Lion Kitchen, a Western restaurant in Kyoto's Kamigyo Ward, from which the store's symbol lion figurine was stolen two and a half years ago, has had its lion figurine restored. He said he was waiting for it to come back someday, but gave up and had the same wood carver make it for him. The second generation owner has a calm expression on his face and his eyes are closed, and the owner hopes that, ''I want him to be loved by the people of the town, just like his predecessor.''