Osaka’s Shinsekai is as touristy as it gets. But ignoring our own good advice, we somehow found ourselves wandering around the slum streets being approached by street touters at every turn. While dodging their assail we came across this sushi shop in a secluded corner and were pleased with the surprisingly affordable prices for such an area.

For some reason, it’s a universal rule that lust and gluttony go hand in hand in shady areas like Osaka Shinsekai. There’s no shortage of variety of food to choose from at this infamous neighbourhood. Some come for the famous Kushikatsu skewered meats at Daruma, but at an average of 200 yen a stick, it’s not really practical for when traveling on a budget.

Affordable prices. (Click for larger picture)

Enter Yamatoya, an un-intimidating chain restaurant at the end of the left corner of Shinsekai. Like the majority of shops around here, Yamatoya also operates a kushikatsu store, but for some reason they also offer an affordable sushi alternative.

I hope they don’t sushi them.

There isn’t really much to say about Yamatoya that cannot be said for other similar sushi restaurants in Japan. Most should be familiar with the simple setting, with an option of table or counter seats. The day’s recommendations are displayed prominently, the morning’s catch being placed at the counter.

Inside.

What was surprising though were the generous servings, despite the ridiculously low prices which they cost. A simple set of about 10 to 12 pieces of sushi cost only 1,000 yen, or slightly more than $12 Singapore dollars. These weren’t the choicest of cuts of course, but were fresh, so there really wasn’t much to complain about given the price.

1,000 yen set.

If you aren’t fussy with food, it goes to show that you can really get away with some really enjoyable meals without having to pay much. Given that a large portion of Japan’s produce and catches are obtained locally and the high level of competition between restaurants, you’ll actually have a hard time finding sushi (and other Japanese dishes in general) that isn’t fresher than what you’d be able to obtain elsewhere.

1,200 yen set.

Yamatoya
3-3-10 Ebisuhigashi
Naniwa Ward, Osaka City
Osaka 556-0002

Part of the fun of going on a trip is trying out new experiences. These don’t always have to be planned for. Often out of adventure or sheer desperation, we find ourselves trying out random cafes and restaurants that we come across. At times, the results of these experiments can be disappointing but every so often we are surprised to find something quite enjoyable.

Friendship, a small restaurant in Morinomiya was one of those positive finds. Located across the road from Osaka Castle Park, we first came across the restaurant in winter 2011 when attempting to seek cover from a sudden assault of sleet. The promise of shelter and hearty western-styled cuisine was enough to draw us in quite quickly.

Western Cuisine and Beer.

Sometimes you can run into surprisingly good on the street by chance.

Though the sign outside says Yashoku and Beer (洋食 とビール), the real shop name is actually Grill Friendship (グリル フレンドシップ). We had first though the place to be a privately owned restaurant, and you can’t really blame us for mistaking. The inside of the restaurant resembles your typical small family run cafe with its homely setting. It turns out however that Friendship is actually opened by the founder of the popular Tokumasa Curry Udon franchise.

Small yoshoku restaurant.

Being a yoshoku restaurant, Friendship is carries all the Japanese derived western standards such as omurice, curry and hamburgs. Prices are typical of other “shokudo” restaurants, around 1,000-1,500 yen a meal. Based on its location, it is highly likely that Friendship caters to tourists, both local and overseas that come to visit Osaka’s castle. Thankfully, quality is not sacrificed.

Omurice and Croquette.

The omurice at Friendship is great, not nearly as amazing as Asakusa Nobu but still better than the norm, while the curry rice benefits from the founder’s experience with the successful curry udon franchise.

Curry omelette rice.

During this last year, I had the chance to revisit Friendship, amusingly once again to take shelter from the weather. Remembered the promise to try out the shop’s hamburg steak, which looked especially popular with its customers. It was actually pretty good, despite not being a particular fan of hamburgs.

Hamburg steak.

I wouldn’t  order more than one dish per person at Friendship though, since the servings here are extremely generous. Out of the three, the omurice seems to be the hot fave so go with that if you ever find yourself stumbling upon this restaurant. Interestingly, Osaka is thought to be the birth place of the Japanese concept of omelette rice, at least by some accounts.

Friendship.

Grill Friendship
16-15 Morinomiyachuo Ichome
Chuo Ward, Osaka City
Osaka, 540-0003

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Kani Doraku is a popular Japanese restaurant chain that specialises in all sorts of crab dishes. There are Kani Doraku stores all around Japan, but here we had the chance to visit the original store located just beside the Shinsaibashi Bridge at Dotonbori, Namba Osaka’s famous nightlife district.

Dotonbori is famous for the many outrageous store signs that the restaurants there incorporate, with Kani Doraku’s giant mechanical crab being one of the most iconic. The giant billboard outside each Kani Doraku outlet marks the restaurant’s speciality, and also makes spotting an outlet easy.

Kani Doraku’s famous giant crab signboard.

The “honten” or original Kani Doraku shop at Dotonbori, is able to accomodate more than 300 customers at a time. The first 4 floors contain regular walk-in seats while the top floor houses special VIP rooms for special functions. Though we didn’t have problems getting a table, it was already nearing closing time, yet most of the seats were still occupied. Business was good here. You can probably expect the place to be packed during peak hours.

