If three Japanese people, one each from Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka ran into a sum of money, the one from Tokyo would spend it on shoes and the one from Kyoto will splurge it on clothes.
The one from Osaka? Food.
Hence was born the idea and spirit of "Kuidaore", which means "to eat yourself to bankruptcy", or "to eat yourself to the point of collapsing". Osaka is a place where people take not only their food, but the act of eating itself very seriously so much so that it has become a way of life. It is not uncommon to see people having multiple meals in a short span of time. Be it at restaurants, roadside stalls, or standing bars, there's always something for everyone at anytime.
But for first timers, the spread and variety can be daunting and slightly different from Tokyo so here's a list of 10 things to eat when you're in Osaka.
 |
Often messy and unglamorous, but always scrumptiously good. The name of the dish itself draws origin from the words "Okonomi", which is 'whatever you like', and "yaki" which is 'grilled'. Choose from a variety of seafood and meat to go with a base of sliced cabbage and homemade batter, grilled expertly and topped with a generous amount of Japanese worcestershire sauce and mayonnaise.
2. Takoyaki
The iconic food of the prefecture itself, Takoyaki are grilled octopus balls, topped with the same condiments as Okonomiyaki. However there can be many new and interesting creations depending on the shop itself. Some places offer different ingredients or sauces to add creativity to this dish. A word of advice? Give it sometime to cool down if you do not wish to burn your tongue, as these delicious street snack is usually served piping hot and straight out of the grill. These can be found almost everywhere, so please do not be silly and say you've been to Osaka but not eaten this.
3. Kitsune Udon
While Tokyo and Kyoto may take pride in their Soba, the main noodle staple of Osaka is Udon. Thick, chewy and freshly made noodles, blanched briefly in hot water before being put into a dashi soup base made lovingly with high quality kombu (kelp), topped with a large piece of sweetly seasoned, fried beancurd (tau pok) and garnished with a dollop of spring onions and leek. This is the comfort food of Osaka, and often a breakfast item for everyone.
4. Fugu (Puffer Fish/Blowfish)
If you are feeling adventurous, why not try your hand at Fugu? The creature has earned its reputation of being one of the most poisonous fish in the world, boasting tetrodotoxins that can cause painful symptoms and eventually, death in a matter of hours. But thankfully Osaka is one of the safer places to sample this potentially lethal fish as chefs in Fugu restaurants are licensed and their certificates are usually displayed prominently in the restaurants. They can do fugu in many forms like sashimi, sushi or even a hot pot if you so desire.
5. Kushikatsu
Imagine skewers of meat, seafood, offal and vegetables hand-battered and fried to a shiny golden crisp. Kushikatsu is one of the more popular food items, especially in the Shinsekai area. Restaurants may also have special ingredients like cheese katsu, which is just sheer molten goodness.
The Unbreakable Rule of Kushikatsu is that YOU ONLY DIP ONCE into the sauce tray as it is a communal condiment that has been used by customers before you, and will be used by people after you. So it only takes one inconsiderate person to contaminate the entire dipping sauce with his/her saliva as a result of double-dipping. If you need more sauce, a bowl of broadly sliced cabbage is provided for you to scoop more sauce onto your skewer.
6. Hakozushi
There is Edomae Sushi which focuses on the freshest catch of the day and the highest quality fish, and then there's Hakozushi; a Kansai-style of sushi which is said to date further back in the history pages of Sushi. A piece of preserved fish (Mackerel, Sardine, or Tuna) with sushi rice is compressed together using a wooden box, making a tightly packed, rectangular sushi. The flavours are more nuanced and intense, and the shelf life is usually longer as it uses preserved fish, so it makes a convenient snack for people constantly on the move.
7. Yoshoku (Japanese style Western/Foreign food)
It is a common practice for the Japanese to take a foreign concept and add in their own twist and flair such that it becomes uniquely their own and food is no exception. Aside from steak, there are also dishes like Omu-rice (Omelette with fried rice), Korokke (Croquette) and Kare-raisu (Curry Rice). These are options available if somehow, you do get bored of Japanese food and need something different.
8. Yakiniku
Nothing is more sinfully satisfying than grilling plates of succulent meats and seafood over a charcoal fire. Together with a bowl rice, it satisfies the carnivore in you and might give you a 'meat sweat' if done in excess. Should you wish to have an "All-you-can-eat option" look out for these Japanese characters: "食べ放題" which mean "Tabehodai". There is also a similar option for drinks so just look out for these characters too: 飲み放題 which mean "Nomihodai". Most yakiniku restaurants offer a combination of some sorts. Some may even offer different types of menus so do check properly and see which option suits you best.
9. Yakisoba
For people who cannot stomach its cold counterpart, yakisoba (pan-grilled buckwheat noodles) is always a favourable alternative. With ingredients like bean sprouts, cabbage, onions, eggs and meat stir fried together on a teppan and drizzled generously with different sauces, this dish is a delicious deviation from the typical Chinese-style fried noodles.
10. Kikuro Cheesecake
When walking down the main shopping streets of Shinsaibashi and Ebisubashi-suji and if you hear a bell ringing, look for the source of it and hasten your steps, for it is usually a signal that the folks at Kikuro bakery have literally fresh-out-of-the-oven cheese cakes which usually warrant queues of up to 20 people at a time. I was fortunate to be their first customer when the bell tolled, and the texture was so fluffy it felt like cheese clouds dissolving the moment it entered my mouth, yet it was also sufficiently moist at the same time, and the cheese flavour was light but evident.
Embracing the spirit of Kuidaore
Having been to Tokyo a few times before, it was a refreshing and enjoyable experience to sample the cuisine of Osaka, and in the process, gaining fresh new perspectives of the country itself. The enthusiastic, hard-working people find joy in their local cuisine and are fiercely proud of it, and rightly so. This is a city of people after my own heart, where cooking, finding and eating good food is undoubtedly Numero Uno on everyone's to-do-list.
Not too bad. Maybe I should go osaka and check it out.
ReplyDelete