Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS Jul 21, 2018
Kawahara: Thrilling, exciting, game-changing kaiseki
by J.J. O'Donoghue
At Kawahara, expect a multi-course kaiseki meal that presents seasonal foods in unexpected, playful ways.
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS Jul 21, 2018
Otto Knot: Italian food, sailing knots and great waffles
by J.J. O'Donoghue
When visiting Otto Knot, a cozy neighborhood cafe in the city of Takatsuki, don't miss their homemade raspberry sauce and ice cream-topped waffles.
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS Jun 23, 2018
Beignet: Earnest French fusion with a sleek streak
by J.J. O'Donoghue
Beignet's French-style kushiage skewers are served bite-sized, elegantly plated and with an Asian twist.
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS May 26, 2018
Bistro de Yoshimoto: French cuisine with some flair
by J.J. O'Donoghue
It was only after lunch was fully served and I was sipping on my digestif that I noticed the name on the painting hanging on the wall beside me: Yoshimoto. The watercolor next to it, a neat recreation of Le Mont Saint-Michel, bore the ...
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS May 26, 2018
Hood by Vargas: Whimsy, Americana and sandwiches
by J.J. O'Donoghue
Just behind Nakatsu Station, there's an old residential pocket located within a warren of narrow alleyways. Here, change is in the air. There is the sound of construction, old houses are being transformed into cafes, restaurants and hip little boutiques, and new ventures seem to ...
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS Apr 21, 2018
Liaison: Flair and performance from kitchen to table
by J.J. O'Donoghue
Despite the unassuming setting, chef Hideyo Dezaki delivers seasonal, creative fare at Liaison.
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS Apr 21, 2018
Critters Burger: Serious people making serious burgers
by J.J. O'Donoghue
Critters Burger may be turning 10 but their burgers are as on-point as ever.
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS Mar 24, 2018
Taiwan Tanpao: A quick visit for a dumpling or six
by J.J. O'Donoghue
You could easily pass a whole day as a flaneur in Osaka's Tenjibashi-suji Shotengai, the longest shopping arcade in Japan. Unlike its southern counterpart, Shinsaibashi-suji, there is still room to breathe in Tenjinbashi-suji and it's not (yet) full of tourist-traps masquerading as historical shops. Recently ...
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS Mar 24, 2018
Sushi Chiharu: In delicacy lies the art of sushi
by J.J. O'Donoghue
For the 90 minutes that lunch played out at Sushi Chiharu, the smallest upscale-sushi restaurant I've ever eaten at, there was a steady stream of jazz hits underscoring the sushi shokunin (artisan) who catered to the full house. There were seven of us, seated close ...
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS Feb 24, 2018
Echi Ponte Vecchio a Osaka: Florence-inspired pizzeria with a view
by J.J. O'Donoghue
Chef and Italophile Daisuke Yamane has a thing for a particular bridge that spans the Arno River in Florence: the Ponte Vecchio. While the famous Italian bridge may or may not ring a bell, you'll more than likely recognize it from a photo: a ...
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS Feb 24, 2018
Craft Beer Market Osaka: Cheap pints of tasty craft
by J.J. O'Donoghue
The craft beer explosion in Japan has been a boon for drinkers, but the one bitter note in this success story is price. Generally speaking, there's little wiggle room from the ¥1,000 a pint mark — a hefty price to pay for a beer ...
Food & Drink | OSAKA RESTAURANTS Jan 27, 2018
Epais: Kitashinchi tonkatsu shop is worth the wait
by J.J. O'Donoghue
Epais specializes in tonkatsu, deep-fried breaded pork cutlets. Like tempura, tonkatsu shares its origins in the West, but whereas the western dish is usually fried in a shallow pool of oil, tonkatsu gets a mini well of its own for frying.