Osaka Means "Oishi"

And "oishi" means "delicious"! Osaka is all about eating!

Pinky and I had arrived in Osaka via Shinkansen Bullet Train in the late afternoon. There wasn't much time for sightseeing that day, but there was plenty of time for eating!

Food in Japan is much more than just sushi. We walked through the Kuromon Market, Osaka's large, outdoor market, full of fresh produce, snacks, and the coastal city's signature seafood.

People in Japan value their cuisine quite highly. They are willing to pay big bucks for good food. We even saw big melons wrapped in fancy packaging going for well over $100. We bought a small box of four of Kansai's famous strawberries, white, juicy, and delicious, with red seeds, for just over $10!

Stomachs rumbling, we stepped behind a faded blue curtain into the first restaurant where we could see an empty seat. We were hungry for all the amazing washoku (Japanese cuisine) that the city had to offer us. We sat down at a polished wooden counter, facing the chef. There were just two small cramped tables and the counter with five or six stools in the restaurant. It was nearly hidden away in the market; a literal hole-in-the-wall. There were bright photos of various beers and sakes taped to the walls, and not an English word to be found amongst the laminated paper menus scattered across the counter. No pictures we could point at either.



Pinky and I looked at each other. There wasn't an English menu in sight, and nobody seemed to be waiting on us. We figured that maybe we were supposed to order directly from the chef. The only problem: though Pinky can speak a little, neither of us could read the Japanese menus!

We were quietly debating about how to slip out without being rude and offending the chef, when a young worker approached us.

"Our menu is out front", he told us.

Relieved, we followed him to the front of the market, where various fish and other seafood were displayed on a bed of crushed ice. It was the freshest "menu" I've ever seen! We ordered from the small English-printed sheet he handed us, and chose which of the seafood we wanted.

We ordered salmon sashimi to start. The salmon was thick, pink, and fatty. This might sound weird, but I was especially impressed with the wasabi... I know, it's strange. But this wasabi was

unlike any I've had before. Definitely high quality. Instead of the typical neon-green paste, this was darker and grittier. I think they might have ground it by hand! In fact, the taste wasn't overpowering either. It might be a fauxpas, but I ate the whole dollop of wasabi in little biting scoops with my chopsticks. What a thought to take away from this delicious sushi dish! 

Next up: a sushi platter. So fresh! Pinky got the coveted (somewhat rare and expensive) sea urchin roe (bottom row, far right, next to the pink ginger). I tried a bit though. It's not bad, but not necessarily something I see the appeal of. Our first sushi meal in Japan was incredible! It was by far the freshest sushi I've ever had.

We also had two huge barbecued oysters, grilled in the back over charcoal and served with a slice of lemon to squeeze on top. Very fresh and juicy!

We were pretty full after dinner, but there is always room for more in Osaka. The sun had set, so we walked over to the Dotonbori Arcade, Osaka's amusement neighborhood, theater district, nightlife center... and a food-lover's heaven-on-earth!

  

The brightly-lit, chaotic street is one of Japan's most famous and iconic landmarks. The neon lights flash all around, and its a cacophony of noise and activity. In Japan, you've got to follow the crowds. We joined a snaking queue at a takoyaki (octopus ball) stand in front of one of the restaurants. There were other, less crowded stalls, but we trust public opinion!

We waited for nearly half an hour before finally reaching the vendor. She sold us a box of eight piping hot takoyaki balls for Y600, and we stood in the corner beneath a flashing digital billboard taking tiny, mouth-burning bites of the rich, umami-packed balls. They were stuffed with bright purple bits of octopus, and topped with dark sauce, green onions, and bonito flakes (grated flakes of dried fish). They were the most delicious takoyaki we have ever had!

That doesn't mean much coming from me, since I've only had it once in my life, but Pinky has, and she loved it! I must say, I trust that girl's taste buds.

delicious takoyaki