Kani Doraku Original Shop at Namba Osaka’s Dotonbori.

In the lobby, a dozen live crabs were squeezed into one tiny fountain. After checking if we wanted to smoke and confirming that we were fine with only having one hour left, we were lead upstairs to a window-side table on the 4th floor where we could get a wonderful view of the Namba canal below.

The restaurant is furnished in traditional Japanese style, so you put your shoes into wooden capsule boxes before entering and have to sit at low tables. Thankfully, the spaces under each table is hollow so you don’t actually have to sit kneeling down. The service at Kani Doraku was good, despite us being so rude as to arrive just before closing time.

Impeccable service.

The multi-story restaurant was packed with customers.

Though it also serves other types of crabs, Kani Doraku’s main is of course Japanese snow crabs. Snow crabs are perhaps the most common type of crab to Japan, though it is often mistakenly referred to as Hokkaido crabs in Singapore. The majority of Japanese snow crabs are caught between the seas north of the Hyogo and Fukui Prefectures. Thus, the reason why an Osakan shop has become nationally famous for crabs. The crabs at Kani Doraku were immensely fresh.

Raw crab appetizer.

Feeling a little lavish, we each went with one of their seasonal course meals which cost about 6,000 yen each. The meal opened up with the freshest raw crabs any of us had ever had the chance to taste and slowly worked its way through various other dishes, all made with crab. Every treat we were brought was a new experience and much enjoyed.

More appetizers.

Egg custard.

The highlight for the meal was definitely the large crab legs provided to us raw to grill to one’s own liking. As recommended by the staff, these were simply passed over the grill lightly to sear the outsides and dipped into a sauce made from crab innards that was served to us on a mini-fondue pot. Regardless of whether you’re having one of the permanent menu sets or a seasonal set, the grilled crab meats seems to be common to many sets.

More raw pieces to gril as you please.

Lightly seared.

Accompanying the crab legs were some fresh greens to grill too. Afterwards were given some pieces of different types of crab sushi. They were really good too. We had seen some bento sushi boxes for sale outside fo the shop too. It seems you can get some of the sushi (at least those that keep) to go.

Some of the sushi pieces.

Sweet potato cubes with jelly and ice cream.

Despite the somewhat severe price, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Kani Doraku. So much that the rest would had been keen on paying it another visit sometime again. Every dollar was well spent for this experience. If you haven’t already given the popular chain a try, I would recommend at least visiting Kani Doraku once.

If the plastic displays here were any indication, Kani Doraku also offers some really attractive crab sushi bento boxes to take with you on the go. The prices, between 1,400 to 1,800 yen seriously give just about any Ekiben a run for their money and seems like a heavenly treat to take along with you for long shinkansen rides. Anyone has any experience with these? Will definitely want to give them a try in the future.

Affordable bento boxes are available for takeout too.

Kani Doraku Honten
6-18 Dotonbori Ichome
Chuo Ward, Osaka City
Osaka 542-0071
(Open 11 AM to 11 PM Daily)

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With almost all of its branches being located in remote rest stops in the Kansai, it was only through sheer luck that we managed to come across an outlet of this yakiniku buffet chain called Sakon in Osaka Port. By being located in obscure locations and catering primarily to large tour groups, Sakon manages to offer mindbogglingly cheap prices and surprisingly awesome cuts.

Sakon is a “viking”, which is just Wasei-eigo for buffet. If judging by the rest of our traveler’s keenness to give it another visit, it was unanimously one of the best dining experiences this past trip. Sakon offers an impressive selection of yakiniku, sides and desserts. Most of the outlets also offer a “healthy” menu which includes a selection of sushi as well. Let’s have one of Sakon’s lovely staff introduce the menu.

The is a fair variety of each, sufficient to cover all the usual faves. Perhaps the chief attraction at Sakon however are the almost ridiculous prices. The yakiniku lunch buffet costs just 1,200 yen (SGD$16) on weekdays and 1,480 yen (SGD$20) on weekends, while dinner is a flat 1,600 yen (SGD$21). This is a bit cheaper than many other buffets in Japan, and a whole lot cheaper than yakiniku restaurants.

As it is, Sakon is really affordable.

Additional group discounts.

Most amazingly though is the level of quality at Sakon, which has not been the least compromised. Of course the best of cuts are served at Sakon’s deluxe “Shimofuri An” restaurant at Izumi, but the ones served at the buffet are still pretty darn good. Sakon’s main audience is of course, fussy tourists. It is perhaps this maximizing of quality and value, that has allowed Sakon to stay in business for close to 50 years. Hopefully, they continue to endure, since we definitely see ourselves paying them another visit.

Nice cuts.

There is a certain old world charm to Osaka, and Sakon especially follows this trend. I would never had imagine finding such a great buffet experience for such prices in this day and age. Unfortunately, the remoteness of their branches makes a visit to any of their outlets rather difficult to plan into a trip, though you may be brought over to one if visiting Osaka by tour.

Looking at the list of available branches, the ones at Izumi are most accessible if you’re coming by the Kansai International Airport alternatively, the one we visited at Osaka Port would be the most convenient, even though there is nothing else of interest in the vicinity.

