Seoul Soul Northcote is the second outpost for the Seoul Soul group, the original being on Victoria Street in Richmond. It’s hard to ignore from the street, with its neon signage and modern, sleek industrial fit out drawing in passers by. The 3 owners are all interior designers and it shows. Food wise, a variety of Korean dishes are offered – a limited menu at lunch and a more in depth menu with a greater focus on grilled meats in the evening.
The food is very well priced and the servings are generous. While the food isn’t the most authentic Korean food I’ve tried, which was obvious when I saw terikayi chicken and dumplings on the menu, I can’t really criticise the venue for this as it’s not what it’s claiming to do. Insu Kim, one of the owners has stated that the food is “modern Korean” that’s “a bit sweeter and less spicy – more Westernised”. Korean names and flavours are the main influences at Seoul Soul but authenticity is not what it’s all about and non-Korean Asian flavours, in particular those of Japan, can be found on the menu.
Kimchi Pancake ($8.00)
The Kimchi pancake was surprising for its lack of spice. I knew not to expect authenticity but I was still surprised at the complete lack of heat in this. It was also quite greasy. Having said that, it didn’t actually taste too bad and had a super crispy outside with a soft, moist inside. The pickles on the side were really nice.
Dosirak ($11.00)
Dosirak is a bowl with steamed rice, meat, salad and spring rolls along with a few other bits and pieces thrown in. There were a variety of meat options on offer – my wife and I went for the traditional beef option.
The bowl was big, with a lot of rice and a decent amount of meat too. The meat was very tender but, as with the pancake, definitely altered for a Western palate. Everything else was perfectly acceptable.
Stone Pot Bibimbap ($14.00)
Bibimbap is a popular Korean dish which consists of steamed rice, meat and a variety of vegetables, topped with a poached egg. It comes out very hot and everything is stirred just before eating.
Again, my wife and I went for the traditional beef option and we both preferred this to the dosirak. The stone pot gave the rice at the bottom a great crispiness which, combined with the regular textured rice in the bowl really worked. The flavours also tasted the most unadulterated of the dishes. It was the clear winner of the day.
Seoul Soul when judged against other Korean restaurants doing more authentic food in Melbourne doesn’t quite hit the spot however given that the owners have explicitly stated that authentic Korean food isn’t what they are going for, the food needs to be judged in this context. The servings are generous, the food is not bad and, at the price point, it’s hard to argue against it. The service was fast and attentive and the atmosphere is vibrant. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat at Seoul Soul, but if I was in the area and looking for a well priced lunch or dinner it would definitely warrant consideration.
Mister Jennings Richmond is the first solo venture from chef Ryan Flaherty, whose pedigree includes almost 3 years as part chef/owner at Northcote’s Estelle and stints abroad at El Bulli and The Fat Duck. Located towards the somewhat neglected (from a dining point of view) Punt Road end of Bridge Road, Mister Jennings is a small restaurant that seats 36 downstairs, with a further 16 in the private dining room upstairs.
The food is modern and inventive, with the majority of dishes small and designed to share. Flaherty’s creativity drives the menu with no real rules or trend apparent apart from a focus on great ingredients and technique.
Restaurant manager Malcolm Singh, formerly of Pei Modern, was on the top of his game when my wife and I had dinner at Mister Jennings. There was a definite passion that was apparent throughout the night as Singh described several of the dishes on the menu to us and he was very knowledgeable about the wine list, describing one of the wines on the list that we hadn’t heard about before in layperson terms that we could understand. We ended up getting half a bottle of the 2011 “Flor De Brezo” Mencia from Spain which went beautifully with our meal.
Salmorejo Crab Gazpacho ($17.00)
The crab gaspacho was very tasty. The sweet, subtle flavours of the crab were complimented by the creaminess of the salmojero (a Spanish tomato & bread puree) which were in turn offset by the crunch and, for lack of a better word, leafiness of the mustard leaf and the subtle heat of the thinly sliced chilli.
Eel, Beet & Fried Bread ($17.00)
The eel was another brilliant dish and, as was to be a recurring theme throughout the night, the contrasting textures and flavours of the components of each dish worked well in unison. In this case it was the softness of the eel, the sweetness of the beetroot and the crunch of the bread.
Tasmanian Oysters ($3.00 each)
There was nothing fancy going on here, simply excellent, fresh Tasmanian oysters with a red wine vinaigrette.
We asked Singh what the “must have” dish was when we were ordering and he didn’t have too much hesitation in pointing us in the direction of the frozen kangaroo. When it came out onto our table there was so much going on visually and the plating was beautiful. When we started eating it, it became very apparent why this dish was, as Singh said “what everyone was talking about” – it was easily the highlight of the night.
The kangaroo was very thinly sliced, almost like capaccio, and served partially frozen. This dish is designed to be eaten as soon as it arrives – when the kangaroo hits your tongue it quite literally “melts in your mouth”. There are a lot of flavours involved in this dish and they all provide something important. It’s one of those dishes that you really think about while eating – trying to figure out what exactly is going on in your mouth. The heat of the wasabi avocado cream, the crunch of the pear and the gelatinous jus all provide subtle elements to the dish, without anything overpowering anything else. Just when the dish seems perfect, a hit of raspberry comes through and elevates the dish to another level yet again with its sweet dessert-like notes.
Cavatelli Pasta, Mustard Fruits, Ricotta ($17.00)
Back to more traditional fare, this pasta was brilliant. The pasta was cooked al dente and the sauce was very creamy and tasty. The ricotta didn’t really add much to the dish, and was the only time all night where something seemed necessary. It didn’t subtract from the dish, but wasn’t really needed.
Bugs, Fermented Cabbage, Caraway ($17.00)
This was the closest thing to an “on trend” dish with the use of fermented cabbage providing a great counterbalance to the light flavours of the Morton bay bugs. The caraway added another element to the dish yet again.
