November 6, 2012: The Osaka Walking Tour: Part Deux!
Wow! It’s been a whirlwind few days here in Osaka. I’ve covered so much ground that I’ve decided to squeeze in an extra blog entry. Let’s call it “November 6, 2012: The Quickening!”
We met up with Akemi’s parents on our first night in town. The plan was to go to Sushi Koyoshi, a mom and pop restaurant I’d seen profiled on one of Anthony Bourdain’s shows. It took us about twenty minutes to find the place – and discover it was closed. 🙁
Akemi and her parents.
The initial disappointment gave way to single-minded resolve. Determined that we WERE going to have sushi, Akemi’s mother started off, up one alley, down another – the rest of us scurrying along, struggling to keep up. Eventually, we ended up at Uosa where we enjoyed a great meal. Some of the highlights:
Aji (spanish mackerel). More thickly sliced than in Tokyo. The bones of the mackerel are deep-fried, salted, and served up. I’m thinking of serving these instead of chips for my next football party.You can’t get much fresher. Or unsettling.The melt-in-your-mouth toro.An enormous, delicious bite of anago (sea eel).
Okay, it’s time for another walking tour. This time, Akemi will be joining us. Poor gal developed an eye infection last night and can’t wear contacts or make-up so she’s feeling a little camera-shy today. So no pictures, please.
Before we head out, I’m going to hop in the shower. For some mysterious reason, the tub is only half covered. Try not to get the bathroom floor wet.One of the things I love about Japan is the detail that goes into the various window displays, especially as Christmas approaches.
This fellow stops to talk to us about the over-30 rugby tournament taking place in Osaka. Apparently, he’s a player. At 75!If there are two things Osaka is known for, it’s okonomiyaki and takoyaki. Let’s cover both, shall we?We grab a seat at one of the okonomiyaki booths. The hot coming off the grill is oppressive. That’ll teach you to rest your elbows on the table.We order two okonomiyaki. The server comes over, mixes together the batter and cabbage and sets it down on the grill. She tops with bonito flakes that do a little dance as they cook.After flipping it, she lets it cook a little longer, then tops with mayo, okonomiyaki sauce (that tastes suspiciously like tonkatsu sauce) and nori.Akemi preferred the version with pork and seafood. I liked the one pictured here with the beef gristle (that’s how it’s described on the menu), green onions and a raw egg.
Akemi gives this place two enthusiastic thumbs up:
Let’s head over to the lower level of one of the major department stores and check out the fresh fruit. You’re not allowed to take pictures so let’s pretend we’re just checking for the updates on our respective fantasy football league teams:
Those melons are about $30 a head.Very expensive but so much better than any of the fruit I’ve had anywhere else. Still, it IS fruit…Hanging whale art.You don’t need an English menu when ordering. Just point to the appropriate plastic replicas.We stop for one of these matcha cream-filled mini-pancakes. Eat quickly because, if you don’t, Akemi WILL finish it.Okay, we did the okonomiyaki. Now it’s time for takoyaki. Let’s take up position at the standing counter at Hana Dako and wait for them to complete our batch.Firm on the outside and lava hot and goopy on the inside. An acquired taste but strangely addictive.For dessert, how about some sake cake? You know what would go great with this? Right. Sake ice cream.Let’s wash it down with a cool, bittersweet matcha latte
Tomorrow’s irregularly scheduled entry = The Osaka Wrap-up!
15 thoughts on “November 6, 2012: The Osaka Walking Tour: Part Deux!”
Wow. more great pics. And I’m jealous of your department store trips. There are so many cool things to be found in those basements…
The only thing about octopus is that I have a twinge of guilt on eating something that demonstrates so much intelligence. and have such human, albeit oversized, eyes. I hope you continue to enjoy the trip, and can find the time to keep up your posts…
I love the walking tour(s) of Osaka, which looks like one of the most entertaining cities for a walk on the planet. Any planet. This is going to make my morning walk to work seem really boring.