Sakon Viking (Original)
Asia and Pacific Trade Center (ATC) Building, O’s South Wing 2F
1-10 Nichome
Nankokita, Suminoe Ward
Osaka, Japan 559-0034

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Chancing upon this tea house along the side streets of Gion last Autumn, we were unanimously and almost immediately drawn in by the shiny hybrid cake-tarts in the shop window. Sure everyone knows Lipton, but we had never come across a Lipton Tea House before. Didn’t regret giving it a try.

The Lipton Tea House is a hybrid bakery and cafe. A section of the shop in front is dedicated to takeaway pastries and breads. However, for those with the time to spare you can sit in for a sweets break or even a full meal in the classy cafe setting.

Unfortunately, we had already had dinner by the time we’d come across the tea house, so we’d have to postpone trying the meals her to some other time. From what we could tell, it was mostly Japanese “western” dishes like omurice, hamburgs and curry. But the thing that attracted us to the cafe in the first place were the cake tarts.

Maccha.

There are a dozen or so different cakes and tarts on the permanent menu at the Lipton Tea House as well as few seasonal specials. But since the tarts were made fresh daily, the ones are available at any given time will be limited by demand. Each cake (tart?) costs only about 400 yen (SGD$5.50) and as with most Japanese eateries, there is no any extra service charge for dining in.

Grapefruit.

All three cakes-tarts that we ordered were really awesome. I like my sweets, but not too sweet. The cake parts were just right enough for a dessert fix, without being overbearing. The tart portions for each cake were also unique. For example, the green tea cake-tart had a chocolate crumble base, while the choco-banana and grapefruit ones used banana and grapefruit custards respectively. Impressive!

Choco-banana.

Goes to show you can get great treats even in chain outlets like this in Japan. Sadly, the reason why we had never seen a Lipton Tea House elsewhere in Japan was because the small chain is limited to the city of Kyoto only.

There are just three Lipton Tea Houses in total, the original “1930″ shop at Sanjo shown here, another just down the street at Gion Shijo and one opposite of Kyoto station. But if you do come across one in your travels while in the mood for something sweet, perhaps you might want to give Lipton Tea House a try?

We were introduced to Uoshin courtesy of Yan. The izakaya has a number of outlets around Tokyo. This time we visited their Nogizaka branch, where we enjoyed a range of delicious, yet affordable seafood dishes.

There is a rustic charm to Uoshin’s store at Nogizaka. The building appears to be an old converted shop house, mixing a traditional Japanese kitchen with modern Western furnishings out of functionality. Patrons can sit within the tented shelter downstairs or a makeshift outdoor terrace on the building’s roof if you wish to smoke.

Uoshin Izakaya.

The pub specialises in sushi.

The environment may be a bit intimidating for those new to the izakaya experience, thankfully the staff do keep English menus with pictures on hand for foreign visitors.

Uoshin’s specialty seems to be their seafood and sushi. As mentioned, in keeping the common salaryman in mind, prices are affordable. Due to how much you’re paying, you won’t be getting the very freshest stuff here but is still better than the average, or anything you will find overseas.

Steamed snow crab dish.

Fish roe.

The emphasis on value for money is further driven in by the generous servings. Like at most izakaya, the dishes here are meant to be enjoyed in the company of friends. For those with an aversion for raw fish, there are other small bites on the menu. However, when visiting Uoshin, the seafood is where it’s at. We ended up thoroughly satisfied with about all of the dishes ordered, and even had seconds of some.

Sashimi set platter, or ask for the seasonal recommendations.

For those coming mainly for a drink, there are “nomihoudai” all you can drink specials at 500 yen/30 minutes for the house pour and other drinks if you top up slightly more. There are special sets for between 3,500-4,500 yen (SGD$45-$60) which includes some of the izakaya’s trademark dishes, together with a free flow of beer for two hours.

If I had to pick, the messy sushi featured in the title would be the fave.

Thought not far from Roppongi, Uoshin is located at a business district in Nogizaka that is rather peaceful by the hours that it operates at. If you’re looking for a great place to chill out in Tokyo that’s away from the usual hustle and bustle, do give Uoshin a try. For more information and a listing of Uoshin’s other outlets, check out Uoshin Web (Japanese only).

Uoshin Nogizaka
6-32 Akasaka Kyuchome
Minato Ward
Tokyo 107-0052

Operating Hours
Monday – Saturday: 5 PM – 12 AM
Sundays, Public Holidays: 4 PM – 11 PM
Weekdays: 12 PM – 2 PM (Lunch)

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Last year, we stumbled upon the AKB48 Cafe and Shop in Namba, Osaka. The shop occupies an impressive space right across the NMB48 Theater in the recently renovated NGK Building, and thus easily accessible to visiting fans of the 48 groups.

At least they don’t shove you here.

The shop section.

Rather than replace the existing NMB48 Shop, the AKB48 Cafe and Shop Namba carries a separate set of merchandise for the family’s other sister groups. When we last visited, the shop was stocked fully with the latest merchandise from AKB48 and SKE48.

Mingling around inside.

Now that the AKB48 Shop Harajuku has ceased operations, Namba’s shop easily outclasses the other AKB48 startups in Tokyo. The shop section at Namba is much larger and better equipped than even the AKB48 Cafe and Shop Akihabara. The place is also decorated with autographs of various 48 members and some of the AKB48 costumes are displayed in the center of the shop.