Kale, Nettle, Pork Cheek & Lime Pickle ($19.00)
I was expecting this dish to be quite traditional but I was surprised by its complexity. Normally it’s served with a relish on the top however because of my wife’s severe nut allergy I got the relish on the side. The pork cheek was delicious. Moist, fatty, tender and full of flavour. The crunch of the kale took place of the usual crackle, and the tartness of the lime pickle added an unexpected zing to each mouthful.
Jaggery Cake, Apricot & Cream ($15.00)
I had not heard of jaggery before – it’s a sugar like substance that’s made from sugar cane and the sap of the date palm tree. The molasses and crystals are not separated and it comes in the form of a block. Jaggery cake is a traditional Indian/Sri Lankan cake and this is Flaherty’s modern take on the dish. A light jaggery sponge with apricots and cream. Simple and very tasty, but a definite second to the other dessert we had.
Chocolate, Cardamom, Crunch ($16.00)
For a dish that’s primarily chocolate based, there was a lot going on here. A chocolate biscuit was topped with chocolate sorbet and partially dried orange slices, which was then covered in a chocolate ganache and chocolate dust. The cardamom added a brilliant twist to the dish and the whole thing worked brilliantly. Saying that chocolate complimented chocolate sounds odd, but that’s exactly what was going on.
Mister Jennings is a brilliant addition to this part of Bridge Road, which has become somewhat of a dead spot after dark in recent years. The food is tasty, modern and inventive and the staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic, showing a genuine passion that is refreshing to see. I also have to make mention of the brilliant selection of music that was playing in the restaurant – which included Guru, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Lauryn Hill and the Jackson 5 to mention just a few of the artists – right up my alley and I had to try had to stop myself from bopping up and down at my seat all night
Mister Jennings is unpretentious, fun and I have no hesitation in saying that this meal was one of my 2014 highlights so far. To be operating at the level that the team is at such an early stage of the restaurant’s life, and with chef’s table events planned for the future Mister Jennings is well on its way to becoming a Melbourne dining hotspot.
Osaka was the first stop on my trip to Japan and I was keen to waste no time in discovering what the city had to offer food wise. Japanese has always been one of my favourite types of food and it didn’t take long before I realised that what I knew about Japanese food barely scratched the surface of the intricacies and depth of this unique cuisine.
Japanese food is very regional. While there are common dishes and ingredients across the country, each region has its own speciality dishes, ingredients and techniques – be it using chicken instead of pork, thin noodles instead of thick, mustard instead of wasabi, frying instead of steaming etc. Some of the food that I ate in Osaka simply couldn’t be found when I visited Kyoto and Tokyo.
Osaka is arguably the food and drink capital of Japan. Its nickname “tenka no daidokoro” (the nation’s kitchen) comes from its time as Japan’s rice hub during the Edo period, but today refers more to the vast array of food options available. Many of the food places in Osaka are small, and seat no more than a handful of people and they are found everywhere. On main streets, down alleyways, in basements, and several stories up in the high rise buildings that are all over the city somebody is cooking something. Sometimes these places are easy to spot and sometimes they are not – the phrase “follow your nose” is apt. Indeed, by the end of my time in the city I’d barely visited any of the recommendations that were on my list – my wife and I kept on stumbling across places that looked and smelled amazing, and were full of locals – always a good sign.
If I have one piece of advice to impart to you for when you visit Osaka it would be to bring a list of places to visit, make sure you check out a few of the places that really interest you but don’t let the list restrict what you try. While not as big as Tokyo, Osaka is still, by global standards, a very big city and often you’ll find yourself in a part of town that’s not near any recommendations on your list. Additionally it can be hard to find certain places as streets are more often than not not in English (both physical street signs and in Google Maps), the venues don’t have English names and aren’t always on the main street level. Use the guide as exactly that – a guide. Follow your nose and don’t be afraid to make your own discoveries.
Food standards in Osaka are high, from the quality of the food and its presentation to the customer service that patrons receive. I’ve never been anywhere in the world where standards are so high on such a consistent basis. Perhaps because of this, Japan has a reputation as being an expensive place but I was surprised at how affordable the food and drinks were in the country, with Osaka generally being cheaper than Tokyo. Of course the food in Osaka isn’t as cheap as that in other Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand but when compared against similar highly developed, global centres, it fares well.
I’m going to try and keep any repetition between my Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto food guides to a minimum and will be cross-referencing to the other guides in here as I put them up. Rather than listing the places that I ate at, I think a better way of setting things out is by the type of food – a brief introduction to the dish, followed by some recommendations based on my experiences followed by recommendations that were on my list that I never got around to visiting.
Department Stores
Department stores in Japan are a cut above what you tend to find elsewhere in the world. Sure, there are many cities that have high end department stores with nice food sections however in Japan the sheer selection is outstanding. Along with the highest quality fresh produce and ready-to-eat meals that you could imagine, these department store food halls are where you can find concessions from stores that have set up shop from all over the world. They even have their own name, “depachika”. The product ranges are extensive and everything is beautifully presented.
Takashimaya Food Hall
Takashimaya has stores across Japan, and sells a wide variety of products. Takashimaya’s basement food courts are amongst the best in Japan and the Osaka store in the Namba district is no exception. The photo below is of the first thing that my wife and I ate in Japan. Sushi with uni (sea urchin), scallops and salmon roe. It was delicious and very fresh. The rice itself was a perfect slightly chewy texture. Often when travelling overseas, certain dishes aren’t any better than back home. For example it’s possible to find authentic Neapolitan pizza outside of Italy that’s just as good as anything in Italy. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t eaten very good sushi outside of Japan before, however it was one of the foods that, on a whole, was better, more consistently, in Japan than anywhere else and the sushi at Takashimaya food hall, not only in Osaka but also in Kyoto and Tokyo was excellent.
It wasn’t just the sushi that was great at Takashimaya. There was a huge assortment of all kinds of Japanese foods to choose from, and a lot of European desserts too.
The basement food hall at Hanshin was something that I stumbled across while making my way out of the Umeda subway station. It was smaller than some of the other food halls that I had been too but had some interesting products that I hadn’t seen elsewhere and a lot more free standing concessions.
