Koyoshi Sushi: The Cosy, Unpretentious Hole in the Wall (Osaka Series Part 6/6)

Hirame (Flounder)

Whenever I go for overseas trips, I always make it a point to do my homework and properly research the various places I can get good grub in the country I am visiting. One of my favourite sources is Anthony Bourdain, whom I see as someone of a "Rock Star" figure in the world of Food and Beverage. He, having been to Japan multiple times, was able to sample the wondrous culinary concoctions of many different places and regions, and one of them is the shop I am featuring today: Koyoshi Sushi.

Imagine walking down a small triangular alleyway, and you come across a sushi shop smaller than your own bedroom with an aged couple inside happily carrying on their work. The counter is full and you hear conversations of laughter, joy and happiness with customers chatting with the chef and his wife like old family friends. This is the spirit of Koyoshi. A cosy, friendly and welcoming environment.

However, a tiny shop space does pose its own problems, especially for a person of my frame. At 190cm, I had to sit at a 45 degree angle because my knees were already flushed against the counter wall, and I was close, way too close for comfort to my neighbours and I had to be constantly mindful of my elbows lest I swing them wildly and hit the other guests. Koyoshi Sushi is THE definition of a tiny shop space. You have been warned. ;)

But personal space issues aside, I was happy to brave an hour of uncomfortable sitting to sample the sushi of Mr and Mrs Yano. Yano-san has been making sushi for nearly all of his life. But instead of choosing to walk the path of owning a full-service restaurant and charging hundreds of dollars for an omakase, he has chosen his own little humble space; serving office workers, old couples and tourists all under one roof.

Starting off with the flounder, the light-tasting fish teased and awakened my tastebuds and heightened my excitement further of what's to come.

Katsuo (Bonito Fish)

Most of us have come across Bonito in the form of flakes that we put on our Takoyaki (Grilled Octopus Balls) and Okonomiyaki. But what about the fish itself? I was curious to taste the Katsuo in sushi/sashimi form. The texture is very much like Tuna (Tuna and Katsuo both belong to the "Akami Dane", or red-flesh fish topping category), but the taste is unmistakably very much like the flakes that we eat as condiments. Strong and full of umami. Personally, I loved the contrast of the taste of the Katsuo with the Shari (sushi rice) and it was a fish with its own taste profile and unique character.

Otoro (Tuna Belly)

One trait of Yano-san is that he loves to make his sushi substantial so he moulds a little more rice when hand-forming the nigiri, and his cuts of fish are thick and luscious. So my excitement when I saw the Otoro, was akin to a child waking up on Christmas morning and opening his presents. Christmas did come early for me that fateful day in Osaka, and Yano-san was my Santa Claus. Taking one look at burly me, he cut the fish extra thick for me, and with a little dab of the very mild wasabi on top of the fish (instead of in between the fish and rice), I closed my eyes and just savoured the wonder of the richness of the Otoro. The pleasure I got here is not typical of the high-end sushi joints, but more of a blue-collar worker style type of ecstasy. For lack of a better description, to use oral sounds, the otoro here is more of like an "Oomph", or in Singaporean terms, "Shiok", instead of the typical "Ahhh..." which is commonly associated with Otoro. Whatever the case, the tuna belly here was so decadent and addictive I asked for one more piece in addition to the pair I was served.

Ishidai ("Stone Perch". A member of the Snapper "Tai" family)

The next piece was a first for me. In the snapper family there are many fishes like the normal Tai (snapper), the Kinmedai (Golden-eyed Snapper) and then there's the Ishidai, which has no real, accurate English Translation. The slice above has many layers, and I'm guessing that's the fish meat and fat stacked nicely in one rectangular piece. Taste wise, it's also typical of a Shiromi Dane (White fish flesh topping), but the texture itself was special, slightly crunchy and meaty, which reminded me heavily of Swordfish.

