osaka eats

Osaka.

Like Tokyo, Osaka is a big city. It is not quaint like Kyoto. As a someone from Kyoto once told me, Osaka is fast-paced and not pretty. It is, indeed, fast paced and not "pretty" in a traditional sense. But, it has its charms. I particularly loved the cocktail scene in Osaka. And, Osaka also has local eats that I found very tasty.


Takoyaki
This street food favorite is basically a ball shaped dish made up of a piece of octopus (tentacles) enclosed in a flour batter, topped with bonito flakes, and dipped in ponzu sauce. School children love this stuff. You can find vendors selling takoyaki in bars or street stalls.

Takoyaki.

Okonomiyaki
This dish is made of shredded cabbage mixed in a thick batter. Then, some type of protein is added and finished with a sweet sauce. It's sweet and savory at the same time. It is also very heavy.

Okonomiyaki.

Kushiage
What is it? Basically, they are deep fried food stuff (like lotus root, shrimp, octopus, chicken, etc.) on a stick. It's really hard to not like deep fried things. And, Osaka has lots of bars that serve Kushiage.

Kushiage.

Cheesecake
Yes, cheesecake. It's sold "soft" or "hard" and they are not too sweet. A store called, Pablo, sells the stuff and is very popular.

Cheesecake.

What do you enjoy eating in Osaka?