Osaka is a food heaven for foodies. If I resides in Osaka, I will gain 10 pounds in no time as there are plenty of delicious food available. Here are some of the must try food in Osaka.
1. Takoyaki
Takoyaki is a popular street snack in Osaka. To put it simply, it is basically octopus balls with chunks of bite-sized boiled octopus in it. The Takoyaki shop that I visited is "Honke Ootako" at Dotonbori.
6 pcs is 400 yen, 10 pcs is 650 yen and 20 pcs is 1,300 yen. For best taste, buy it right off the hot molds and eat it while it’s hot.
Seats are provided in the shop and you can eat comfortably in the shop or you can just stand and eat it. The chunk of octopus in the takoyaki gives it a crunchy texture. It is quite different from the ones I tasted in Malaysia where the octopus balls do not contain any chunks of octopus in it. Cheap and delicious. A must try snack while in Osaka.
Honke Ootako
1-5-10 Dotonbroi, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Opening time: 9am – 11pm
2. Kushikatsu
Kushikatsu is deep-fried meat or vegetables on a stick. The Tsutenkaku area in Osaka is famous for Kushikatsu restaurants. The restaurant that I tried is located right opposite Forever 21 shop at Dotonbori. The restaurant is small and you might miss it when you pass by, so look for its signage seen above.
Customers who visit the restaurant are mostly Japanese. But Chinese menu is also available upon request and you can write down your order in Chinese.
I ordered fried bamboo sprout, 3 mix meat combo, mushrooms, cheese ball, banana and ice cream. For something sweet, try the fried banana and fried ice cream. The fried batter is in a really thin layer and it is amazing how it doesn’t taste greasy for fried food!
The fried prawn is really big.Two thumbs up! Everything tasted delicious, if I have to choose, my favourite is the fried prawn and fried ice cream. In the restaurant, sauce cans are set at each table. The ethic to eat kushikatsu is not to dip the sauce twice once you have taken a bite. Dip once and then eat it. Alternatively, you can pour some sauce to your plate and dip from there.
3. Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a round fried batter with cabbage and seafood or meat. It is usually cooked and served on a hot plate. The restaurant that I visited is Yukari Sonezaki honten. It is right in the middle of Higashi Dori shopping street close to Higashi Umeda station.
Interior of the restaurant.
The okonomiyaki is delicious. Also recommended is the hot plate fried noodles.
Disposable aprons are provided to avoid stain to your clothes. Washrooms are available outside the restaurant.
Yukari Sonezaki honten
Opening hours: 11am – 12am
4. Ramen
Ramen is a staple food in Japan. The ramen restaurant that I tried was Ichiran. It is a popular chained ramen restaurant originated from Fukuoka. It is famous for its tonkutso ramen. The branch that I tried was in Shinsaibashi. The one located in Dotonbori is open for 24 hours.
Visiting Ichiran is a unique experience as you’ll first need to be select your food and pay at the vending machine. Then you will be given a list of your personal preference for the ramen (eg. how thick you want the broth to be) which the waiter will collect from you while you are waiting to get seated.
The board shows which seat is currently occupied or empty inside.
Once inside, you can immediately see a row of seats in individual booths.
You can hang your coat or bag behind you.
The curtain is rolled up to collect your order. After serving your food, it will be rolled down to allow the diner the privacy to enjoy the ramen. Green tea is provided for free with self-service from a tap. The ramen is delicious with flavourful broth. To be able to customise it to your taste is a plus too. It is the best ramen I ever had.
Ichiran Ramen Shinsaibashi
Opening hours: 9am – 6am next morning
https://en.ichiran.com/shop/map-jp.html
5. Cakes in HARBS
Like Ichiran, HARBS is a famous chained restaurant and café. It has several branches in Osaka. The one that I visited is conveniently located in Abeno Harukas department store.
The display of mouth-watering cakes at the counter.
Must try its Mille crepes which often sold out in the evening.
Cozy interior the cafe.
The selection cakes in HARBS, price of the cakes ranging from 680 yen to 900 yen a piece. You must order a drink if you dine in.
This is Mille crepes. The fresh cream used in HARBS cake is distinctly different from other cakes that I have tasted. I can eat this everyday and not get bored of it, seriously.
The other cake is Strawberry millefeuille. I still prefer the Mille crepes though.
The tea we ordered is nothing to shout about. But the cakes HARBS serve warrant a special visit while you are in Japan.
HARBS
6. Pablo cheese tart
Coming closely next for delicious pastries is Pablo cheese tart. There are also a few branches in Osaka. The one that I went to is located in Amerikamura.
The café only opens at 10am. We were the first customers.
Pablo breakfast set starts from 500 yen which is quite reasonably priced. There are a few breakfast sets to choose from.
The selection of different cheese tarts.
This strawberry-pistachio cheese tart looks really appetizing.
Interior of Pablo cafe looks really warm and cozy.
The breakfast set that I chose is including a toast, a mini cheese tart and a tea/coffee.
The toast tastes really great too. What a good way to start my morning.
Pablo
Opening: 10am - 9pm
7. Elks café
Elks café offers 3D foam coffee and fluffy pancakes. It is also located in Amerikamura area, just a short walk from Hotel Mystay.
Interior of the cafe.
The 3D foam coffee is slightly more expensive than normal coffee. If you ordered two cups of 3D foam coffee, they will give you different designs.
They are also famous for their pancakes. The pancakes are really fluffy, topped with fresh cream and strawberry. Yummy!
They also serve main dishes like spaghetti or rice but it wasn’t as good as its pancakes.
Please note that they only accept cash as payment.
Elks Cafe
Opening hours: 10am - 11pm
http://cafe-elk.com/2013/11/14/elk-osaka-2/
8. Gram pancakes
For extra thick and fluffy pancakes, go to Gram. They only serve 60 of those special pancakes each day, with only 20 for each time slot a day. So be prepared to line up early for these special pancakes. I didn’t get to try it. It wasn’t opened yet in the morning that I was leaving Osaka. But its pancakes have really good reviews among food critics. Well worth a try if you are in Osaka.
I’m drooling and feeling hungry right now while writing this post. How I wish I could eat those delicious food again… (sigh).
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