Kushikatsu:
Osaka's famous deep-fried kabob coated with panko. It is usually made with meat, fish, and vegetables and dipped with tonkatsu sauce while serving. It is indeed delicious, but it was too heavy for my stomach.
Another of Osaka's famous dishes, yakisoba! It is stir-fried ramen noodles with vegetables and protein, usually pork or seafood. It is cooked on an open flat grill and served with aonori, katsuobushi and Osaka's popular garnish, mayonnaise.
Ikayaki from Hanshin Snack Park:
This folded crepe with squid is Osaka's soul food. They say that only Hanshin Snack Park sells the authentic Ikayaki, therefore, people call this "Hanshin no Ikayaki (Hanshin's Ikayaki)." The line is often long, but you would better be ready to order when you get to the front. If you aren't prepared to order properly, you get quite a few sour looks. This is Osaka's soup Nazi.
Kobe Beef:
RB cooked Kobe beef steak for my father's birthday dinner. Kobe beef, renowned for its tenderness and succulent flavor, was the first RB had ever tried. I don't eat beef, but he said it was easily the best steak he had ever eaten. But he said it was because he was such a good cook.
Gyoza Ramen:
Shrimp and vegetable Gyoza served over shoyu ramen at my favorite ramen shop, Kotan.
The soup was very heavy with an intense garlic flavor. We left the restaurant gobbling mints feverishly and covering our mouths in shame. Sometimes a bit of shame is worth it for delicious ramen.
Chikara Udon:
This Udon with toasted Mochi, is literally translated as "Power Udon." My favorite udon shop, Kineya, serves perfectly cooked chewy udon noodles with Osaka style light flavored broth.
Mitarashi Dango:
These rice dough dumplings smothered in sweet and salty sauce are my absolute favorite Japanese dessert. The chewy texture and the salty and sweet flavors combined for a delicious snack. Each bite reminded me of my childhood when my father used to bring them on his way home from work.
Tofu Dengaku:
Grilled tofu skewers with sweet miso sauce is divine and flavorful! One skewer was yomogi and the other was yuzu. The tofu with mochi was soft and chewy with a very subtle flavor. The sauce, however, added an intense counter punch. It combined the flavors of buttery, salty, sour, and sweet all in one delicious bite.
Sashimi:
Many people are shocked to hear that I, a native of Japan, do not like raw fish. This tuna with daikon wrapped in tofu skin was, however, delicious. The daikon masked any of the fishy flavors that may have turned me off and the artistically cut and wrapped presentation was delightful.
Kakinoha-zushi:
This dish is made of rice seasoned with sushi vinegar topped with slices of salmon or salted mackerel. The sushi is formed into a cube and wrapped in persimmon leaves. The persimmon leaves add a slightly unique and earthy flavor to the rice.
We ordered this for lunch at the National Bunraku theatre.
Okonomiyaki:
More of Osaka's soul food. This pan-fried batter cake is made differently depending on the region. Okonomi literally translates to "whatever you like." The basic batter is made of flour, cabbage, yam, water and eggs, and it usually contains protein ingredients such as pork, squid and shrimp. Some has mochi and cheese, which gives an interesting texture. It is grilled and covered in sweet sauce, mayonnaise, aonori, and katsuobushi.
Takoyaki:
More Osaka soul food. Because it is a city of merchants, Osaka takes great pride in its delicious street food. Takoyaki should be considered a national treasure. These dumplings are made of batter, octopus, tenkasu, and green onion and topped with okonomiyaki sauce, aonori, mayo and katsuobushi. It is a widely available snack food in Osaka region, served in a variety of ways.
Oden:
This popular winter soup dish consists of boiled eggs, daikon, konnyaku, and various fish cakes stewed in dashi broth and served with hot Japanese mustard. Osaka region's oden tends to have stronger and saltier flavors.
Shiraae:
This mashed tofu salad with konnyaku, boiled vegetables and mixed with mashed tofu is my favorite side dish of all! My grandmother used to make Shiraae for me when I was little. I credit this delicious tofu dish as my first step to becoming a vegetarian.
Posts