Dammit, again I have forgotten to eat breakfast before perusing your blog. My tummy is growling and my chances of getting okonomiyaki are zip zero zilch.
Yep, pork and seafood would be my choice too.
I’m going to go have toast and yogurt. Dammit.
Waves HELLO to Akemi’s parents.
Fantastic tour…thanks.
Fantastic color and arrangement almost everywhere. Even in Hawaii – walk thru a Sears or similar store – rather boring. Walk thru Shirokiya department store – visual feast for the eyes.
Ditto what Maggie said – woke up to your blog, and my food selection choices are on the boring side – cereal…bah.
I have sure-fire cures for eye infections, but where are you going to find a lactating woman or the confidence to dilute boric acid accurately way out there?
—
I had the most luxurious food ever for breakfast. I cut up this…I can’t figure out if it’s a red warty thing squash or a red hubbard pumpkin. Anyway, raw it has the exact taste and texture of carrots. The next party I go to, I’m going to cut some into six-inch snowflakes and watch people try to figure out how I cut carrots like that.
Roasted, it has no stringiness like other squash at all and tastes like what pumpkin pie wishes it tasted like, with the most perfect caramelizing at the corners of the chunks.
Can’t say I’ve tried Sake Cake or Sake Ice Cream before, that said it would purely just be a matter of mixing it in during the process of creating said desert lol. Sake isn’t that bad either. Did notice that you can get many, many variations of it, and some of course tastes stronger than others.
1. Akemi is adorable in glasses! Mebbe you two can play naughty librarian! 😉
2. Now we know where Akemi gets her good looks from – her parents!
3. I had a fish bone stuck in the back of my throat once – almost had to go to the hospital but somehow I managed to pull the thing out with a pair of extra-long locksmith tweezers. Needless to say, if you served me up fried mackerel bones instead of chips I’d have to slap you upside the back of your head. HARD.
4. I TOL’ you!! Rugby is the bestest sport on the planet! 😀 You can play it until you die! (Did you happen to mention you know a rabid rugby fan from the US? 😉 )
5. On a side note, posting a picture of an oldtimers rugby player is 250x better than posting a picture of a giant spider. 🙂
6. I refuse to eat anything that is looking at me.
7. Here in the States the only melons with a price tag like that are usually attached to a bubble-headed blonde.
I really enjoyed the walking tour of Osaka in the last blog entry. Loud noises, lights and lots of people give me migraines, so living there would not be good for me. It looks like a nice place to visit though.
Why were the melons so expensive? Any kind of unusual agriculture methods or something?
The food pictures looks great! Akemi’s family seem very nice also. It must be nice to have a native guide to the area.
I hope Akemi’s eyes feel better today. She looks pretty cute without glasses or makeup.
Pretty Aspen. I pray the rebound lasts a long time.
For some mysterious reason, the tub is only half covered.
I’ve seen that a lot at hotels in Italy (Naples and Milan). I was thinking that the half-glass was cheaper than a shower door, but still classier than a shower curtain. Still, I’d prefer to just have a full shower curtain.
On the okonomiyaki, I think I’d prefer the beef-gristle one too. In fact, I’d love to have one tonight, but had to have a spinach salad instead :-(. To make up for that disappointment, maybe I’ll book an afternoon tea at Thornbury Castle on Saturday:
Wow. more great pics. And I’m jealous of your department store trips. There are so many cool things to be found in those basements…
The only thing about octopus is that I have a twinge of guilt on eating something that demonstrates so much intelligence. and have such human, albeit oversized, eyes. I hope you continue to enjoy the trip, and can find the time to keep up your posts…
Fantastically delicious looking food. Enviously drooling over my keyboard.
Have you been to an izakaya for a huge range of charcoal-grilled tasty morsels and sake? I’d recommend Yaki Onigiri if find somewhere doing them.
Great news about Aspen!
I love the walking tour(s) of Osaka, which looks like one of the most entertaining cities for a walk on the planet. Any planet. This is going to make my morning walk to work seem really boring.
Dammit, again I have forgotten to eat breakfast before perusing your blog. My tummy is growling and my chances of getting okonomiyaki are zip zero zilch.