Saba (Mackerel)

Moving on to the Hikari Mono ("Shiny Matter". Refers to fish with shiny skin like Mackerel, Gizzard Shad and Sardine), I was served a pair of Saba nigiri. Shiny, gleaming skin with a silver sheen, together with that wonderful oily texture, a strong but not overpowering fragrance of the fish having undergone marination, I enjoyed this sushi very much. Chewing for a minute or so, the flavours develop and evolved constantly and my taste buds were working non-stop.

Anago (Conger/Sea Eel) Where's the rice???

Yano-san took out a huge piece (almost one half) of Anago which has been boiled before service, and placed it onto a mini grill. The aroma of the lightly grilled eel started wafting through the tiny space and there were visible "ooohs" and "ahhs" resounding through the shop. He moulded some rice, placed it on the centre of the eel, rolled this monster and placed it on my plate and said to me "Try downing this in one go".

Challenge accepted.

Using two hands, I carefully compacted the sushi making sure no rice fell out, and stretching my jaws as wide as humanly possible, I opened wide and gobbled the whole thing down, with my hand cupping over my mouth in case anything fell out and caused any visual unpleasantness to the other guests. Yano-san gave a wide smile and nodded approvingly, and my fellow guests erupted in rapturous applause at accomplishing this insignificant, but oh-so-entertaining feat.

Risks of almost choking aside, The Anago was meltingly tender but yet maintained its structural integrity at the same time. The sauce was not too cloy or overly sweet, just enough to coat the fish and raise the taste level a notch higher. Coupled with the short grilling process, it was what I envisioned it to be. Smoky, sweet, savoury and in this case, substantial.

Ebi Sushi (Prawn)

By this point my stomach was at about 70% capacity. But Yano-san showed no signs of letting up or cutting me any slack. Taking out 2 large prawns, he butterflied and moulded them into a nigiri for me. The prawns were fresh, succulent and crunchy.

Uni (Sea Urchin)

Uni. Glorious, Wondrous, Creamy, Buttery, Uni. I would not mind having 2 pieces of this anytime. This was just simple, pure indulgence at its finest. 

Bamboo Shoot Sushi

I told Yano-san that my stomach was reaching critical levels and he told me "Okay! But just one more to close your meal." He took out a long, clean hunk of bamboo shoot, sliced out a piece for me, drizzled a little sauce over it and moulded it into sushi. It was crunchy, light and emitted a slight herbal fragrance. This was indeed a wonderful closing to such a heavy but satisfying meal.

Make no mistake. The Sushi here is not elegant or refined. But to say Koyoshi caters to the masses would be doing them a disservice and great injustice. Yano-san may not be using the most luxurious or top quality ingredients or fish, but everything here is made painstakingly from scratch, and done with years of experience and lots of love. If you want waiters eagerly fussing over you and the itamae offering you a slice of the finest otoro with shimofuri marbling that can set you back $80 a piece, this is not the place for you.

However, if you're looking for artisanal, relatively inexpensive sushi that the locals go for, if you want to dine in a cosy environment where in one seating you can see a mixture of international guests from all over the world all squeezed up in a hole-in-the wall, sharing their cultures, this is the place to be. I was seated next to an American couple whom I learned hailed from Florida, and this was their first time in Japan. Likewise, they journeyed here after watching Anthony Bourdain's video. I was only too happy to listen to their life stories, and also helping them translate and explain the various sushi they were eating. 

Mr and Mrs Yano

This is informal dining at its basic form. Mr and Mrs Yano's sushi, together with their affable nature and welcoming smiles are enough to encourage people from Japan and all over the world to sit and enjoy sushi together, putting our differences aside and united by a common love for food.

With Koyoshi Sushi, I conclude the Osaka Series of 2014. It has been one heck of a journey of feasting and enjoyment, and the money and time spent were worth it in comparison to the amount of real-life knowledge I gained about Japanese food, the fond memories of the friendly restaurant owners I have come to know, and the experience I have gained here is more than enough to last me a lifetime.