Walls were decorated with their signatures.

Oshima Yuko’s Beginner outfit.

The AKB48 Namba Cafe is decorated in the familiar tartan patterns but rather than an over the counter setting like in Akiba, the cafe section in Namba operates as a more humble fast food outlet. You have to place your order yourself at the counter and after a short wait, the food is brought over to your table.

The cafe.

There is a one hour time limit inside.

The menu at the cafe is typical fast food affair and hardly anything to rave about. However at this point I doubt anyone actually goes to an AKB48 Cafe for the food. Prices are also grossly inflated because of the AKB48 branding. The money goes towards reaffirming your brand loyalty and the 48 related programs that run on the televisions mounted at all corners.

Fast food style.

Member recommendations.

One plus though is that the cafe is very accessible when compared to Akiba’s, where there is usually a long queue. Even during this crowded evening, we didn’t have to wait for more than 10 minutes to enter. This is probably due to the fact that upon entry patrons are informed that everyone must order and that you have a limited amount of time to spend inside.

Some of the tables are autographed.

Their set meals came with 48 member coasters.

700 yen AKB48 cafe burger and drink set.

It should be worth noting that at least the Namba’s shop and cafe staff seemed friendlier and (if I might add) cuter than their Tokyo counterparts.

If you’re remotely interested in AKB48 and happen to be passing by Namba’s Nankai Dori, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look at the AKB48 Cafe and Shop Namba. But unless you happen to be a die hard fan though, I wouldn’t recommend eating there.

AKB48 Cafe and Shop Namba
1F, Namba Grand Kagetsu
Nanba Sennichimae 11-6
Osaka Chuo Ward
Osaka 542-0075

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For more information, you can check out the shop’s site in Japanese.

Having a Chinese heritage, pineapple tarts are a pretty common snack item and a must have during festive ocassions. Even though I usually shun the more commonly found factory made tarts, what was only until I was finally introduced to SunnyHill’s pineapple tarts.

After a recent affair with SunnyHill’s pineapple tarts at a road show, I decided to make a visit to their shop in Raffles Hotel to grab a few more boxes for the family.

A serving of pineapple tart and oolong tea.

The first thing that struck to me was their impeccable hospitality towards anyone who stumbled into their shop.

I walked into the shop well with an intention to purchase their pineapple tarts without needing any introductions, but instead was instructed by the polite waitress to sit down and enjoy a cup of tea and a piece of their pineapple tarts before making a purchase.

A real treat.

As part of their business philosophy, SunnyHills believes in letting customers try their products first before buying. And so, at any of their shops, every guest is given a pineapple cake and tea, whether they are buying anything or not.

Enjoy the food, the atmosphere and the various books on the table.

One can relax and enjoy their snack on the communal table, filled with food and tea related reads to occupy your time with. And if you allow, the waitress will also painstakingly explain about SunnyHill’s philosophy, pineapple tarts and any additional information you may inquire.

Is there a reason not to buy a box?

What makes SunnyHills special? They differentiate themselves by using  the finest ingredients from all over the world, boasting of premium butter from New Zealand, gourmet flour from Japan and organic pineapples from Taiwan.

Halal and Health-conscious individuals will also be thrilled by the fact that their pineapple tarts are certified Halal, ovo-lacto vegetarian friendly and free from preservatives. On the downside, you’ll have to finish them within 3 weeks.

Everyone left the shop with at least a bag of tarts.

SunnyHills
Raffles Hotel Arcade
Unit #03-05
328 North Bridge Road
Singapore 188719
Telephone: +65 8522-9605

Hole-in-a-wall? Checked. Hidden between rarely traveled roads and buildings? Checked. Affordable and delicious cakes for sale? Check and checked. Room for Dessert is a curious little cake shop that I managed to stumble across while looking for another shop in the vicinity of the area. Located deep inside an old HDB estate and surrounded by old mom-and-pop shops, Room for Dessert’s shop seemed like an out of place installation from some young entrepreneurs trying to break into the scene. I was wrong.

It might have been a more recent find for this little adventurer, but Room for Dessert has been operating for quite a number of years. Despite having only a small shopfront with a number of cakes for sale, they have been maintaining a good business through good word of mouth and the alluring smell of freshly baked cakes. I was one of the lucky, unsuspecting customers to stumble in.

List of cakes for sale.

With only a handful of cakes on their menu, most customers usually call in advance to buy cakes by the whole or make custom orders, which are available with several days of advance ordering. There are always portioned and whole cakes available for walk-in customers each day but are subjected to availability.

Ring the bell to sound out to the lady.

The shop is truly a one woman show, managed by a really nice lady who is usually making cakes at the back of the store.

Most important factor in getting your cake fix.

If the shop is open, do yourself a favor and purchase a few slices of cakes that are available. Note that there’s a possibility that not all the cakes on menu will be available, so grab whatever is on hand. I can assure you that all their cakes are delicious.

This time round I managed to score myself with 3 different cakes.

Choc-Banana Mascarpone cake.

Summertime Carrot Cake.

Green Tea Tiramisu Cake.