Yep, pork and seafood would be my choice too.
I’m going to go have toast and yogurt. Dammit.
Waves HELLO to Akemi’s parents.
Fantastic tour…thanks.
Fantastic color and arrangement almost everywhere. Even in Hawaii – walk thru a Sears or similar store – rather boring. Walk thru Shirokiya department store – visual feast for the eyes.
Ditto what Maggie said – woke up to your blog, and my food selection choices are on the boring side – cereal…bah.
Hope Akemi feels better.
OH….forgot to say….Akemi is soooo cute in the secret video.
Osakans seem to have an aversion to flatness.
—
Akemi’s cute without make-up.
I have sure-fire cures for eye infections, but where are you going to find a lactating woman or the confidence to dilute boric acid accurately way out there?
—
I had the most luxurious food ever for breakfast. I cut up this…I can’t figure out if it’s a red warty thing squash or a red hubbard pumpkin. Anyway, raw it has the exact taste and texture of carrots. The next party I go to, I’m going to cut some into six-inch snowflakes and watch people try to figure out how I cut carrots like that.
Roasted, it has no stringiness like other squash at all and tastes like what pumpkin pie wishes it tasted like, with the most perfect caramelizing at the corners of the chunks.
From someone looking over my shoulder while I’m reading your blog on my phone at work: “Are you hungry?”
Me: “I am now.”
Hi, Akemi’s Mom and Dad!!!!
Tell Akemi to take care of that eye!
>how about some sake cake?
Can’t say I’ve tried Sake Cake or Sake Ice Cream before, that said it would purely just be a matter of mixing it in during the process of creating said desert lol. Sake isn’t that bad either. Did notice that you can get many, many variations of it, and some of course tastes stronger than others.
1. Akemi is adorable in glasses! Mebbe you two can play naughty librarian! 😉
2. Now we know where Akemi gets her good looks from – her parents!
3. I had a fish bone stuck in the back of my throat once – almost had to go to the hospital but somehow I managed to pull the thing out with a pair of extra-long locksmith tweezers. Needless to say, if you served me up fried mackerel bones instead of chips I’d have to slap you upside the back of your head. HARD.
4. I TOL’ you!! Rugby is the bestest sport on the planet! 😀 You can play it until you die! (Did you happen to mention you know a rabid rugby fan from the US? 😉 )
5. On a side note, posting a picture of an oldtimers rugby player is 250x better than posting a picture of a giant spider. 🙂
6. I refuse to eat anything that is looking at me.
7. Here in the States the only melons with a price tag like that are usually attached to a bubble-headed blonde.
8. RAW egg? Joey’s gonna get da POOPS! 😀
das
Hi to Akemi’s parents and thanks for allowing their picture to be posted in the blog.
I really enjoyed the walking tour of Osaka in the last blog entry. Loud noises, lights and lots of people give me migraines, so living there would not be good for me. It looks like a nice place to visit though.
Why were the melons so expensive? Any kind of unusual agriculture methods or something?
The food pictures looks great! Akemi’s family seem very nice also. It must be nice to have a native guide to the area.
I hope Akemi’s eyes feel better today. She looks pretty cute without glasses or makeup.
Pretty Aspen. I pray the rebound lasts a long time.
@Joe:
I’ve seen that a lot at hotels in Italy (Naples and Milan). I was thinking that the half-glass was cheaper than a shower door, but still classier than a shower curtain. Still, I’d prefer to just have a full shower curtain.
On the okonomiyaki, I think I’d prefer the beef-gristle one too. In fact, I’d love to have one tonight, but had to have a spinach salad instead :-(. To make up for that disappointment, maybe I’ll book an afternoon tea at Thornbury Castle on Saturday:
http://www.thornburycastle.co.uk/hotel/food-and-drink/
Oh, and what was with the pink/red whale? Do the Japanese have steamers that big?!?
Akemi’s parents are so cute! Any brothers or sisters? The fruit looks like a gift, it’s so pretty.