Koyoshi Sushi
1-3-12, Shibata, Osaka-shi, Japan

Operating Hours:
Mon - Sat
1800 to 0000

Closed on Sundays

How to get there:
The nearest station to Koyoshi Sushi is Umeda Station on the Osaka Subway. When you alight at Umeda, make your way to Hotel New Hankyu, and take the rear exit. Cross the road and you should encounter a small alleyway and the shop is along the triangular alley. Koyoshi is very easy to miss so keep your eyes peeled for the curtain sign shown above.

Koyoshi Sushi's price are varied. The Omakase featured here cost SGD $90 at the point of purchase.
Ala Carte or Omakase is available here.
Please note that Mr and Mrs Yano speak very little English.

Anthony Bourdain featuring Koyoshi Sushi from 40:16 onwards.

Sun Yakitori: Artisanal Skewers in the Neighbourhood (Osaka Series Part 5/6)

Negima (Grilled Chicken with Leek)

Imagine just having arrived in a foreign country around midnight. It's dark, raining cats and dogs, the signposts are unclear and you have absolutely not the faintest idea of where your hotel is supposed to be despite your best efforts at using Google Maps or your GPS devices.

So you wander around, hoping that by luck you may just stumble upon your hotel and seek grateful shelter from the pouring rain. That's exactly what happened to my group of friends and I after searching for about an hour, but not without discovering Sun Yakitori, which proved to be one of the important highlights and sentimental portion of my trip.

This establishment, owned by a very young boss in his mid twenties, serves up freshly grilled chicken and other delectable goodies from evening to late in the night. I was so in love with this place that I came here almost every alternate night, in a large part due to the fact that it was a literal 50 metres stroll from my hotel. No matter how full I was after a busy day of walking, shopping and eating, I always made it a point to visit this humble little joint.

Tebasaki (Chicken Wing)

Sun Yakitori is located in a neighbourhood where there are a couple of hotels, schools and office buildings in the vicinity, and the place comes to life at night when tired office workers seeking to unwind, couples looking to hang late in the night and the occasional odd group of tourists (i.e. my party) pop by. The food and drinks here are inexpensive and the Chef takes extra care to make sure that everything turns out perfect and just the way he wants it.

Take for example the chicken wing. Such a simple and almost no-brainer item to cook. But here it is grilled till the bone is almost falling off, the exterior totally crispy, and yet the inside still wonderfully moist, juicy and so tender you can just suck the meat off without using your teeth.

Sankaku (Chicken Tail)

Now, being in Japan and dining in a very authentic Yakitori joint with no English menus and non-English speaking staff, my curiosity was piqued when I saw so many items in the menu that are not sold in Yakitori joints in Singapore. One of which is the Sankaku, or chicken tail. In Singapore, people request for this part of the chicken from the hawker when they eat chicken rice. I was so glad I discovered this by taking a leap of faith. The texture is slightly crunchier but still remains tender and juicy. With the grilling process aiding in the Maillard Reaction and just a pinch of salt, this is the perfect bar snack.

Hatsu (Chicken Hearts)

Yakitori joints also offer a variety of innards for the adventurous at heart (pardon the pun) like chicken hearts, liver and the gizzard. The heart is not really one of my favourite innards, but in the hands of the dependable chef here, he won me over with his version. The heart was not as metallic-tasting and unpalatable as the ones I had previously, but it was easier to chew on, and the flavours were not overpowering.

The picture above will elicit different types of responses. This, is chicken sashimi.

"What?!"

Yes, it is safe to eat (at least in Japan), and this was a more memorable experience than the Fugu which could supposedly kill me. Having seen chicken sashimi featured a few times in online videos, I was a little scared but excited at the same time. Seeing the picture of this raw, pink and fresh chicken pieces on the menu, I simply had to get a experience of what it was like to devour anything other than fish, raw.

How is it like?

Much better than expected. Contrary to popular belief, the raw chicken is not chewy and it is totally clean tasting almost like fish itself. There was no foul smell, no funny textures and no funny business at all.

Before you start heading around to random restaurants and start asking for raw chicken however, do note that the chicken must be at its optimal condition (slaughtered and served on the same day) and not all chickens are sashimi grade. This is something I would encourage doing only in Japan.