While not as large as the Shinshibashi store, the Daimaru in Umeda had a decent food hall and an impressive grocery section full of interesting products to browse.
The Isetan at JR Osaka was the most luxurious of the food halls that I visited in Osaka and had a very impressive selection of French concessions, including 2 of my favourite Parisian brands, Jean-Paul Hevin and Pierre Herme.
Jean-Paul Hevin is a chocolatier and I was happy to finally have the chance once more to pick up a cake and 2 of my favourite items, the Traditional Nut Spread, made with caramelized hazelnuts (think Nuttella, but better) and the Mirabelle Plum Jam.
Over at the Pierre Herme concession, I picked up some macarons which, in my opinion, are still amongst the best macarons available anywhere in the world, some Ispahan (raspberry and rose) candied pates and some Jardin de Pierre tea (citrus, jasmine, rose & violet).
Torikara is crumbed and fried chicken breast. Choose your size, choose your salt and sauce (curry salt, rock salt, lemon juice, sweet chilli sauce, mayonnaise, black vinegar) and you’re good to go. Simple and tasty – a great snack.
Kinnotorikara
There are a handful of these across Japan – 1 or 2 per major city. They were always very popular. I went for the original with salt & pepper and sweet chilli sauce.
Okonomiyaki is a pancake without rules. The name is a combination of the words for “what you like” and “grilled”. It’s an Osaka speciality and involves a flour, yam and water batter being mixed in with a variety of ingredients such as eggs, shredded cabbage, diced meat and/or seafood and diced onion. The mixture is grilled on both sides then topped with otafuku/okonomiyaki sauce, seaweed flakes, bonito flakes and Japanese mayonnaise. What combination of ingredients and toppings you want is completely up to you.
Mizuno
Mizuno came up in my research as being one of the best places in Osaka to have Okonomiyaki. It opened in 1945, right after World War II ended and has been serving Okonomiyaki ever since. I got one which came with 6 types of meat and seafood and my wife ordered a mini seafood one. It’s very much “comfort food”. Healthy? No. Delicious? Yes.
Mizuno
1 Chome-4-15 Dōtonbori
Chūō-ku, Ōsaka-shi
Izakaya
An Izakaya is a casual venue that serves food and drinks. Similar in style to spanish Tapas venues, there are a range of small dishes on the menu and you can either order as the night progresses or in one hit at the start. The food comes out as it’s cooked and the whole thing very informal. Generally there’s an open kitchen with seating at the bar/kitchen as well as standard tables.
Jidorisemmontakatori Namasennichimaeten
My wife and I chose to wander around the area near our hotel on our first night in Osaka. There were Izakaya everywhere we looked – on major streets and down seemingly insignificant lane-ways. After a walking around for a while we decided to eat at this place. It was busy and the food smelled great.
The open kitchen was a hive of activity. The guy in the foreground was grilling all of the chicken and had a variety of things cooking at any given time. The other 2 guys were busy prepping the meat and doing a variety of things and all of the staff seemed to be having a lot of fun.
Yakitori refers to grilled chicken (generally over binchō-tan, or “white charcoal”) and this place specialised in Yakitori. Everything on the menu was chicken and no part of the animal was wasted.
To being with was Kappa Nankotsu (chicken breast cartilage). For 30 years I’ve thrown this part of the chicken in the bin. Little did I know that it was possible for it to be cooked like this and eaten. It was very crunchy and a bit chewy, lightly salted with lemon. It tasted great.
Complimentary pickled okra and sprouts in fermented soy bean were brought out too.
Next was Kawa (chicken skin).
Kimo (chicken liver)
The Seseri Negimamire (chicken neck with green onion) was another part of the chicken that I hadn’t eaten before. Just like everything else on the night, it tasted great.
Tare Tsukune (chicken meatballs with sauce & mustard). This was my first encounter with Japanese mustard. In Osaka mustard was much more common than wasabi and it was, compared to real Japanese wasabi, hotter. Only the most minute amount was required with each mouthful to get the full effect.
I had to order this out of curiosity. A “Kirin Frozen” which was basically Kirin draught beer with a Frozen Coke like “foam” on the top. I’m not quite sure what the point was, but the beer was nice enough.
The Kokoro (chicken heart) was one of the highlights of the night. Super tender and very flavoursome.
Tori Wasa Oroshi Ponzu (seared chicken breast tenderloin with wasabi, grated white radish and citrus soy sauce) was something that I never thought I’d eat in my life – practically raw chicken. I never knew that raw chicken was a popular dish in Japan however completely raw chicken sashimi and seared chicken such as the dish below were commonplace. It tasted like chicken, but a lot more mild compared to when it is cooked.
Many of the Izakayas that I went to in Japan had, on the menu, a section dedicated to their chicken – its source, how it was fed and raised etc. As long as you know that the meat is fresh and coming from a reputable source then it’s perfectly safe. I return to my usual comment about eating food overseas – eat as the locals do. If it wasn’t good or was making people sick they wouldn’t be eating it.
There was one English menu which was doing the rounds between my wife and I and another non-Japanese reader/speaker who was upstairs however for this dish we just pointed at what seemed like a very popular dish and asked for 2 of them. Tsukimi tsukune (chicken meatballs with raw egg) is what the dish was and it was similar to the other tsukune that we had. Another discovery was the use of raw egg as a dipping accompaniment, which we found to be quite common at the yakitori venues we ate at during our time in Japan.
Usagi was where my wife and I had one of our most memorable meals, not just because of the amazing food, but because of the people that we met there. I came across it during my research on where to eat in Osaka on an old forum and decided that it sounded like it was worth checking out. It was central, but just out enough (about 10 minute walk) to not be the kind of place one could simply stumble across. Walking up to the second floor on a quiet street, there was a small bar with a small apartment sized kitchen behind it and enough space to seat only a few people. There was no English menu, and the chef/barman/owner didn’t speak a word of English.
