons of convenience, and they were one and all AWFUL. Not cheap, either.
My suggestion is that you take the subway from the station to Karasuma-Oike, which will take about 8-10 minutes and cost 210 yen — within your “walking distance” time-range. Exit the northeast side of the intersection. Walk one block east, then two blocks north, and look for the trees on the left side of the street as you face north. Enter. This is Honke Owariya, which your hosts the Kyoto Foodies do not praise sufficiently — how could one praise it sufficiently? Order Kyo-yasai Ten Seiro, and get a big portion if you’re hungry or eat a lot. Total cost about 1500 yen, and will kick your fundament good and proper: if you don’t like it, you don’t like Japanese food. Alternatively, walk directly north from Karasuma-Oike a block, turn right and immediately left into the restaurant of Tori-Yasu, and eat their Oyako Donburi. But I really prefer Honke Owariya.