Bacon Yakitori

Sometimes, certain yakitori restaurants do have certain out-of-the-blue items in their menu, and this is where the thick, grilled bacon skewers come in. Crispy, sinfully savoury and juicy with a dab of wholegrain mustard. Need I say more?

Yakitori (Grilled Chicken)

But the one item which I always ate in my multiple visits and will order again in a heartbeat, is the yakitori. It is funny how sometimes in yakitori joints, it could be the other ingredients like the wagyu, butabara or some other dish that is the star of the show. But the chef here has elevated the grilled chicken skewer here to the highest level possible, and it's as though he has made it a point to tell his customers by his food that :"This is a yakitori joint, so naturally we will make our yakitori the best item on our menu" and rightly so.

This, is the example of the perfect grilled chicken skewer for me. Thick, oblique pieces of fresh chicken, tended to carefully over a slow charcoal fire making sure that all parts are cooked evenly and ensuring that the skin develops a nice char, and finally lightly brushed with homemade tare (sauce). It is so, so tender, bouncy, juicy, crispy and I can't find a word except 'perfect' which could justify the quality of this skewer. It is that good. Really.

Another admirable aspect is that having visited this restaurant a grand total of 7 times in the duration of a 10-day trip, the quality of the food and service was at its peak every, single, time. I feel that consistency is the one factor which separates a good restaurant from an exceptional one. Understandably, when it is a weekend and the service and kitchen teams get slammed with a high volume of customers, quality of the food will inevitably suffer. But this is not the case at Sun Yakitori. Granted, your food may take a little more time to arrive (about 10-15 minutes), but with a glass of whiskey soda and good company at the table, we took our time to chill and relax. When the food did arrive, we were always guaranteed nothing but the best tasting, piping hot, shatteringly crisp, and juices overflowing, chicken skewers.

Having come here so frequently during our trip, it was quite painful to say goodbye to the friendly young chef/owner for graciously taking care of us at his establishment with plenty of food and drinks, and I would definitely return here again should I ever be so lucky to come back to Osaka.

Sun Yakitori
2-6-27 Minami-Senba
Chuo-ku Osaka

Operating Hours:
Monday to Sunday
17:30 - 23:30

How to get there:

The closest station to Sun Yakitori is Shinsaibashi Station on the Osaka Subway. Once you exit the station, make your way to the Hearton Hotel Minami-Senba. The shop is located one block away on a street parallel to the hotel.

Mizuno Okonomiyaki: 65 Years of Scrumptious Delights (Osaka Series Part 4/6)

I'll be honest. I haven't had much exposure to genuine Okonomiyaki in my life until my recent trip to Osaka. The first time I had Okonomiyaki was in the form of a Pasar Malam (night market) in Singapore, which to say the least, was well off the mark. The closest I have come to an authentic experience was the one I had at Iroha 168. But that said, most restaurants here in Singapore make use of whatever limited ingredients and condiments that can be imported. The best is always used domestically back in Japan.

What is so attractive about something that looks unattractive in the first place? Well my friends, beauty is always in the eye, or in this case, the tongue of the beholder. If there is a food that can define Osaka, Okonomiyaki has to be it, and Mizuno has been flying the flag high for 65 years in the Dotonbori district.

Scallop and Pork Loin (Ingredients for the Yamaimo Yaki)

Imagine fresh seafood and meat, pan seared lightly to give off a smoky and tantalizing aroma, then blanketed by a proprietary mixture of flour, batter, cabbage and other seasonings.

Pouring batter over the pork and scallops

Give it a few minutes later and voila. It is ready to be cut and served. Perfect for sharing amongst friends or your significant other. In fact, it is a better idea to eat Okonomiyaki in groups so you can sample all the different varieties and toppings.

