A Mouth-Watering Beef Katsu Sando in Osaka You Needed Yesterday

If you read my previous post on ‘Custard Nakamura’, a popular Japanese bakery in the heart of Bangkok, then you already know my feelings towards Japanese sandwiches – I may love them more than some members of my immediate family. So you can guess that after landing in Osaka for a three-month stint, one of the first things I did was research local sandwich shops in my area (not “hot local singles in my area”). 

Cue ‘Kitashinchi Sand’, a late-night specialty sandwich shop located just a five-minute walk to the south from Osaka Station. What could possibly go wrong when you combine high-quality beef and bread? Absolutely nothing. Say “Hello” to your new best friend – the beef katsu sando. Oh, and I was such a glutton that I also knocked back several Menchi sandos (ground meat cutlet sandwiches) for good measure.

Delay no more! Let’s dig in.

How to Find Kitashinchi Sand 

Frankly, this isn’t the easiest place to find and several Google reviews will also point this out. It is a very unassuming shop that somehow camouflages itself – I spent about 20 minutes furiously pacing back and forth with “meat withdrawals” trying to figure out how to get my fix. But, the juice is worth the squeeze, so hang in there. 

• Website, Address, & Details
  • http://kitashinchisand.com 
  • Hours: Monday-Saturday 5 PM – 4 AM
  • Address: 〒530-0002 Osaka, Kita Ward, Sonezakishinchi, 1 Chome−2−11 アレーナ堂島 １F

Here’s a picture of the outside of the building to put you well on your way to beefy glory. Essentially, if you are standing at the corner of the small park area, head East, and ‘Kitashinchi Sand’ will be right on your left – right after a red sign that says ‘Tachibana BLDG’ and directly under a sign that reads ‘Arena Dohjima’. This is also right before red brick steps that lead up to the second floor of a building.

Now that you’ve made it, it’s time to figure out what to order. 

Meat Sandwiches Galore

You came here under the promise of beef sandos, so beef sandos you shall have. In all seriousness, Kitashinchi Sand has about a baker’s dozen of different sandwiches on the menu, including an eel cutlet sandwich and croquette sando, so there will be no shortage to choose from. 

If you’ve read any of my previous posts, I am a mayonnaise-phobe, so I opted for the several sandwiches that come sans mayo. The two primary sandos that have become regular staples in my diet here in Osaka are Kitashinchi’s ‘beef cutlet sando’ and ‘Menchi sando’ (minced cutlet sandwich).

Pale Ale Travel Sandwich Tip: If you are in the Kitahama/Temmabashi neighborhood (not too far from Umeda) and looking for a delectable, affordable katsu sando (fried pork cutlet sandwich), look no further than ‘Manpuku Bakery’. ‘Manpuku’ means “full stomach” in Japanese and you can bet your bottom dollar that you will leave stuffed to the gills. I would definitely recommend going during the week to avoid a line (that can sometimes stretch all the way around the block). 

The Beef Katsu Sando: King of Sandwiches in Osaka & All of Japan

The beef katsu sando is made of A3 beef, a less marbled and fatty version of what you may be expecting – however, sandwiched between two thin, fluffy slices of white bread and tickled with a light (yet rich) and sweet demi-glace, and the rare, slightly seared/cooked outside practically dissolves in your mouth. 

Sometimes you enter into that neverending chew with rare beef but not at Kitashinchi Sand. It is delicate, light, and beefy – all in one bite. I should add a disclaimer that based on my in-the-field research and online research, this is not Wagyu, just high-quality beef. Save the Wagyu for a yakiniku binge in Kobe!   

The total cost for the beef sando clocks in at 2,800 yen, or roughly USD 20, which is definitely on the steeper side but well worth it in my opinion. Other menu items and sandwiches range from 1,000 yen to 1,600 yen (except the eel, which is similar in pricing to the beef).

The Menchi Sando: Mr. Mainichi (aka Mr. Every Day)

Budget-wise, it probably is not prudent to be devouring USD 20 beef sandos on the reg. Although, I still do it with some sort of regularity that would make my accountant blush. Cue the ‘Menchi Sando’. For me, the Menchi Sando is Mr. Every Day, as I regularly crave and can afford these bad boys. 

Menchi sandos are minced meat cutlet sandwiches, traditionally made with a mixture of beef and pork. The structural integrity it lacks is made up tenfold with the juicy, well-seasoned, slightly fatty interior. This is a very particular reference but the state of Connecticut has a history of steaming hamburgers to create an explosion of internal moisture and juiciness in each bite – Menchi sandos recreate this to some degree. 

Placed between two white bread slices and served in an Instagrammable little box (no picture for the actual box – sorry), Kitashinchi Sand’s ‘Menchi’ brought me back to a 2008 stopover in Central Connecticut (in the best way possible). And, it comes in at a more manageable 1,200/1,300 yen, USD 8. 

I would be remiss not to mention that the egg cutlet sandwiches are supposedly out of this world flavor-wise and should be consumed given the chance (and palate for mayonnaise). Let me know in the comments if your mayonnaise-loving self tries one of these on your next trip to Osaka! 

Pale Ale Travel Beef Tip: If after this article, you still can’t get enough beef, make sure to check out my post exploring if the gyukatsu (beef katsu on a grill) at ‘Gyukatsu Motomura’ in Osaka is worth it. 

My Final Verdict on Kitashinchi Sand

In my books, this is a must-go if you are in Osaka, Japan. It is located right next to a main metro station, is relatively speedy, and delivers a flavor-packed punch that won’t slow you down for the rest of the day. 

Simply put, there is no real-time lost heading to Kitashinchi Sand and there are sandwich types for everyone – so this is a bet I would be willing to take as a tourist any day of the week (except Sundays – since it is closed on Sundays). 

I am currently writing this during my last week in Osaka, Japan (after 3 months of professional eating) and am getting meat-teary-eyed just writing this. If you have any favorite sando spots in Osaka (or the Kansai region in general), definitely let me know in the comments or by sending over a quick email at info@palealetravel.com. 

Eat well everyone,

Big Body