Osaka Archives - Page 2 of 2

Doing the Neigh Neigh at a Horse Meat Restaurant in Osaka

August 8, 2023September 4, 2023Asia, Food, Japan BigBody Leave a Comment

As the dirty South rapper turned murderer ‘Silentó’ of the viral tune and dance craze once sang, “Now watch me whip, whip, watch me nae nae.” As I bounced down the streets of Osaka blaring this banger in my headphones while doing a bit of the stanky leg for good measure, I passed by a restaurant I thought was a popular duck and soba noodle spot. I popped my head into the restaurant, added my name to the registry for the night, and embarked on my daily constitutional (a 5km run around Osaka Castle).

After working up an appetite of one thousand American pygmy shrews (absolutely voracious eaters those little guys are), I returned to the restaurant and took my rightful spot at the bar – overlooking the kitchen. I must have been disoriented from my run and not capable of putting 2+2 together as I saw a Kanji character that I knew all too well. However, it didn’t register and I placed an order for their signature assorted sashimi platter.

Upon arrival, there was something different about it. I couldn’t quite place it. The texture was something I had never seen before. It was such a pinkish hue that even inspector Jacques Clouseau would struggle to solve the mystery behind its coloring. I suddenly caught a laminated placard with a diagram of a horse out of the corner of my eye and I put it all together. “Now watch me whip, whip, watch me neigh neigh,” I whispered under my breath as readied my chopsticks and took my first bite.

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.