The phrase “Ōsaka wa kuidaore” (eat until you drop) is an old saying of Tokyo locals among the people of Osaka about their insatiable appetite. Well, could we blame them? These residents live in the city that is often dubbed by distinguished individuals as the food capital of Japan, or at best, the world. And the greatest place to experience this highly esteemed food culture is in the neon-laden district near Namba Station called Dotonbori.
Dotonbori is a lively entertainment area famed for its gaudy neon lights, extravagant signages, and not surprisingly, packed varieties of high-quality and competitive restaurants and bars. As exciting yet overwhelming as this food experience could be for a first-time and/or budget-conscious traveler, here’s NeedThat to guide your way through the district’s stretch with the top three picks:
1. Takoyaki-Douraku Wanaka
- Price: $
- Best in: Takoyaki
Takoyaki, which literally means “grilled octopus,” is one of the most popular Osakan dishes popularized as Japanese street food. It’s a small fried dough ball usually filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion. But given its acclaimed local and global fame and decades of history, its variations have been attuned to regional preferences, such as adding cheese and bacon as toppings and mayonnaise and green laver as sauces.
The problem with eating takoyaki is choosing where to buy from oodles of takoyaki shops in Dotonbori because ALL are great! But to get you started on this little taste test, we recommend paying Takoyaki-Douraku Wanaka a visit. It offers you great value for money for authentic umami creations using locally sourced ingredients, such as dashi stock for finely grained flour, negi (Welsh onion) for that crunchy texture, and a special secret sauce that completes the overall finishing for the umami flavor.
2. Kanidouraku Dotombori-Honten
- Price: $$
- Best in: Grilled crab legs
Here’s one big tip when you travel to Japan during winter: order crab dishes. These are Japanese indulgences that you can choose from a sea of regional varieties, such as kegani, zuwaigani, and tarabagani, among others. And the best Osaka restaurant that specializes in these delicacies is Kani Doraku. It’s a well-known seafood restaurant chain whose noticeable storefront features a giant mechanical crab and the staff grill large crab legs on the street for an appetizing aroma.
Kani Doraku’s grilled crab legs are the most popular orders on top of steamed crab, crab sashimi, crab hot pot, crab tempura, and crab meat rice. Its crab meat is super juicy, almost sweet! The grilled servings could also give you a taste of the smoke from the used charcoal as it seeps into the crab meat. Although they’re a bit expensive, they’re delicious and worth a shot for seafood.
3. Matsuzakagyu Yakiniku M
- Price: $$$
- Best in: Yakiniku
It’s no secret that beef is deemed expensive and prized in Japan, primarily because of the costs associated with rearing the growth of cows based on their strict environment and diet. One of the best kinds there is is Matsusaka beef because of its rich fat-to-meat ratio catalyzed by the distinctive marbled texture, and Matsuzakagyu Yakiniku M is definitely a must-visit restaurant in Osaka (yup, not just in Dotonbori) to experience this heavenly affair.
Matsuzakagyu Yakiniku M is a Matsusaka beef specialty store via the yakiniku experience, where the latter term literally means “grilled meat.” This might be the best splurge meal you’ll have in Osaka, and given the restaurant’s long lines and jam-packed hours, we highly recommend that you settle reservations. There you’ll have the option to either order a la carte or dinner sets. The second choice varies from ¥3,600 to about ¥9,000 per person. They come with Japanese appetizers, grilled vegetables, five kinds of Matsusaka beef that vary in fattiness (you could see the progression of the fattiness of the meat when they bring them out, so take them all in attentively), stone-grilled garlic rice, desserts, and special sauces that complement all of the beef meat’s quality and rich fat-to-meat ratio.
Alcohol is an important part of the yakiniku experience, especially if you’ll do it in Matsuzakagyu, then you better do it right. The restaurant offers a wide range of alcoholic drinks, but beers, sake, and shochu are just enough as they’re reasonably priced.