While I’ve had many a good meal despite the existence of a language barrier, it is nice to be able to get a bit of insight into what it is you’re eating. There were a group of friends sitting near us at the bar and one of them spoke English quite well. It turned out that they were regulars and she explained to us that the chef had been cooking for many years and was trained in Japanese and European cooking techniques and wanted to know what we felt like eating. We said “Japanese food, whatever he feels like making” and so it began. Our new friend was happy to explain what each of the dishes were about and, by the end of the night, far more sake, sochu and whiskey had been consumed than anticipated, and new friends had been made.
To begin with was sushi of squid, jellyfish, baby squid, tuna and pickled cabbage. It all tasted great, just like everything else that came out over the course of the night. The baby squid with the sweet yellow sauce was something that was very common throughout Japan and became one of my favourite snacks during my time in Japan.
Next was tempura of octopus, yam (yama imu) and pork.
This wagyu beef was not from Kobe, but from an area in the south of Japan that also has very good beef. The advantage of having someone to translate between the chef and my wife and I was that we learned a bit about some of the regions where beef is grown around Japan. The wagyu we ate at Usagi was super tender and the fat melted as soon as it hit the tongue. It was served with ponzu dipping sauce.
This dish was very interesting and unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. Oden is fried tofu and konnyaku (made by mixing konjac (a kind of yam) flour with water and limewater, with hijiki added to give the dark colour) in a light miso-dashi broth. The konnyaku had a dense, rubbery texture to it which was unexpected.
Udon noodles with raw egg and seaweed.
I love the open kitchens of Izakayas. Here’s the chef/barman/owner.
Usagi
1 Chome-22-7 Shinmachi
Nishi-ku, Ōsaka-shi
Mochi
Mochi are cakes made from glutinous rice that is cooked pounded into a paste and then moulded. The sweet dessert daifuku is a mochi that is soft, round and stuffed with a filling. Azuki bean (red bean) is a common filling.
Unknown Name
Being cherry blossom season, there were sakura mochi on offer, which I couldn’t resist trying. My wife got one that had a strawberry inside.
I might not be able to tell you the name or address of the place below, but rest assured there are no shortage of places to get your mochi fix in Osaka.
Unknown Address (Arcade near Naniwanomiyaato Park)
Japanese Curry
Curry was introduced to Japan during the Meiji era and was modified over the years to become a distinctly Japanese dish. A base of onions, carrots and potatoes is used, with the curry sauce consisting of, at a basic level, fried curry powder, flour, and oil.
Unknown Name
I’m not sure what this place was called, and all of my attempts to find the name of the place have led to dead ends. I walked in namely because I wanted to try ordering from a shop with ticket machine out the front. Press the button, put in the money, get a ticket, walk inside and give the chef the ticket.
I got a Katsu-karē (crumbed pork fillet) over rice which was similar to the Japanese curry dish that can be found in Western cities but with some significant differences. The crumbing was a lot denser and the sauce was spicier. I don’t know how the curry I had rated in comparison to the other curries in Osaka but I do know that I really enjoyed it and it was great value.
Unknown Address (Approx 20 minute walk north of Nipponbashi)
Soba
Soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat, and is synonymous with thin buckwheat noodles, which can be contrasted with udon, which are thick noodles. The main types of soba are:
Mori soba is served cold on a tray with a cold tsuyu dipping sauce on the side.
Zaru soba is Mori soba topped with seaweed flakes.
Kake soba is served in a hot tsuyu broth.
Kitsune/Tanuki soba is topped with thin layers of fried tofu.
Tempura soba is topped with tempura.
Tsukimi soba is topped with a raw egg, which poaches in the broth.
Tororo soba is topped with yam puree.
Sansai soba is topped with sansai (wild vegetables).y
Nanban soba has leek in the broth and can be topped with duck or chicken.
Kappa Soba Kanda
My wife got the tororo soba.
We agreed that my selection, which appeared to be a hybrid mori-tsukimi soba was the better of the two, with the egg, beef and soba mixed together and then dipped in the soup.
Kappou Soba Kanda
3F Nu Chayamachi PLUS
10-12 Chayamachi
Kita-ku, Ōsaka-shi
Takoyaki
Takoyaki was invented in Osaka in 1935 and consists of balls of wheat based batter that are cooked in special takoyaki pans and generally filled with diced octopus. They are brushed with takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise then topped with aonori and dried bonito flakes. They are very common in Osaka and commonly sold by street-side vendors such as that below.
Unknown Name
Beware when eating these as the filling is gooey and very hot. Give them a few minutes to cool down.
Unknown Name
11-19 Nanbasennichimae
Chūō-ku, Ōsaka-shi
Kappo Style Fine Dining
Kappo style dining originated in Osaka over 100 years ago and involves the chef, preparing and cooking food at a counter in front of a small number of customers. A kappo chef is trained (generally over 10-15 years) to master numerous ways of cooking and to understand the seasonality of food, the quality of ingredients and the presentation. The name comes from the Japanese words for “cut” and “cook” and the style of dining is today more popular than ever.
Oimatsu Kitagawa
My wife and I had our first fine dining meal in Japan at the newly Michelin starred Oimatsu Kitagawa. Neither the owner/chef or any of the staff spoke English and there was no English menu. We asked our hotel to make us a booking and, after the hotel staff member confirmed with us that we were ok with the fact that nobody at the restaurant spoke English and that there was no English menu, the booking was made. 2 days later when we were in a taxi heading towards the restaurant, we had the first of many humbling experiences of the night. The restaurant was very hidden – not in the touristy part of town and in the back streets off a side street. The taxi driver got to where he thought the restaurant was and it wasn’t there. He switched off his meter and phoned the restaurant to get some help. After driving around for about 10 minutes and another call to the restaurant he drove to a spot and motioned for us to wait. A few moments later one of the chefs from the restaurant came walking down the street and led us to the restaurant.
We didn’t get to sit at the chef’s counter, which is understandable given that we wouldn’t have been able to understand a word he was saying, and that interaction is a bit part of the experience. Instead, we were taken to a private dining room. Our waitress for the night had English “cheat sheets” that the staff had made up that day in order to let us know what each of the dishes were. Whenever she got stuck she’d get out her phone and load up Google Translate and show us what the phone was saying. My wife and I were completely ok with eating whatever came out and were amazed that the restaurant would go to such an effort to accommodate us. Our waitress even learned a few English terms from us for various ingredients.
