Kushikatsu

The Kansai region's more sinful equivalent of yakitori

Most would already be familiar with yakitori, the Japanese satay-like skewered meats most commonly lacquered in soy sauce. Shinsekai in Osaka is famous for Kansai’s own take on this familiar dish. Kushikatsu, literally skewer cutlets are exactly that.

Like yakitori, Kushikatsu come not only in a variety of chicken, pork, beef and seafood cuts, but also vegetables. The chunks of bite sized meats and greens are breaded, deep fried and are ready to be served.

Kushikatsu.

Here we visited the a Daruma Kushikatsu shop in Osaka Shinsekai. Each piece served has been fried to a deep crisp and served scotching hot. Care must be taken not to burn yourself.

Like a lot of other Osakan food, Kushikatsu is incredibly hearty, heaty and rather sinful. It’s best enjoyed in cold weather. But do take note that it doesnt’ cost cheap. Individual skewers start at 100 yen a piece, with some going as high as 400 yen. Kushikatsu is great as a street food snack, but trying to get full off them will burn a hole in your pocket.

Dipping it in sauce.

There are only counter seats, with a communal container of diluted tonkatsu sauce at each seat for you to dip the sticks inside. Some Kushikatsu are better enjoyed coated in this sauce. Double dipping is strictly forbidden.

For reference, here’s the official Daruma website (in Japanese only). There are 3 outlets in Shinsekai alone, and many more around the rest of Osaka as well. While not the original shop, the one most easily spotted was this particular shop directly below the Tsutenkaku Tower.

Daruma Tsutenkaku Shop
1-6-8 Ebisuhigashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka

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