As the call of ‘irasshaimase’ rings out across the establishment, you’ll feel warmly welcomed as you’re ushered to a seat – whether that’s a bar stool, booth seat or a cushion at a chabudai. Osaka has a longstanding reputation of being a central food capital. With nearby seafood and farms, fresh produce is readily available to be developed with a unique twist. Here are seven regional specialties you need to try when visiting Osaka!
1. Kitsune Udon
A bowl of springy udon noodles in a light, refreshing broth is a simple, yet nourishing, favourite. Osaka locals like to claim that kitsune udon was first served in Osaka – udon topped with aburaage, a slice of sweet, fried tofu. The reason behind its name? Kitsune means ‘fox’ in Japanese, and it is said that aburaage is a fox’s favourite food!
2. Horumon Yaki
In the Osaka dialect, horumon translates to ‘discarded goods’ so beef or pork offal is the star of the show in this dish. Stir fried with vegetables and a tasty sauce, horumon yaki is a great example of Japan’s nose-to-tail philosophy.
3. Oshizushi
Think sushi only comes in cylindrical shapes? Think again. Osaka’s version, oshizushi, uses a box-shaped mould to make rectangular ‘pressed’ sushi. Sushi rice is pressed into the mould and usually topped with marinated or cured seafood. It’s considered one of the oldest forms of sushi and is still a beloved lunch item today.
4. Ikayaki
Ikayaki is a grilled delight featuring squid brushed with soy sauce to finish it. While it is typically cooked on a skewer, Osaka has put a creative spin on ikayaki and combined it with okonomiyaki (a savoury pancake).
5. Negiyaki
Negiyaki is like okonomiyaki’s little sister, and a comfort food for Osaka locals. Invented by a local okonomiyaki restaurant to put a regional spin on the savoury pancake, negiyaki is made with spring onions (instead of cabbage) and soy-marinated beef. This really highlights the flavour profile of spring onions when encased in the crisp batter.
6. Kushikatsu
As plates of skewers upon skewers are delivered to your table, breathe in its drool-worthy scent and get ready to dive into kushikatsu. From meat to vegetables and even cheese and strawberries, these are crumbed and deep-fried to crunchy perfection. Kushikatsu was developed as a cheap, yet satisfying, meal for labourers. We recommend going to a kushikatsu restaurant in Shinsekai, previously a working-class suburb and now a quirky insight into what Osaka used to be like. Just make sure you don’t double dip in the communal sauce container!
7. Takoyaki
Invented in Osaka in the 1930’s and now one of the most popular street foods in Japan, takoyaki are incredibly moreish. Street food vendors will whip up a light batter filled with chopped octopus, pickled ginger and spring onion. The batter is poured into special takoyaki moulds and deft movements are used to flip the balls to ensure even cooking. Served piping hot with lashings of kewpie mayonnaise, takoyaki sauce and bonita flakes, we dare say that it’ll be love at first bite.
Feeling hungry? Let your stomach do the exploring in Osaka when on a Globus or Cosmos tour.