As for the food itself, it’s traditional Japanese fare – unpretentious, with a focus on seasonality and the ingredients and some interesting unconventional twists. I’m not going to go into too much detail on each of the dishes – everything was excellent.
A tray with a number of sake cups was brought out at the start, and we got to choose which ones we wanted to drink out of.
Red clam, jelly & bok choi.
White flaky light fish, green pea tofu, perilla and bonito broth.
Horse head fish, wasabi, uni.
Pink snapper sushi. The rice was at just the right temperature – lukewarm. By this stage of the trip I was really beginning to understand just how important the quality of the rice used in any given dish was.
Scallop and burraback with rice. Pickled veg assortment and green tea (sencha).
Matcha ice-cream and strawberry.
At the end of the meal when we left, all of the staff came out to say goodbye to us and we were grateful to be able to get a photo with the chef. An amazing meal and a truly humbling experience. It’s experiences like this (amongst others) that really make me love Japan.
The Central Wholesale Market, which is one of 3 locations of the Osaka Municipal Central Wholesale Markets, was established in 1925 as a way of centralising all of the separate wholesale markets that existed at the time. Along with the wholesale activities, there are a variety of stalls that sell food that can be eaten on site. It’s important to note that in Japan, it is considered rude to walk around while eating. If you do get something to eat from one of the stalls, stand to the side and eat it before continuing to walk around.
While the market predominantly deals with fresh fruit and vegetables and seafood, there are some meat stalls too. This place sold varying grades of Kobe beef.
It was simply cooked on the hotplate and served with some salt and pepper on the side. I’d tried wagyu beef before but this was by fat the best I had ever tasted. The sirlion was very tender, and the fat melted as soon as it hit my tongue. It was extremely luxurious and the taste remained in my mouth for quite a while. Up to an hour later I was still repeatedly making comments to my wife about how amazing it was.
This place was selling a variety of raw, steamed and grilled seafood. My wife and I tried scallops and conk which were raw and, as I suppose seems obvious, very fresh.
Quite a few stalls were selling cold tempura. I assumed that they wouldn’t taste that good as they had been sitting out for a while but we tried a few things and they were still very tasty and crispy.
Another stall with a range of delicacies to try.
Central Wholesale Market
1 Chome-1-86 Noda
Fukushima-ku, Ōsaka-shi
One place near the market that my wife and I really wanted to try as we had heard good things was Endo Sushi but we didn’t get the chance as we had left the address at the hotel and this was before we got our portable WiFi sorted. It’s just outside on the east side of the market.
Mos Burger
These might be resolutely fast food, but whenever I visit a city that has a Mos Burger I always make a visit.
The iced tea comes unsweetened with sugar syrup and milk packets provided so you can get it just the way you like.
Mos burger sell traditional style burgers…
… and burgers with rice instead of bread patties with not so familiar fillings.
Small Grocery Stores
Small grocery stores are much more common than larger format stores, in the cities at least. The quality of the produce in them is very high and often my wife and I would pop in and grab a snack. The baby squid with the sweet yellow sauce was one of our favourites and we tried it for the first time while perusing the aisles at one of these small stores.
Salon de the Alcyon
We stumbled across this cute little tea shop/cafe while exploring the city and tried some samples. The teas were nice, especially the floral combinations and we purchased a few to take back home with us.
This was the night that we went to Usagi for dinner so we never ate here but if I didn’t have plans, I would have given it a shot. I can’t remember the address and have no idea what it was called, but wanted to share the photo with you.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading through my Osaka Food Guide and would love to hear about any Osaka food recommendations you might have in the comments below. If you’re looking for tips on where and what to eat in Tokyo and Kyoto, check out my Tokyo Food Guide and Kyoto Food Guide.
China Chilli Melbourne is a Sichuan restaurant in the Rainbow Complex on Bourke Street, which is home to many Chinese restaurants. I discovered it while heading up the escalators to the CBD branch of Dainty Sichuan a few weeks prior and added it to my list of “places to try”. When I visited a few weeks later on a Friday night the place was packed full of people, with some very inciting smells coming from the inside. After a wait of about 15 minutes our group of 4 was seated inside and handed a menu, which was on an iPad.
Although a lot of what is written at China Chilli is in Chinese, the menu items contained English descriptions and pictures which made ordering a breeze – that was until we finished ordering and clicked on the “My Menu” button which took us to a screen that contained no English. I walked up to the front counter and the staff member was happy enough to finalise the process for me. The menu contained a variety of Sichuan dishes and a few other choices too. There were some very interesting looking items on the menu that my wife and I wanted to try however we were with 2 friends who are somewhat more conservative when it comes to food than my wife and I so we stuck to items that looked like they’d appeal to everyone.
Shredded Pig’s Ear With Soy Sauce ($12.80)
This was my least favourite dish of the night. I wasn’t a fan of the texture which was very tough and chewy however the flavour was nice and pork like, which was to be expected.
Deep Fried Prawns With Chilli Sauce ($28.80)
I have no idea if this is actually something that’s eating in Sichuan province however judged on its own it was a tasty offering. The prawns were plump and juicy, the batter was crisp and light and the sauce was not overly spicy. Not quite what I had expected and certainly the odd dish out of the night but it was enjoyable.
Fish Flavoured Pork Shreds ($20.80)
I’d never eaten this before until I tried it at Dainty Sichuan. The pork was tender and very flavoursome. The dish had a kick to it, with the spice levels building in the mouth for a while after each mouthful. My friend who isn’t into particularly spicy food put this as “her limit” – in other words if you don’t like spicy food, you’d probably still be ok with this dish.
