Japan Archives - Page 3 of 3

Gyudon Life: Why I’m a Yoshinoya Ride or Die For Life

July 9, 2023November 26, 2024Asia, Food, Japan BigBody Leave a Comment

I really can’t express just how happy Yoshinoya in Japan makes me but I’ll try.

Maybe it is because I have fond memories of patronizing this fast food gyudon (beef and rice bowl) chain my first Chinese New Year in Beijing when it was the only thing open (that and KFC). Maybe it is because it is there for me while working odd hours with clients in the U.S., leaving me a rather rushed eating window between 11 PM and 12 AM some nights. Maybe it is because they just make a high-quality, bang-for-your-buck, hearty meal that is delivered with enthusiastic service and care.

I am a Yoshinoya ride or die. For life. My last three months living in Osaka, Japan have solidified this ten times over. I have eaten at Yoshinoya, at minimum, bi-weekly (sometimes tri-weekly) for the last three months. I know it well and it will always have a special place in my heart and belly.

If you are a Sukiya or Matsuya (competing gyudon chains in Japan), consider this an open invitation for hand-to-hand combat.

If you are unfamiliar with exactly what Yoshinoya is or what you can expect when walking through the doors here or are curious exactly what makes this fast food chain one of my most frequented (possibly most frequented) spots in all of Japan – read on!

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

July 4, 2023July 16, 2024Asia, Food, Japan BigBody Leave a Comment

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.

The Deep-Fried Beef Cutlet Dilemma: Is Gyukatsu Motomura Worth the Line?

June 25, 2023July 16, 2024Asia, Food, Japan BigBody Leave a Comment

Having posted up in Osaka, Japan for the last two months (with one more to go), a popular restaurant my friends raved about and kept recommending was ‘Gyukatsu Motomura’ – a deep-fried beef cutlet (similar to Tonkatsu) haunt where patrons cook their rare beef over a hot stone and slather it in soy sauce or wasabi. All in the name of the perfect bite.

After unsuccessfully being turned away the night before for showing up too late (this was on me – not them), I decided to circle back the next night to their Umeda branch, located in ‘Lucua Dining’ on the 10th floor of the North Gate Building of Osaka Station City. This time I arrived at 8 PM, dressed in my finest Yakult Swallows baseball jersey, to see if the hype was worth it.