Yamaimo Yaki with Pork and Scallops (Okonomiyaki made with Japanese Yam)
1620 yen, approximately SGD $20 at the point of purchase

The Yamaimo Yaki is undoubtedly the signature of Mizuno. This item was in the menu since its opening and it still remains the most popular dish of the restaurant. The yam provides a significant difference, making the texture of the pancake smoother, almost slippery. Flavour wise, it is slightly sweeter and stickier. Together with the pork loin and scallops, and topped with Japanese Worcestershire and Mayonnaise, the Yamaimo Yaki is like a pancake gathering of the most delectable ingredients you can find and combining them into one single dish. It is savoury, sweet, creamy, crunchy and scrumptious, all at the same time. This in essence, is the beauty of Okonomiyaki: everything you want, grilled to perfection, and giving you a multidimensional sensory overload.

Mazeyaki (Okonomiyaki with chopped squid, pork, octopus and prawns)
1400 yen, approximately SGD $17 at point of purchase

 Another item worth going for is the Maze Yaki. Contrary to the Yamaimo Yaki, this is not as molten and it packs more punch and bite. It is wonderful to be able to get the refreshing cabbage with the sinful pork pieces and fresh seafood. The worcestershire and mayonnaise does a wonderful job of holding everything together and provides a richer mouthfeel together with a pleasant tang to cut through the heaviness of the dish.

The wonderful thing about going to Okonomiyaki joints in Japan is that everything is done ala minute, right before your very eyes. Most places have either table or counter seating with the grill in close proximity to the customers, but has indoor vents to suck in the heat and smoke so it does not hit you directly and affect your dining experience. There is nothing to hide at all, just simple ingredients grilled with finesse by an experienced chef. This ensures that you get your food from kitchen to table in a matter of seconds so you can enjoy your pancakes piping hot.


As it is quite filling and a little heavy, Okonomiyaki makes the ideal snack/tapas/meal to be shared over good company and washed down with an ice cold beer. Be it for lunch, a mid afternoon snack or supper, anytime is a good time to eat Okonomiyaki, and Mizuno, having been around for 65 years in such a competitive area and still managing to bring in crowds daily, is the place to go to for a wonderful experience. Take your seat, and watch in awe as the chef mixes, grills and serve it up right in front of you.

Mizuno Okonomiyaki
1-4-15 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka

Operating Hours:
Open from Mondays to Sundays
1100-2200

How to get there:

Mizuno is located in Dotonbori, about 10 min walk from Namba Station on the Osaka Subway.
Take Exit 14 and walk out to Dotonbori, look out for the Kani Doraku (The restaurant with a huge plastic crab model) and turn right into the smaller street.

Link to their website.

Zuboraya Fugu Restaurant: A meal with the Grim Reaper (Osaka Series Part 3/6)

Fugu "Tessa" (Puffer Fish Sashimi)

What would your last meal be?

How about a meal that can actually kill you?

Such were my questions before I embarked on a quest to sample the highly toxic and potentially fatal "Puffer Fish" that is sold quite openly in Japan. The infamy surrounding this fish has spread to a global level, but in recent times it has become quite safe to eat, thanks to the strict guidelines and rules when serving the dish. One criteria before a chef can earn his license to serve fugu, is that he has to cut and prepare the fish in an examination, and he has to eat it himself after he has finished dissecting it.

But for those of us who are still afraid to try it, fret not. I ate it, I came out alive, and now I live to tell the tale.

The parts of the fugu that are poisonous are mostly its internal organs (i.e liver, roe, ovaries,) and these are strictly not to be served under any circumstances. What the chef does is to carefully remove these organs (they cannot be bruised with the knife or else the poison will all leak out and contaminate the fish), and cut the flesh into paper thin slices such that it is translucent, and arrange them into an intricate pattern. I am guessing the term "Tessa" draws its origin from "Tessellation", hence the concept.

So how was the experience you ask?

I am sorry to be anticlimactic, but all I can say is, eating fugu is more for the novelty and the almost non-existent risk that comes with it, rather than the taste itself. The fish is slightly chewy, almost rubbery, and it is virtually tasteless with absolutely no character. The ponzu that came with it was definitely needed to give the fugu a lift.

Fugu Sushi Combination (A mixture of puffer fish maki, hakozushi and nigiri)

But how about if we used fugu in Sushi? Since the puffer fish would fall under the category of the "Shiromi Dane" (White fish topping), maybe the sushi rice it might change the taste profile of it.

