🕓 2023/4/12
#Gourmet
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About gourmet food in Osaka
Osaka’s gourmet cuisine is characterized by a variety of dishes born from its rich history and cultural background, and is known as the “city of foodies.” A culture of flour-based dishes and fried foods has developed, and there are many specialty restaurants where you can enjoy these dishes.
The “Takoyaki”, “Okonomiyaki”, and “Kushikatsu” introduced below are exquisite gourmet foods that you must try when visiting Osaka.
For example, at Odori Dako in Dotonbori, you can enjoy unique takoyaki made with whole octopus. On the other hand, at Okonomiyaki Yukari, the okonomiyaki made with carefully selected ingredients and sauces is popular. Also, Yaekatsu in Shinsekai is a famous kushikatsu restaurant with a history of over 70 years, where you can enjoy crispy fried kushikatsu.
3 carefully selected gourmet foods in Osaka
1. Takoyaki
● The charm of takoyaki
Takoyaki is a soul food that represents Osaka and is loved by many people. Osaka has a deep-rooted culture of flour dishes, and takoyaki has spread as part of that culture. The biggest appeal of takoyaki is its unique texture. The outside is crispy and fragrant, and the inside has a creamy texture. Another appeal of takoyaki is the ease of purchasing and eating it at food stalls and shops.
It was born in Osaka in the 1930s and has become an established part of food culture. It is enjoyed by both tourists and locals as a snack or snack. Along with okonomiyaki and yakisoba, takoyaki is one of Osaka’s most popular flour dishes, and you can find takoyaki restaurants all over the city.
● Takoyakihistory of
The history of takoyaki is closely tied to Osaka’s food culture. Takoyaki was first created in Osaka in the 1930s. It was invented by Tomekichi Endo, the founder of Aizu-ya, and the original takoyaki he made was called “Radio-yaki.” Radioyaki is the prototype of today’s takoyaki, which was made by putting beef in a flour batter and grilling it.
After that, Tomekichi Endo changed the topping from beef to octopus and perfected the current form of takoyaki. Octopus was chosen because it was easily available in Osaka, and its texture went well with the baked dough. Due to this change, takoyaki suddenly gained popularity and spread throughout the city of Osaka.
● If you want to eat takoyaki, this is the place! !
- Store name:Dancer
- charm:
“Odoridako” is the only restaurant in Osaka that specializes in takoyaki “Odoridako” made with a whole octopus. Unlike regular takoyaki, it is characterized by the combination of the texture of the head and the crunchy texture of the roasted legs, allowing you to enjoy a different taste each time you eat it.
Furthermore, Odoridako is also attractive for its unique menu. Odoridako’s takoyaki is available at multiple stores, including the Dotonbori store, Shinsaibashi PARCO store, and Seven Park Tenmi store, and you can also enjoy limited menus at each store. - Access: 344m from Nihonbashi Station
- Address: 1-7-24 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka 542-0071
- Google Map:https://maps.app.goo.gl/CKCHxC9AyRQwudYs8
2. Okonomiyaki
● The appeal of okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is one of Osaka’s representative gourmet foods, and its appeal is wide-ranging. First of all, the biggest appeal of okonomiyaki is its customizability. The basic ingredients are flour, water, cabbage, and eggs, but you can freely choose and add a variety of ingredients as ingredients. As the name “Okonomiyaki” suggests, the secret to its popularity is the fun of making your own original okonomiyaki using your favorite ingredients.
The texture is also one of its charms. Grilling on an iron plate creates a crispy exterior and a soft texture on the inside. Furthermore, the special sauce, mayonnaise, green seaweed, and bonito flakes sprinkled on top of the okonomiyaki add exquisite flavor accents, allowing you to enjoy a different flavor with every bite. The combination of these toppings creates depth and richness in the flavor, bringing out a deliciousness like no other. In Osaka, there are many okonomiyaki specialty restaurants, each competing with their own unique recipes and cooking methods.
● Okonomiyakihistory of
The history of okonomiyaki is closely tied to Osaka’s food culture. Its origins are said to date back to the Edo period. At that time, common people in Edo and Osaka enjoyed dishes called “monjiyaki” and “Issen Yoshoku,” which were made by diluting flour with water and baking it. These dishes later became the prototype for okonomiyaki.
It became especially popular among the common people during the post-war food shortages from the Taisho era to the early Showa era. During this period, okonomiyaki began to take on its current form, with various toppings such as cabbage, pork, and seafood added to it.
● If you want to eat okonomiyaki, this is the place! !
- Store name:Okonomiyaki connection
- charm:
Okonomiyaki Yukari is an okonomiyaki specialty restaurant that you should definitely stop by if you are visiting Osaka. The reason why it has continued to be loved in Umeda, Osaka for over half a century is because of its carefully selected ingredients, sauces, and diverse menu.The standard menu items related to okonomiyaki are mixed yaki and pork balls. These menus are packed with thorough attention to detail, including the base dough and ingredients, as well as the sauces that determine the taste. Furthermore, among the specialty menus related to okonomiyaki, there is “Yukari-yaki,” which features an extra-large head of shrimp.It has an impressive appearance and is also exceptional in taste.
- Address: 2-11-12 Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka 542-0074
- Access: 3 minutes walk from Namba Station on the Subway Midosuji Line
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9mT74eE8uNxH4jFh7
3. Kushikatsu
● Kushikatsucharm of
Kushikatsu is one of Osaka’s representative gourmet foods, and its appeal is wide-ranging. First of all, one of the charms of kushikatsu is its convenience and variety of ingredients. There are a variety of toppings available, including pork, chicken, shrimp, squid, and vegetables, and no matter which one you choose, you’ll enjoy the crispy outside and juicy texture on the inside.
Eating kushikatsu with a special sauce makes it even more flavorful. Kushikatsu restaurants prepare a secret sauce, which is also an important element that brings out the flavor of the kushikatsu. This sauce has a sweet and spicy flavor based on Worcestershire sauce, and goes perfectly with fried foods. Additionally, there is a rule that “do not dip the sauce twice,” and this rule is also part of the unique experience when enjoying kushikatsu.
● Kushikatsuhistory of
The history of kushikatsu is deeply connected to the culture of the common people of Osaka. Its origins date from the late Taisho period to the early Showa period, in areas such as Shinsekai and Janjan Yokocho, where workers gathered. At the time, Osaka was becoming increasingly industrialized, and many workers were looking for cheap and hearty meals on their way home from work. Kushikatsu was introduced in response to that need.
A restaurant in Shinsekai called Yaekatsu is especially famous as the birthplace of kushikatsu. Founded in 1937, the restaurant served pork cut into small pieces, skewered and deep-fried to satisfy workers’ stomachs. This became the prototype for kushikatsu, and many restaurants have since adopted this style.
● If you want to eat Kushikatsu, this is the place! !
- Store name:Yaekatsu
- charm:
Yaekatsu Honten, located in Osaka’s lively Shinsekai area, is a famous kushikatsu restaurant that has been loved for over 70 years since its establishment. We will introduce in detail the charm of this store, which is visited not only by locals but also by many tourists.Their thorough commitment to quality and taste shines through. Two types of yams are hidden in the kushikatsu dough and fried in an iron pan, which is difficult to control the temperature, resulting in a crispy exterior and crunchy texture. By using an iron pot instead of a fryer, the fried food is more even and fragrant, and the great thing about it is that you can enjoy the craftsmanship right in front of your eyes.
- Access: 256m from Shin-Imamiya Ekimae Station
- Address: 3-4-13 Ebisu Higashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 556-0002
- Google Map:https://maps.app.goo.gl/WbtvDjUZkA29a5S3A
