Culinary specialties of Osaka
What to taste in Osaka?
Osaka, the third-largest city in Japan, is famous for its culinary culture. For many, it is emblematic of Japanese street food: the city that saw the birth of instant noodles and sushi bars!
Here are 10 emblematic Japanese culinary specialties of Kansai not to be missed during your visit to Osaka :
- Okonomiyaki : Japanese omelet or pizza
Okonomiyaki is nicknamed "Japanese omelet" or "Japanese pizza", although it has little to do with Italian pizza. In Osaka, restaurants specializing in this pancake that you can eat right at the counter (hot) serve excellent ones in the famous Dotonbori district, but also around Namba.
Warning: you will not taste the same okonomiyaki recipes everywhere! In Hiroshima and Kyoto, it is prepared differently. Don't miss the Osaka version, flat, with less cabbage and a lot of sauce on it!
- Takoyaki: octopus fritters
Takoyaki is something of a street food superstar in Osaka. Perhaps because of its somewhat curious appearance, you line up in Dotonbori to get some and the stalls multiply as you progress through the neighborhood. Takoyaki is a kind of skewer of octopus fritters, covered with sauce, mayonnaise, and then dried bonito. The small octopus sometimes remains whole in the ball of dough, so make sure to chew before swallowing!
- Kitsune udon: the udon of the fox
Kitsune udon is a bowl of udon with a slice of fried tofu on top. Kitsune means "fox". The name of this dish comes from the popular belief that "the fox likes fried tofu". Kitsune udon is served all over Japan today, but the restaurant that invented it is said to be in Osaka: the "Usanamitei Matsubaya", in the Shinsaibashi district. The broth in which udon is served in Osaka is slightly clearer than that which you will taste in Kyoto.
- Yakiniku: Osaka BBQ
Yakiniku is a barbecue of thinly sliced meat (the grill version of shabu-shabu ) inspired by Korean barbecue. The best restaurants in Osaka to enjoy yakiniku are around Tsuruhashi. It's a perfect group meal since everyone grills their meat on the central fire.
- Ikayaki: crepe squid
Another yaki! This word means " grilled " and in Osaka, anything grilled is presumably good. Osaka ikayaki is a squid pancake. The dough is made from eggs and flour. We garnish the inside with slices of squid before putting everything to cook and voila!
- Fugu or tessa: the dangerous puffer fish
This is a controversial dish in Japan and shrouded in mystery for the rest of the world! Fugu, or pufferfish, called tessa in Osaka, is one of the most dreaded (and expensive) specialties. And for good reason: if it is not served extremely fresh and emptied of its toxic organs, it contains a deadly poison. In Japan, only chefs with a special license are allowed to serve fugu. It is usually eaten in sashimi, but also grilled or shabu-shabu.
- Hakozushi: canned sushi
Don't worry, we're not talking about canned sushi here. No, hakosushi get their name from their square shape, obtained by packing rice into a wooden box (hako meaning "box"). Traditionally, these are grilled eel (unagi), sea bream, omelet, and mushroom sushi: these different colored ingredients give an artistic look to the hakosushi platters.
- Kushikatsu: breaded skewers
Kushikatsu is a street food specialty in Osaka. These are skewers of breaded vegetables, meat, or seafood. They are to be enjoyed with all kinds of sauces, but tradition dictates that you only dip your skewer once in a sauce! It's a question of politeness. The Tsutenkaku district is renowned for its kushikatsu restaurants.
- Horumon: grilled pork entrails
To want to taste the horumon, you must first be a fan of offal because it is a barbecue of pork offal (heart, tongue, etc.). It is therefore the same principle as the yakiniku, but with the parts that have not been served for the yakiniku. Nothing is wasted!
- Taiko-manju, or imagawayaki
And to finish this (non-exhaustive) list of Osaka specialties, let's not forget the sweet! While Japanese pastries are delicious all over the country, each region has its favorites. In Osaka, mention should be made of taiko manju or imagawayaki: a pastry made from sponge cake filled with red bean paste, azuki. Today, it can be found with several stuffings. You can find it easily at Osaka station!
To read: The Japanese manju