I might readily admit that I do not have such a big sweet tooth to give a fair judgement for the above 3 cakes, but my mom and sis could. In fact I only managed to get a taste out of each of the 3 small cakes before they were readily eaten by the rest of my family members.

Directions to the shop.

Though the shop location might be a little off the beaten track, and even if the operating hours might feel a little harsh, do yourself a favor and give this little dessert shop a try. Visit their website for more information regarding custom orders.

For years Chef Peter has personally set the standard for affordable, quality Japanese food in Singapore, first with Wasabi Tei at Far East Plaza, then Chikuwa Tei at Boat Quay. Last month, the executive chef opened his third restaurant, Mitsuba By Yurine Japanese Restaurant, at Clarke Quay’s The Central.

We noticed during a recent visit to Chikuwa Tei that Chef Peter had been missing and it turned out that he was busy preparing for this new project. The new restaurant is located surprisingly close by, on the 3rd floor of The Central. Mitsuba doesn’t appear as large as his previous restaurant, but gives off a much nicer, up class ambiance. It is also strangely missing a “Tei” in its name.

Mitsuba. By Yurine Japanese Restaurant.

At Clarke Quay Central.

Apart from one other table, we were the only guests here this evening. Over at the counter was none other than Chef Peter, who once again was in an uncharacteristically good mood. Guess he doesn’t like crowds either. Perhaps it was the recency of its opening, but it looked like not many had caught on to its existence yet. Either that or they were turned away by the seemingly posh look of the restaurant from the outside.

Chef Peter.

It should come as a surprise to most then that the prices over at Mitsuba had retained their affordability, while providing an expanded, slightly different menu from its predecessors. We decided to play it safe this time round though.

Starters.

Most of all the old faves return.

Chef Peter’s Chirashizushi makes a glorious return, though with slight differences. There are now 4 different chirashi sets to choose from, with the old fave being the cheapest mixed set on the menu. The rest feature different and additional cuts. There are also individual dons (rice bowls) for particular cuts, which are great for when you want a specific indulgence.

Makes a return as the cheapest chirashi set now.

Oddly though, the fish is now served separately from the rice. This is perhaps to cater to local whims and the dish is only barely manages to pass off as chirashizushi since it’s served in a bento box with the meats stacked on top. Personally, I tend to prefer the diced variety of the chirashizushi so this change takes some of the enjoyment out of appreciating the dish as a whole, but quality wise, it remains unchanged. On the plus side, there’s a much more appropriate amount of rice served now.

Interesting dessert we got today.

My company for this evening wanted me to point out this interesting dessert served to us instead of the typical complementary slices of watermelon. Each of these dumplings actually contained a mixture of ground azuki and white bean pastes encased inside a starchy shell.

Bean paste inside.

As with the previous two restaurants, you can bet that Mitsuba will become another top option when it comes to Japanese dining in Singapore.  Once again, the upgrade means prices might be marginally higher (about 5-10%) but the expanded menu, better setting and much more accessible location make it worth it.

A while ago, Yan and I chanced upon Rock & Ash at the basement of Marina Square Link connected to Esplanade MRT and took a mental note to visit the place when given the chance. Since then, this small cafe has become a regular hangout for ourselves and many others thanks to Rock & Ash’s homely setting, as well as its novel and delicious burgers.

Being a cafe, Rock & Ash also serve fries, dips, coffees and a few novelty drinks. There are a few non-burger mains, typically Western foods cooked in Singapore style but their burgers are definitely the main draw. These come in a variety of novelty flavors that mix in Asian ingredients not usually associated with burgers. Rock & Ash’s motto urges you to “Discover A Volcanic Culinary Experience!”. Not exactly reassuring.

Salted duck egg.

All of the burgers feature a delicious homemade patty in your choice of pork, lamb or beef. Some of the burgers will definitely require an acquired taste, such as the Caramelly Bee Burger in the title which was drenched in honey but for the most part Rock & Ash creations are actually quite good. Surprisingly we even enjoyed the burgers that came topped with minty yoghurt and another with strawberry jam.

Safer California Cheese Burger.

From past observation, Rock & Ash attracts a lot of young students. It’s no surprise though, since prices here seem to cater to that crowd. Burger set meals start at just $8.90 though additions or particular flavors or patties will require you to drop in a dollar or two. Each of this sets comes with a free flow of drinks and the daily soup. Value for money indeed, especially when considering that it is located smack in Singapore’s tourist center.

Power Garlic.

While I wouldn’t recommend that you stay for long considering how small Rock & Ash is, it’s a great place if you’re looking for a meal in the City Hall area or just need to chill for an hour or so. Those feeling just a little adventurous will enjoy their selection of unique flavors, without having to burst out the wallet. Though not updated with their full menu, you can check out some of their offerings at the official Rock & Ash website.

Rock & Ash LLP
Marina Square
6 Raffles Boulevard, #B1-03
Singapore 039594

We have covered Ramen Champion before, when it first opened at its premises in Iluma. With a branch now open in Changi Airport and Iluma now being re-launched as Bugis+, it’s as a good time as any to start a new year of competition. On Tuesday, a collection of food critics and taste testers were gathered at Bugis+ to taste the new offerings at Ramen Champion, as well as to stage a mini-competition between the different outlets.