Sadly it did not. The rice was a little hard and not seasoned well, and the fugu was just so lifeless in terms of the flavour. At this stage, it just served the purpose of filling my stomach which I did not want to waste the space on, but it would be extremely impolite for me to leave it unfinished.

So there you have it. If anything, it can be considered an item to strike off your bucket list (or if you're not careful, it might actually be the last thing you actually complete on the list).

Tips when eating Fugu:

1) To play it safe, go for the chain restaurant Zuboraya as it is a popular tourist restaurant with reasonable prices, english menus and pictures for you to take reference.

2) If you wish to sample fugu elsewhere, always look out for the license which should be displayed prominently in the shop or restaurant

3) As mentioned earlier, restaurants are not allowed to serve you the internal organs, so exit promptly if you see anything other than the flesh of the puffer fish.

4) If at any point you feel numbness in your tongue, get yourself to the hospital immediately as that is one telltale sign that the tetrodotoxin (the poison that is in the fish) is taking its effect on you. Symptoms can include high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and weakness in the body. If left untreated, it can evolve to paralysis of the body and eventually death. Tetrodotoxins take only a few hours to manifest itself in the body so please take extreme caution when eating fugu.


Try it if you want, but do manage your expectations, and please do not go out of your way to kill yourself (intentionally/unintentionally). Exercise caution and carry on living to eat.

Zuboraya Fugu Restaurant
1-6-10 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka

Operating hours
Monday to Sunday
1100 - 2300 (Last Order at 2230)

How to get there:

The nearest station to Zuboraya is Namba Station  on the Osaka Subway. Take Exit 14 and it is about a 5-7 min walk to the restaurant. Look out for a lantern in the shape of a puffer fish.

Ichiran Ramen: 24 Hour Slurpilicious Ramen in Dotonbori (Osaka Series Part 2/6)

Ahh...Ramen.

If there was one comfort food I had to pick if I was born a Japanese, nothing else can come quite close to Ramen. There is certainly nothing more heartwarming and soul-enriching than a bowl of piping hot noodle soup which is available anytime of the day. While I know Osaka may have their own regional foods, there are just certain things I cannot do without, viz. ramen and sushi.

Along the Dotonbori Canal in Namba, Osaka, there is just one Ramen shop that stands out above the rest. Just come around 6pm and you can see a snaking long queue of tourists and locals alike, all waiting patiently to satisfy growling stomachs with Ichiran's Hakata style Ramen (thin whitish noodles with tonkotsu soup base).

The system here is a little different and not as simple as any other ramen shop due to the high demand of seats so the process of getting in is as follows:

-Start queuing at the stairs outside the restaurant.
-Once you enter the restaurant, you will see a vending machine. Choose the item(s) you want,  pay and get your meal ticket.
- Once that's done, a service staff will show you to a room once seats are available. It might be on the 2nd or 3rd floor, and if you're in a party size of 3 or more, getting to sit together is not guaranteed.

The dining room of Ichiran Ramen is shaped out as a long corridor, and all patrons sit along one long table, with wooden side partitions (which can be retracted if you're sitting with friends) to give that extra sense of privacy especially if you wish to slurp in solitude. Your coat and bags are put behind your seat.

Custom Order Chit. Available in English, Mandarin, Korean and Japanese.

They say it is impossible to please everybody. But Ichiran tries its level best to do so by allowing their guests to customize their own ramen in terms of the texture and tastes of each component. From the noodle texture and char shu, to the strength and richness of the soup and the amount of garlic and chili, it can be suited to your individual palate to ensure you get the bowl of ramen you want.

Strong flavour soup,
 Medium richness,
1/2 clove garlic,
Thick green onion,
Sliced pork,
No red sauce,
Extra firm noodles.

Having been here on two (or five) occasions in the course of my trip, it was a rather fun process of trial and error trying to achieve that ultimate bowl. There were certain factors that would remain as constants for me (Strength of soup, firmness of noodles and having sliced pork) so I experimented with the others like the amount of garlic and red sauce.

