In a nation obsessed with food, Osaka is known as an excellent place to eat. Indeed the Osakan’s love of food is neatly expressed in local saying kuidaore, or “eat until you drop”!
Sometimes Osaka feels like one big restaurant. There are literally thousands of tiny eateries crammed into it’s teeming streets. Venture down some of Osaka’s bustling lanes or alleyways and you are bound to be rewarded; choose from Izikaya (Japanese style pubs), hole in the wall takoyaki joints, Ramen, Okinomiyaki or Sushi restaurants, …you name it, Osaka has it.
And when night falls, Osaka really bustles. The city arcades throng with groups of fashion conscious youngsters, rowdy salary men and late night shoppers, all looking for a bite to eat. As the neon lights twinkle, food vendors hawk their treats with hearty cries, and Osaka glows with a zest for the good life.
Osaka people are known for their down-to-earth attitude and their choice of food neatly reflects this.
Kansai cuisine is renowned as being nourishing, hearty and non pretentious. Delicacies such as takoyaki and okonomiyaki are widespread and very well known, and no visitor to Osaka should miss out on sampling them.
Takoyaki
(literally ‘fried octopus’) : – essentially small dumplings of fried batter encasing tender pieces of octopus, tako-yaki is extremely popular in Osaka. It is traditionally served with pickled ginger or spring onion, and smeared in a delicious brown sauce and topped with fish shavings.
There are countless takoyaki outlets in Osaka, each serving it’s own special take. Most places are take away only but a few have seating. Prices range up to 500Y for between 6 -12 balls, depending on the size. As night falls, vendors set out carts throughout the city.
Look for the takoyaki-ki, a special frying pan with dented molds from which each takoyaki ball is nimbly turned and cooked. And be careful– this bite sized snack is usually served piping hot!!
Okinomiyaki
(literally ‘cook what you like, the way you like’) : – another favorite Osakan meal, Okinomiyaki has been likened to pizza or omelet, but the similarity is superficial. It is basically a batter and vegetable pancake crammed with cabbage and ginger and a variety of other optional ingredients, as the name suggests. Usually you have a choice of a meat or fish filling, with bacon, octopus, squid and shrimp amongst the most popular.
Okinomiyaki restaurants are more likely to be sit in places, but take away is also common. Usually the food is prepared in front of you on a large slab like baking tray, however some places allow you to cook the mixture yourself.
For the true Osakan dining experience, most people head to the centrally located Dotonbori area. It is a great place to soak up the atmosphere and people watch, especially at night when the area next to the Dotonbori canal is enveloped in a blaze of neon. Centered in and around this block are dozens of restaurants catering to all budgets, as well as clubs, pubs and the ubiquitous amusement arcades.
Look out for the restaurant with the giant crab sign, a famous Osakan landmark. Here you can sample crab claw meat, another popular delicacy.
Shinsekai is also a good call for those who want to enjoy a more rambling, shuffling Osaka. It is an area with a strong local identity, with the area around the old Tsutenkaku tower offering fascinating glimpses into old Osaka as well as plenty cheap eateries.
Author : Colin Noble