With the exit of tsukemen chain Tetsu, Ramen Champion welcomes Hideaki Aoyama’s Aoyama, and Tetsuya Tomiyama’s Taka no Tsume into the fray. After all 8 chefs were introduced, it was time for a little pomp in the occasion, with the chefs being given huge party poppers and bottles of champagne. After a short toast to Ramen Champion (and of course, Singapore’s independence), the prize for 2011′s Ultimate Ramen Champion (URC) was presented.

The chefs of Ramen Champion starting the event off with a bang.

Taking a clear lead over the rest of the pack, Kosuke Yoshimura’s Ikkousha was crowned Ultimate Ramen Champion for 2011. Selling a whopping hundred thousand bowls of ramen over the year, Ikkousha eclipsed second place’s Bario, nearly doubling the latter’s number. Despite an unprepared address to the audience (‘This was unexpected’), Yoshimura attributed the victory to the support of consumers both local and Japanese, and hopes Ikkousha will continue making an impact.

Kosuke Yoshimura shows off his URC 2011 trophy.

To commemorate the start of the competition for the year, an impressive lineup of judges were gathered for a taste test. In a competition likened to the currently ongoing Olympics, the judges would pick from the assembled 8 ramen dishes the judges’ pick, based on criteria that amongst others included taste and presentation. With the judges including several executive chefs and the producer of Ramen Champion, it certainly was an award each of the chefs were gunning for.

Everyone present was given a short primer on eating ramen, with the MC explaining the characteristics of the 8 different chains. Given that the Ramen Champion stalls come from all over Japan, the regional differences can make each seem like a totally different dish. While some chefs prefer to emphasize the texture of the noodles themselves, others prefer instead to focus on the soup, all of which become clear once one has had a taste.

The crowd being taught a little bit about what makes each ramen different.

Here’s our take on what makes or breaks the ramen presented:

Taka no Tsume

Most locals are probably used to seeing char siu in their bowl of ramen. However, the first thing one notices about Taka no Tsume’s Ramen Deluxe is that there’s no such thing. The Sichuan-style broth is just spicy enough and the bowl is topped off with a thick chicken cutlet.

An initially thought was that this was a variation of the popular tantan-men offered in Tokyo, but a sip of the soup revealed that it was rather a Sichuan-style chicken and pork broth. Beware, this is probably the spicest bowl of noodles offered.

The defining feature of this ramen is definitely the chopped pieces of spice marinated chicken thigh cutlet tin place of the usual char siu offering given for ramen. The batter remained crispy despite the chicken being soaked in the broth and there was a nice abundance of stir fried vegetables.

Taka no Tsume’s Ramen Deluxe.

Taishoken

Taishoken joins the battle with their unique take on tsukemen, a cold variation of their tsukemen, which is reserved for hot summers in Japan was offered, the only cold dish of the day.

As this was a dipping ramen, the soup and noodles where served separately along with small plates of condiments. The tsukemen’s thick chewy noodles was paired with a fish scented cold broth and spicy ground pork. Lemon was provided for patrons to add to their liking, the zesty taste was refreshing amidst the more heavy flavors that were presented by the other restaurants.

But while it was a cool refreshing bowl many still struggled with it. We theorized that because Singaporeans have gotten so used to the heat that we eat hot foods even in the heat, cold soup with a heavy fish base does not really sit well with the Singaporean palette. Not to mention, the notion of cold foods seems to only be restricted to hors d’oeuvres and traditional foods reserved for Chinese festivals.

Taishoken’s Cold & Spicy tsukemen.

Aoyama

A variation on the popular kyushu style pork bone broth ramen that is popular with Singaporeans, Hideaki Aoyama features thin straight noodles in a thick pork bone broth. The flavorful soup is a gravy like consistency with huge mounds of shredded green onions and boiled spinach.

Hideaki Aoyama’s entrance to URC with his Special Tonkotsu Ramen is impressionable. The noodles used have just the right weight to complement the crunchiness of the garnish well, and despite its thickness the soup is sufficiently thin enough for one to slurp it without feeling like you’re sucking on a milkshake.

Aoyama’s Special Tonkotsu Ramen.

Bario

One is greeted with a near overflowing bowl, characteristic of Bario’s ramen. It was surprising to see chef Iwasaki come by to personally explain how best to enjoy the ramen.

Perhaps the only shop to have not altered their ramen to suit the Singapore-based competition, their bowls are the same offerings as you would get from Japan. The soup is very flavorful, and definitely worth a try. However, its thick and fatty consistency makes it something you wouldn’t eat regularly.

Bario’s Ajitama Ramen.

Gantetsu

As the only contender to serve Hokkaido style ramen, Gantetsu’s chewy noodles are served in a rich white miso soup with the aroma of ginger. It’s mildness is suitable for those looking for a lighter bowl of ramen. To attract more customers, Gantetsu’s King Charsiu Ramen offers a whooping 200g of pork, a large piece of seaweed and toppings enough to cover the whole bowl.

For people who have a habit of saving pieces of meat to eat separately, the pieces on this one are great; they’re sliced thinly, so there’s absolutely no guilt in eating some and saving others.

Gantetsu’s King Chashu ramen.