I must mention that the red sauce, made with 30 different spices, is really spicy enough to alter the taste of the soup, so may I suggest omitting it on your first time. However, far be it from me to stop you if you love your Ramen to bring a burning sensation with every scoop.

The noodles here were exactly what I wanted; chewy and slightly bouncy. The char shu here is sliced thinly but so meltingly tender and flavourful. The soup itself? Beautiful. The perfect consistency, temperature and just the right amount of flavouring. Mind you, I am not usually a big fan of the Hakata style of Ramen, but Ichiran has converted me duly.

If you're done with your noodles but still have sufficient soup remaining, you can do a kaedama, which means to refill your noodles. There is an option to do so at the back of your order chit. Just indicate and hand it to the service staff.

There is a tendency for restaurants, once they become globally famous, to become tourist traps. But the same cannot be said for Ichiran. It has delivered consistently without fail and wowed me with its efforts and focus to give their customers their very best, and I recommend anyone and everyone who's going to Osaka, to satisfy their Ramen cravings here.

And the best part? It's open 24 hours. :)

Ichiran Ramen
7-18 1F Soumencho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week, unless otherwise stated.

How to get there:

Ichiran Ramen is located at the Dotonbori Canal. (There is literally a canal in the centre of Dotonbori that divides the rows of shops)
The nearest subway station would be Namba Station on the Osaka Subway. Take Exit 14, and you can walk for about 5-10 minutes to the Dotonbori Canal.

For more information, here's a link to their website.

Kuromon Sanpei: Start your Day with Sushi. (Osaka Series Part 1/6)

6 piece Otoro Nigiri Sushi

I am not a "morning person" who wakes up early to a hearty breakfast, but exceptions must be made when I am in Japan soaking in the culture, weather and more importantly, just devouring delicious grub at any time of the day.

Hence, I drew first blood in great decadence as I headed to the Kuromon Ichiba Market on my first morning in Osaka, where stalls displaying fresh seafood, meats and other delectable delights were in great abundance, and it was where I stumbled onto Kuromon Sanpei.

Kuromon Sanpei is a fish supplier and retailer which has seating areas for guests who wish to immediately consume purchases of their fresh and ready-to-eat seafood, a concept similar to "Sakuraya Fish Mart" in Singapore. They also have a limited menu featuring chirashi and sushi.

Scanning through the multitude of seafood on offer, I found 6 of my little friends here calling out my name constantly. I needed no telling twice as I snagged the lacquer box containing these orgasm bombs, paid for it and headed to the sitting area to officially commence my feasting in the Land of the Rising Sun.

The flavours were explosive, rich and seductive. The fish was meltingly tender, giving way with little resistance, and indeed resistance was futile as I sat in absolute isolation from the world. Just me and my otoro.

Oh and the price? SGD $24 for 6 pieces. I repeat, 6 pieces of fatty, well-marbled otoro sushi. Go figure. ;)

Uni and Ikura Donburi. 2980 yen, about SGD $36.

I browsed through the menu as well, and the moment my eyes landed on the picture I knew it was my destiny to compound the overall indulgence of my first breakfast in Osaka even further. Think short-grain Japanese rice topped with creamy and luscious uni, and ikura that has been sitting in a marinade of sake and shoyu. This dish is a strong contender of what my last meal on earth would be.

The shop displays a wide variety of fish for you to choose, so the only problem is deciding what to eat. I recommend going in a group so you can sample more of the different catches of the day.


Kuromon Sanpei

Kuromon Ichiba Market,
2-4-1, Nipponbashi,Chuo Ward, Osaka.

Operating Hours
0900-1800 hours.

How to get there:
The nearest station to the Kuromon Ichiba Market is Nipponbashi Station, which is on the Sennichimae Line of the Osaka Subway System. There are signs that will lead you to the correct exit, and the market is a mere 5 minute walk away.

Kuromon Sanpei has a signboard in English displaying their shop, and the shop space they own is really large compared to the rest of the shops so look out for it when you reach the market.

Link to their website.