I would agree with anyone who says that Osaka is a Food Paradise. Food in Osaka was just fantastic, and very affordable. Throughout my trip, I did not taste any lousy food. Sushi, Sashimi, Takoyaki, Okonomoyaki, Kyabetsuyaki, Ramen, Udon...all were very delicious. Maybe I was lucky. Moreover, the overall service standard in the city was very good. I just can't wait to visit Osaka again! Meantime, I have included food-related accounts of my trip, with relevant photos and video-clips.
551 Horai
551 Horai is a well known Chinese restaurant in Osaka (with take-away stalls), famous for their "Gyoza" (Fried Chinese Dumplings), "Butaman" (Minced Pork Bao), "Shumai" (Siew Mai) and "Kansudango" (Sweet Sour Meatballs). I patronised a 551 Horai stall near my hotel in Namba. I took-away both "Gyoza" and "Shumai". Very delicious and value for money! www.551horai.co.jp
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki in Japanese language means "cook what you like" ("okonomi" and "yaki" mean "what you like/what you want" and "fried" respectively). It is said to be originated from Osaka and different ingredients can be added to make it a creative and personalised dish. The basic ingredients of Okonomiyaki are batter (flour, grated yam and water), shredded cabbage, eggs, topped with Okonomiyaki sauce (brown sauce like Worcestershire sauce but thicker and sweeter), Japanese mayonnaise, bonito flakes, seaweed flakes and pickled ginger. Other ingredients like pork belly, bacon, seafood (prawns, squid, octopus), vegetables/mushrooms, kimchi and cheese can be added. The dish is cooked on a teppanyaki table. Okonomiyaki restaurants are everywhere in Osaka, and each restaurant cooks its own style. I ate the dish at a restaurant in Umeda. The cooking looked simple and the taste was delicious. Every ingredient and toppings blended very well. I told myself that I would cook it when I returned home (which I did).
Kyabetsuyaki
Kyabetsuyaki is a "cousin" of Okonomiyaki. It is like a pan-fried pancake that made up of shredded cabbage, egg, wheat flour and topped with Okonomiyaki sauce. The dish is cooked on a teppanyaki table. In Japanese language, "kyabetsu" and "yaki" mean "cabbage" and "fried" respectively. I patronised a popular Kyabetsuyaki stall in Namba. Each piece cost 110 yen (about Sing$1.50). So cheap and delicious, I ate 2 pieces at a go! Customers can either take-away or eat their Kyabetsuyaki at the 3 tables available. www.kyabetsuyaki.com/about_kyabetsuyaki.html
Takoyaki
Takoyaki is a popular dish originated from Osaka. In Japanese language, "tako" and "yaki" mean "octopus" and "grilled" respectively. The dish has a ball-like shape and is made up of batter, sliced octopus, tempura scraps, topped with Okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise and bonito flakes. I ate Takoyaki from 3 stalls situated at Dotombori and Sennichimae. On average, 300 yen (about Sing$4) for 6 pieces. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Very delicious!
Sushi
One of the objectives for my Osaka trip was to eat fresh and delicious sushi. The traditional Japanese-style (at "Kuromonichiba" Wet Market) and Conveyor-belt "Kaiten Sushi" (at Dotombori) restaurants I visited did not disappoint me. I was impressed by the sushi freshness, generous toppings/fillings, variety (many kinds of fish to choose from) and good service standards. At the Japanese-style restaurant, various sushis were not served on plates, but on a big piece of leaf at the counter. Price of sushi range from 100 yen to 300 yen (Sing$1.40 to Sing$4).
Kamukura
I knew that my food trail in Osaka would not be complete without having a bowl of delicious ramen. According to my findings, Kamukura restaurant is very popular with its delicious and cheap ramen. The restaurant setup has a few outlets in Osaka, Nara and Tokyo. I visited the Shinsaibashi outlet right after lunch hour. At the restaurant front, there was a lightbox menu which displayed clearly at least 30 kinds of ramen. Each ramen had a order number, food description (Japanese and English) and price. After I had decided which ramen I wanted, all I had to do was to place my order using the ordering machine right below the lightbox. I simply inserted money into the machine, pressed the order number and a order slip was given. I entered the restaurant, found a seat and passed the order slip to the waitress. In less than 10 minutes I was served a bowl of hot ramen, plus a plate of marinated bean sprout. The ramen I ordered was called "oishii ramen" (big size, 1030 yen), which mainly made up of chashu and cabbage. The noodle was well-cooked and "Q", and the soup was heavenly. Price of ramen range from 630 yen to 1150 yen (Sing$8.30 to Sing$15). www.kamukura.co.jp
Omurice
Omurice is one of the most popular western-influenced dishes in Japan. It consists of fried rice wrapped in fried egg omelet. Pronounced in Japanese as "oh-mu-lai-su", the dish name is derived from the combination of French word "omelette" and English word "rice". After my visit to the Kaiyukan (Aquarium), I walked to the opposite Tempozan Market Place for my lunch. The Market Place is a 3-storey modern shopping and entertainment complex and there is a Food Theme Park called "Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho" at level 2. Within "Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho", there are 19 small restaurants serving all kinds of traditional and modern Kansai cuisines. I visited one of the restaurants called "Hokkyokusei", which specialises in omurice. The taste of chicken omurice was excellent - fried rice with chicken was fragrant and well-cooked, balanced well with the omelet, topped with rich delicious demi-glace sauce. Price of chicken omurice at 682 yen (Sing$9.20). www.hokkyokusei.jp
Yummy Osaka
From my understanding, the food culture in Osaka has the philosophy called "Kuidaore", which means "eat till you drop". I could feel the strong passion for food amongst the Osakans - long queues outside popular restaurants/stalls, eat and drink with laughter in groups, chefs chatting with customers, service with a smile, etc. Good food is very important to Osaka. It's about history and pride. Starting my first Japan food trail in Osaka makes me feel happy and lucky.