Ikkousha

Ultimate Ramen Champion 2011′s winner Ikkousha serves up a Spicy Takana Ramen. With a light broth and thin noodles characteristic of Hakata ramen, it’s the easiest one to get through. With its light pork bone soup, this Takana ramen is the closest to what the local palate is used to.

It doesn’t hurt that Ikkousha’s ramen is really delicious; the consistency of the broth does not necessarily imply that it’s less flavorful, instead striking the right balance to enjoy it without feeling bloated by the end.

Ikkousha’s Spicy Takana Ramen.

Iroha

Known for their heavy use of shoyu and black peppers in their bowls of ramen but the most memorable part about Iroha’s King’s Ramen is the thick pieces of char siu accompanying the noodles. King Ramen serves a thicker than usual shoyu chicken soup base with some of the best char siu served.

An attraction for some, Iroha’s style of soup might be a little too peppery for other tastes; those who prefer chilli spiciness may not find Iroha to their liking.

Iroha’s King’s Ramen.

Riki

The other new contender to Ultimate Ramen Champion this year, Riki is also the only other tsukemen on the list besides Taka no Tsume. Riki’s regular store can be found at Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 but they have taken advantage of the contest to come up with a tsukemen variation of their usual offering.

Riki serves the only hot tsukemen for the event. With thick noodles accompanied by a thick dipping sauce, it makes for a nice filling meal. A lot of effort must have been put into the making the thick dipping sauce as concentrated as it is. It pretty much tastes just like a hamburger, that’s how thick the sauce is.

Riki Tsukemen.

After everything was sampled, it was time to announce the results. There were murmurs amongst those seated at the tables about who was going to win. A short informal survey around the immediate area showed that many liked Ikkousha, with its thin noodles and relatively light soup base. So it did not come as a surprise to many when it came to pass that the judges themselves picked Ikkousha as well.

Singaporean celebrity chef Daniel Koh partaking in a bowl.

With Bario coming in at second place with the judges’ scores, it seems mass opinion and critical judgement do go hand-in hand. As Yoshimura celebrated his victory, it’s clear that it meant a lot to him and the rest of the Ikkousha team; Singapore is the ramen chain’s first foray into Singapore, and to win an accolade twice in a day certainly provides a nice boost to one’s confidence.

The Ikkousha team celebrating their win by throwing their chef in the air.

Ramen Champion has proven itself to be a unique and exciting way to promote the introduction of ramen into Singapore. By putting the different flavors of Japanese ramen in one place, it allows consumers to easily sample the different varieties they would have to travel all over Japan for.

It will be interesting to see where URC goes from here, and to see if new additions Aoyama and Taka no Tsume will be able to wrest the crown away from Ikkousha.

Since 1994, the Singapore Food Festival has been a yearly event for food lovers, a buffet of local delights all available in one place. Loved by Singaporeans, who would be happy to let loose their wallets to savor the variety of hawker delights offered. Sadly, it has lost all semblance of its once rosy roots having completely sold out in recent years. Let’s see where it’s gone wrong this time.

Singapore Food Festival Village 2012.

A lot more spacious this time.

The Singapore Food Festival is held at this time of the year, each year. It was held at the Read Bridge at Clark Quay during our previous visit, which was a poor location given how narrow it was. This year, we found the Singapore Food Festival Village tucked away at a hidden corner beside the Marina Bay Sands. The field provided the ample space needed for such an event. But beyond that though, little has improved over the previous years’ festivals. In fact if anything, it probably got worse.

One of the more attractive stores.

Other than street food, everything had to be prepared before hand.

Rest assured that it got to live another day, for they had no means to cook it anyways.

The Singapore Food Festival is being sponsored by the Singapore Tourism Board so it is perfectly understandable if appealing to tourists was a major agenda. However, the fair offers a meager selection of food types, many of which aren’t even local classics. This is further limited by the nature of the stalls, which offers little accommodation for actually cooking on the spot. As a result, most of the food served has to be prepared hours in advance so quality has to be compromised. The fact that this year’s Food Festival theme was “seafood” didn’t help.

Probably not a good idea.

One of the stalls actually serving traditional delights.

Never seen this before.

The lowest point of the fair though is how it is a thinly veiled CEPAS swindle. In previous years, you’d have to purchase coupons or a Kopitiam card. This year’s they’ve refined their game.

Prices of food at the fair are marked up considerably but you get a 20% discount if you use something called NETS Flashpay. But here is where it gets shady. Each card costs $17 with only a $12 value inside. Most of the tourists will never get to use this card again outside of Singapore or even anywhere else within, so that’s $5 down the drain.

NETS Flashpay.

At least the drinks were cheap.

$12 is not nearly enough (perhaps intentionally) to purchase much at the festival so they impose a minimum topup value of $50. It’s no surprise, how empty this year’s Singapore Food Festival was. Perhaps only a quarter of the seats were filled up on this weekend afternoon, no doubt by jaded tourists who will leave the place with a less than satisfactory taste in their mouth.

Wondering where the good old days have gone.

Now, despite trying to pull itself off as a convention hub, the majority local grown efforts prove inept when it comes to event organization and the Singapore Food Festival is one of those prime examples. I guess some of the decision makers need to realize how fruitless it is to market something toward tourists, when the locals cannot even feel proud about it. I’m no expert, but rather than trying to make quick returns, wouldn’t it be better to actually attempt a positive impression here for repeat tourism?