Lamb Ribs With Spicy Sauce ($20.80)
The lamb ribs were very tasty and the meat was tender. The spice levels on this, despite being listed as “1 chilli level” – the same as the pork shreds, were much more intense than the pork shreds. As is the case with Sichuan food, the general consensus after the first bite was “this isn’t too bad” followed an intense built up of heat afterwards. It was very spicy, and it defeated 2 of my friends. My wife and I however kept digging in for more.
Glutinous Rice Balls With Sesame Powder ($6.80)
These mochi were very nice. Glutinous and sweet as expected, the sesame was balanced against the rice nicely.
Overall, the experience at China Chilli was decent. Service was struggling to keep up with the business of the restaurant at times but the food all came out in a timely manner and we all left full and satisfied. There wasn’t anything that really stood out, but there wasn’t anything that was terrible either. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat at China Chilli however if you’re in the CBD and feel like some Chinese food it’s certainly worth considering, along with Dainty Sichuan and China Red in the same complex.
China Chilli
Level 1, 206 Bourke Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9663 0005
Email: n/a
Website: n/a
Open
Mon – Fri: 11:30am to 10:00pm
Sat – Sun: 11:30am to 10:30pm
Tsukiji Fish Market is the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and handles over 600,000 tonnes of seafood in 480 varieties each year.
The original fish market was located in Nihonbashi and was known as Uogashi (“fish quay”). It was an important part of Tokyo life from 1606 until its destruction in the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, which led to it being relocated to its current site in Tsukiji. The market is actually one of several locations of the wider Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market and handles fruit and vegetables too.
The Tsukiji Fish Market occupies prime real estate in a very central part of Tokyo which has led to plans to move the market to move to a new site at Toyosu in Koto Ward in 2014, with high rise apartments slated to be built where the market currently stands. Due to greater than expected contamination at the heavily polluted site, the move has been delayed until 2016.
The market consists of 2 main sections. The outer market (“jōgai-shijō”) contains a variety of stores selling restaurant supplies, groceries and a number of sushi restaurants.
The inner market (“jōnai-shijō”) is the wholesale market in which around 900 vendors process and sell fish from small stalls.
The market opens most days of the week at 3AM. Auction houses weigh and price the fish and licensed buyers are allowed to inspect the fish in order to ascertain what they would like to bid for at the auction. The auction begins at 5:30AM and lasts for approximately 10 minutes. Up to 120 tourists are allowed to view the auction each day, with registration opening at 5:00AM. I was interested in seeing the auction, but wasn’t willing to wake up that early so didn’t visit until the auction was over and the market itself was open to walk around at 9:00AM.
The market is extremely busy with traders on foot, trucks, forklifts and small vehicles moving around constantly. There’s no designated pathway for tourists to stick to and groups larger than 5 are not allowed. They key thing is to be respectful of those working and trading at the market. Be alert, and make a conscious effort not to touch anything or get in anyone’s way.
After the auctions, many of the fish are headed, gutted, flash frozen and transported to smaller shops in the market where they are prepared for retail. The big fish, such as tuna, are cut with a band saw.
It’s easy to see why Tsukiji Fish Market is such a popular draw for tourists. It’s a unique slice of Japanese life and is completely “real”. It’s an operating, busy market and although tourists are allowed to visit there’s nothing touristy about the place at all – tourists are tolerated but certainly not encouraged. It’s a shame that in 2016 this market will no longer exist and I’d encourage anyone visiting Tokyo to check it out before it’s too late.
Roppongi Art Night is an art festival that is held at various locations around the Tokyo district of Roppongi. Galleries, museums, shopping centres and the like play host to art exhibits, performances, music and discussions.
Roppongi Art Night 2014 was the 5th edition of the event, and the theme was “Move Your Body!”, to tie in with the announcement of Tokyo as the 2020 host city for the summer Olympic Games.
Unsurprisingly there were lots of interactive exhibits and performances where the crowds were encouraged to get involved.
Many of the venues were open well into the night, up to 4am in some cases and the streets were packed with all kinds of people – young and old, singles, couples and families. There was a really great vibe around the whole area and people were really getting into the night and having fun.
The person and his dog below dressed in mirror ball outfits attracted quite the crowd as he walked through the lobby of the Suntory Museum of Art and the nearby shops.
Throughout the night, I found myself spending a lot of time focused not just on the art, but on the people too. You could often see the inner child coming out in the expressions on people’s faces – a sense of wonder that’s often lost underneath the realities of every day life.
My favourite event was that being held at the National Art Center of Tokyo. The center doesn’t hold a permanent collection, with its entire space being dedicated to rotating exhibits. I liked the Buttons/Rain exhibit outside which consisted of buttons strung from fishing line to appear like rain. It seems simple when written here, but the effect in person was spectacular.
Checking out Roppongi Art Night was a decision that my wife and I made on the day when looking for things to do on our last night in Japan and we were both really glad that we found out about it. It was a very fun night, with the whole area coming alive and there was a huge variety of art to discover, from the obscure to the accessible.
Kappabashi, or “Kitchen Town”, in Tokyo’s Taito district is a haven for anyone looking for kitchenware or anything cooking related with a mind boggling selection of items to purchase across over 170 stores along the 800 metre street (and side streets).
The area is not at all touristy. While the occasional tourist can be spotted wandering about, it’s more common to see people in their chef whites browsing through the aisles. It’s very much an area aimed at locals and those in the restaurant industry, and everything related to cooking can be found here, from cutlery, saucepans and utensils to fake plastic food samples, hand crafted Japanese knives and heavy duty commercial kitchen equipment.
The Kappa is a mythical creature who has been adopted as the mascot for the area. Whether or not the name of the street comes from this creature is unsettled. and there are a few different theories floating about, however it makes for a good story so those in charge or promoting the area have run with it.
Most of Kappabashi’s stores aren’t fancy. It’s all about fitting in as much as possible. While it’s true that there’s repetition amongst what’s available at many of the stores, every store has some things that aren’t found at others and it’s well worth browsing through several of them. The store below was 4 stories tall, with each level packed to the brim.
I didn’t see these kinds of buses anywhere else in Tokyo however they weren’t uncommon in the Taito district. Very unique and full of character.
