This was my first time trying Hakata Motsunabe Oyama, and I thought this Kyushu specialty was really unique! The pot was packed with beef offal, cabbage, and garlic chives, and as soon as it arrived at the table piping hot, the aroma made me hungry.
After cooking, the beef offal was springy with a slightly rich, fatty flavor. Eating it with the vegetables helped balance out the richness, and the broth became more flavorful as it simmered and was very easy to drink.
Tsuruhashi Fugetsu, Odaiba Store
Founded over 70 years ago in Tsuruhashi, Osaka, this popular okonomiyaki restaurant allows you to enjoy the same unchanging taste at their Odaiba location. Skilled artisans cook okonomiyaki with plenty of cabbage and finish it with a secret sauce, as well as "modanyaki," which features their signature thick egg noodles cooked on top of the okonomiyaki, all on a griddle right in front of you.
Of course, when in Osaka, you have to try the famous local okonomiyaki! This time, I went to Tsuruhashi Fugetsu. The restaurant had a lively dining atmosphere, and sitting in front of the griddle watching the okonomiyaki slowly cook made me look forward to it even more.
The okonomiyaki was cooked until the surface was lightly browned and fragrant, while the inside was fluffy with a hint of sweetness from the vegetables. Paired with the rich sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes, it was full of flavor and especially satisfying to eat piping hot.
Kamameshi Shizuka Kouen-ten (Nara Park)
Since opening in 1959, Kamameshi Shizuka has been serving meals in two locations within Nara City during the last 60+ years. Even having established one of the best kamameshi restaurants in Nara, they continue to cook each pot of kamameshi over an open fire upon receiving each order.
I made a special trip to eat at Kamameshi Shizuka Kouen-ten in Nara. It's also a well-known, long-established kamameshi restaurant in Nara. This time, I ordered the oyster kamameshi. As soon as the steaming-hot pot arrived at the table, it looked so appetizing!
When I opened the lid, the rice had absorbed the aroma of the broth and had been cooked together with fresh oysters. The savory flavor of the oysters slowly infused the rice, giving every bite a subtle taste of the sea. Each grain of rice was distinct and became more fragrant the more I chewed, and it was especially delicious eaten with the oysters.
Jiyuken Namba Honten
Founded in 1910 as Osaka’s first Western-style restaurant, Jiyuken Namba Honten operates in the bustling Namba Center Street in the heart of the Minami area.
In Namba, Osaka, I made a special trip to try the famous Jiyuken Namba Honten. When their signature curry rice arrived, it had a raw egg in the center, which looked very distinctive!
I divided the curry rice into two sides as I ate, first trying one side as is, then mixing the raw egg into the other. The texture immediately became smoother, and the curry's aroma also took on a mellower quality. Especially after mixing in the raw egg, it was very easy to eat, and before I knew it, I was taking one bite after another.
It was my first time eating at Jiyuken in Osaka, and I thought this simple yet distinctive way of eating it was pretty interesting!