This shop was quite overpriced compared to others in the area, but I had to have a look, being incited by the robot out front.
This shop was dedicated solely to plates and cutlery.
This was one of my favourite shops in Kappabashi. 6 levels dedicated completely to coffee equipment. They had an amazing range of modern and vintage coffee equipment and it was very well priced. I purchased a Hario Syphon (the TCA-3 if you’re curious) for about a quarter of what it would have cost me in Australia.
The cold drip filter in the centre was over a metre tall. I didn’t even know it was possible to get them that big.
Kappabashi isn’t on the standard Tokyo tourist trail but for anyone with even a passing interest in cooking it’s well worth a visit. A couple of hours can easily be whiled away browsing through all of the shops and it’s unlikely you’ll leave without finding something worth buying.
Cobb Lane Yarraville is a “cafe and artisan bakery” from pastry chef Matt Forbes, formerly of Vue de Monde, Maze and Mr Hive. Prior to arriving in Melbourne, UK born Forbes worked under Raymond Blanc and Michel Roux. I’d heard good things about Cobb Lane’s UK inspired menu and, of course the pastries which have found their way onto many a menu around Melbourne so was keen to head to the unexplored (to me that is) suburb of Yarraville to see what it was all about.
The place is very small, seating only 16 inside and 8 outside – for a table of 4 on a Sunday morning there was a half hour wait. Our name was put on a list that was hanging on the front door and we all had a wander around the streets of Yarraville checking out the area, which had some nice little shops and cafe as well as lots of families, singles and couples with dogs – so many dogs! It was a nice half hour of wandering around and when we returned our table was ready.
Coffee ($4.00)
Coffee comes from South Melbourne roasters Clement Coffee. I ordered a flat which was a decent tasting, inoffensive house blend that hit the spot, the “Pony” blend to be precise. A seasonal filter was also on offer.
The menu contains a concise collection of British inspired dishes. I’ve been to a few places that do British breakfasts however they often seem to be stuck providing the stereotype of what British breakfast is supposed to be. I was pleased to find simple, modern takes on UK classics with a focus on local, quality produce on the menu at Cobb Lane – items that are more in line with what you’ll find at good breakfast spots in the UK these days and what I remembered from my time living in that part of the world.
Pork Neck Sandwich ($18.00)
My wife and one of my friends ordered this decent sized sandwich that consisted of slow cooked pork neck, spinach and aioli in between two slices of sourdough. They both enjoyed it and when I took a bit of my wife’s sandwich I was also impressed. The pork fell away in my mouth and the aioli was not applied too liberally which personally is how I like it – it’s there, but doesn’t overpower everything else with the taste of garlic.
Beans & Hash (Kipfler Hash with Diced Bacon, Baked Beans, Basil, Parmesan, Croquettes and Pullet Egg) ($17.00)
I almost chose this dish but went for the British Breakfast instead. The friend that did order this was very happy with her choice. I tried one of the croquettes which was nice and fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside with real nice flavour to it.
British Breakfast (Scotch Egg, Black Pudding, Thick Cut Bacon with House Made HP Sauce, Welsh Rarebit on Brioche) ($17.50)
I do like a “full English” breakfast and the British Breakfast on offer at Cobb Lane sounded too appealing for me to pass up. Everything tasted great, and I was especially brought back to Britain by the presence of the thick cut bacon (from local British smallgoods producers Pacdon Park) and the scotch egg which wasn’t too heavy and had an egg with a perfectly gooey yolk inside. A really great take on the classic British Breakfast and no where near as heavy as the photo or ingredients would suggest.
Doughnuts ($4.50)
There were a variety of pastries in the display cabinet below, including a very tempting salted caramel, chocolate and peanut butter slice however I couldn’t go past the famed doughnuts that were sitting atop the cabinet. These things were selling like hotcakes and the display was being cleared faster than it could be refilled. I’d tried a lychee & raspberry jam with rosewater custard one a few months back at Dead Man Espresso, it being one of the cafes that Matt Forbes supplies pastries to, and was very impressed. The two flavours below were just as tasty. The lemon and lime curd doughnut had great flavour and was neither too sweet nor too tangy and the peanut butter jelly doughnut got the flavours right without being too salty. The doughnuts themselves were light and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Perfection.
Cobb Lane had been on my to do list for a while and, while I went there for the sweet options, I was very impressed with the British inspired savoury dishes on offer. Despite the fact that the space is small and very busy, the staff were on top of things the whole time and I left very satisfied. There was also a small range of jams and spreads and breads to take away too. For those who don’t live in the area, Cobb Lane justifies a visit to Yarraville.
Cobb Lane
13 Anderson Street
Yarraville
Victoria 3013
Australia
Akhiabara, in Tokyo’s Chiyoda district, is where fantasy and reality collide. After World War II and into the 1990s, Akhiabara was known worldwide as electronics central. The gadgets and electronics of Akhiabara’s present were those of the world’s future – apart from, of course, those truly wonderful wacky things that would never exist anywhere other than Japan.
While there are no shortage of electronics shops in Akhiabara, electronics are no longer the main focus here. Since the 1990s the rest of the world has become arguably just as tech savvy as Japan and, with online shopping becoming mainstream, electronics aren’t in short supply no matter where you are in the world. Electronics no longer hold the mystique of being foreign and futuristic any more however that doesn’t mean that the area isn’t worth visiting for electronics. Case in point – I remembered that I needed a calculator for work so decided to pick one up at Yodobashi Akhiabara, a 9 storey haven of electronics and gadgets. There were literally over 100 different models to choose from and I spent far more time than I imagined possible choosing a calculator. I also picked up a spare battery for my camera and a portable battery pack for my phone.
While you can still find any gadget you want (or didn’t know you wanted until you saw it) in Akhiabara, these days the area is better known as the heartland of Otaku culture.
Otaku is the term used to describe people with obsessive interests and is similar to the term “geek”. It is commonly, although not exclusively, linked to an obsession with anime and manga. Akhiabara has many place that cater to Otaku, including anime and manga stores, stores that stock collectible figurines, video game arcades and cosplay cafes.
Akhiabara is a haven for gamers too. As well as all of the latest releases, a treasure trove of retro games and consoles can also be found. Super Famicom/Nintendo or Sega Master System anyone?
All over the streets of Akhiabara, there are girls dressed up as maids, pirates, soldiers, school girls and other anime costumes. They are handing out flyers advertising some of many cosplay cafes that exist in the area, and cater to specific niches.
The most common type of cosplay cafes are maid cafes, which are staffed by (for the most part) girls who are dressed in French maid costumes and act as servants to their customers, or “masters”. Everything from the service to the decor and the food is designed to turn fantasy into reality.
While those who work in maid cafes do so of their own volition and there are strict rules about what customers can and cannot do – e.g. they are not allowed to touch the girls, or ask them personal questions, there was something unsettling about seeing all of these girls around the streets of Akhiabara. They cater to males who fetishise young, innocent looking females.
Despite the fact that sex is not part of the equation I was unsure what to think about what I was seeing at times. For example on one street I saw a man who was, I’d say, in his 60s, seated next to a girl in a schoolgirl uniform who was drawing a comic for him. The interaction between the 2 of them was, for lack of a better word, creepy.
Trying to take photos of some of the girls on the streets of Akhiabara was difficult. There were 3 girls standing in the spot below however 2 of them left as soon as I got out my camera. I couldn’t help but feel unsettled whenever I got my camera out around the girls advertising maid cafes.
Accepting that maid cafes are an innocent representation of the fantasies of certain individuals, it was still hard to reconcile this with the pornography available in Akhiabara. My wife and I walked into 2 of them as we looking for “tentacle porn” manga to buy as a joke for a few of our friends back home. On the first floor, there’s nothing particularly seedy going on – mainstream anime like Dragon Ball Z and Gundam, video games, Japanese and American TV box sets and movies etc. Go up a floor, and there’s softcore porn that’s all pretty tame. Go higher up though, and things get freaky.
Hentai is the Japanese term for perverse and bizarre sexual desires and acts and the top floor was all about Hentai. There were testicles, amongst other things, doing all sorts of explicit things on the cover of various comics but what was truly disturbing was that some of this stuff clearly looked like it was child porn. Manga child porn, but child porn nonetheless. Needless to say we didn’t hang around for long and didn’t bother with the joke purchase. It’s hard to reconcile the “safe” fantasy of the maid cafes and the pornography that can be found in Akhiabara.
I knew that I wanted to visit Akhiabara before I went to Japan, however I wasn’t prepared for what being there would actually be like. It’s unlike any place I’ve ever been to in the world. It’s a place where grown adults can indulge their fantasies, where the lines between reality and fantasy blur, where sexual fetishes and childhood memories merge into one. It’s a very confusing place and I couldn’t get my head completely around it all. It’s simultaneously awesome and disturbing. What’s certain is that if you walk around the streets and alleyways of Akhiabara, you’ll experience a place that could only ever exist in Japan.
If you’ve visited Akhiabara before or indeed if you are from Tokyo, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the area in the comments below.
Gemma Simply Italian Carlton is Naples born Allesandro Bollino’s first restaurant in Melbourne after a 10 year stint in Auckland. The Gemma in the name comes from Allesandro’s mother and the Simply Italian part of the name comes from everything that the restaurant is supposed to encapsulate – simple Italian food. The small space and exposed brick walls combine with chequered tablecloths, Italian staff and Italian football jerseys to give a “typical” homely Italian vibe to the restaurant. Unlike the Italian restaurants on nearby Lygon Street however, none of it is over the top or forced. It’s all feels very genuine.
The drinks menu contains a range of local and Italian wines. A good selection of mainstream Italian beers are offered as well as 2 unfiltered beers from Italian microbrewery Mastri Birrai Umbri. I got the Belgian Dubbel in this impressive 750ml bottle. BYO for wine is also an option and the usual selection of liqueurs and spirits are also available.
Food wise, the menu is no nonsense, simple Italian food. The speciality at Gemma is the pizza and gnocchi. One side of the A4 menu is dedicated to pizza and the other side to salumi, antipasti, pasta, salads and desserts – dishes influenced by the flavours of Naples.
Calamari E Farro Salad (Calamari,, whole-grain farro, diced vegetables, Rocket, fresh mint, extra virgin olive oil) ($16.50)
The calamari was a very light dish. Nothing too overpowering and the different textures and flavours all worked well in conjunction with each other.
Pizza Capricciosa (Tomato Sauce, Campano San Marzano DOP, Fior di latte mozzarella, ham, olives, mushroom, artichokes) ($15.90)
A classic pizza flavour and one of my favourites. The right amount of ingredients, nice char to the crust and a super thin base. Simple. Delicious.
Gnocchi Special (Pumpkin, spinach, pancetta, pine nuts) ($21.90)
Most the pasta/gnocchi dishes are around the $17.00 mark however the special of the night was more expensive. Gnocchi so often goes wrong however at Gemma they were spot on and this dish definitely stood above the other two as being the highlight of the night. The gnocchi were dense and fluffy without being stodgy and the sauce was very tasty.
Mascarpone & Fig Gelato ($5.90)
I wanted to get the Nutella filled calzoncino but was stuffed by this stage of the night so split some gelato with my wife instead. I couldn’t really taste the fig but the mascarpone flavour of the very creamy gelato was apparent. The light biscuits were a nice touch.
This review was a bit light on in the text department but that’s because there’s not really too much to describe about these dishes. With simple Italian food cooked well with quality ingredients, big servings, decent prices and friendly service Gemma Simply Italian delivers exactly what’s expected and if you’re in the area, it’s miles ahead of the Italian restaurants around the corner on Lygon Street. Nearby, DOC Pizza & Mozzarella Bar probably edges out Gemma as my favourite based solely on the food, however Gemma is better priced and is more family friendly too and you won’t be disappointed if you visit. Definitely make sure you try the gnocchi.