A less than happy tourist.

Question is, is the Singapore Food Festival even needed? There a dozens of great Kopitiam / hawker centers scattered throughout the heartlands that are a better example every single day of the year if you wanted to offer the tourists an accurate depiction of Singapore’s culinary culture. This half-hearted attempt doesn’t do justice to all of those exhibiting either, since people wouldn’t be sampling their work at its best. It could very well tarnish their image.

Japanese food might be the most recognized foreign cuisine in Singapore, but its subset, Okinawan food does not have such a reputation. In fact there’s only a handful of shops in Singapore that serve Okinawan food, with most of them being located at Robertson Quey. Situated at liang court, Okinawan Diner Niran-Kanai is a good choice for one to try out some true Okinawan food at an affordable price and more convenient location.

Okinawa Cuisine is somewhat of a mix of Japanese and Chinese cuisine.

After having dined here occasionally throughout the years, I’ve seen the transformation of Nirai Kanai’s menu from a bite sized based izakaya establishment, to a more wallet friendly diner with well priced sets for those who just want to come for a meal. Set meals range from Okinawan soup based noodles, to stir-fry main dishes and even some Japanese classics for those who are not so inclined to Okinawan food.

Set noodle meal.

As mentioned, all the rice sets come with a main dish of your choice, ranging from classic okinawan stir-fry, to classic Japanese food and even Japanese influenced western food. Here I’ll include some of the main dishes I’ve tried out, one will be spoiled for choice at Nirai-Kanai.

Rice set meal with a variety of main dishes to choose from. Picture above features a cubed Japanese style steak.

Japanese style Tori karaage rice set.

Miso saba fish rice set.

Classic Okinawan stir-fry Miso tofu silk gourd rice set.

Even though Nirai-Kanai’s menu is primary dominated by set meals, there’s still a second menu with ala carte dishes to choose from. The menu carries non set orders from the set menu’s featured items as well as small bites that go down well with some beer or sake. This is of course catered to our Japanese locals who come to Nirai-Kanai to hang out with small bites and beers rather than for a full meal.

Squid ink soup.

Deep fried pork knuckles.

Fatty indulgence that melts in your mouth. Goes well with some beer.

If you like Japanese food, Okinawan food doesn’t disappoint. Even more so that the pricing of dining at Nirai-Kanai is not much different from say, dining at any other mainstream Japanese restaurant in Singapore. To me, an even better tell tale sign of a good Japanese eating place is when you see a ton of Japanese locals making merry .

Do make reservations when planning to head to Nirai-Kanai on a weekend, I’ve been refused entry on several occasions as it can get filled to the brim from the start of their opening hours. Once you get past that, I can really promise you that the food will not be a disappointment.

Lost? Just look for the signboard, for listen out for noisy conversations in Japanese.

Okinawan Diner Nirai-Kanai
Liang Court Shopping Centre
177 River Valley Road
#B1-01/02
Singapore 179030

Since 2004, Peperoni Pizzeria has been consistently serving what is possibly Singapore’s favorite pizza. Famous for their humongous XXL pizzas, each platter comes with a generous amount of toppings on a massive 21 inch thin crust pizza.

Peperoni Pizzeria has 4 outlets around Singapore, but somehow we find ourselves returning to their original branch at Greenwood Avenue in Hillcrest Park. There’s a cosy diner atmosphere at the place, which is great. No pretention here. Pizza’s not exactly gourmet cuisine. Instead, the Peperoni Pizzeria at Hillcrest merges a family friendly ambiance with that of a pub.

For those looking to wet their whistle, there’s a ample selection of beers and drinks. The restaurant is well staffed and service is impeccable. Even at its peak on a Friday night we never once saw the bottom of our water glasses. The staff, polite and friendly, which does wonders for the atmosphere.

Made fresh.

A little indulgent.

Peperoni Pizzeria’s signature dish would have to be their family sized XXL pizzas. These serve at least two really hungry people or 4-6 casually each. The pizzas are thin crusted, which are probably half of the reason why they’ve been such a hit with the locals. The rest can be attributed to the generous amount of cheese and toppings thrown densely on top.

You can check out the range of pizzas available at their online menu. There’s a sufficient amount of choices to choose from to make settling on one flavor difficult. Thankfully, you can split a XXL pizza into two if you wish.

Hawaiian. For those who like it safe.

Quattro Formaggi. Quad cheese pizza. A personal recommendation.

Normal and large sized pizzas go for SGD$19 and $23 respectively. The XXL pizzas pictured here cost $50 a pop. The prices are very affordable when you consider that all prices are nett. The house absorbs all GST and service charge here so you leave with pleasant sentiments. Something most places in Singapore ought to learn from.

Manzo. Sliced beef, garlic and bell peppers.

Able to select two halves too.

Personally at least, pizza is more often a necessity, the kind of food you resort calling during overtime or when all other food has run out at a party. It’s not something I crave for particularly. But the pizza served at Peperoni Pizzeria has managed to tick enough of the right points to justify traveling out of the way for it. It’s just that good. If you haven’t already, do drop by Peperoni Pizzeria for a revelation on what pizza should be like.

Kua Aina is a burger place that originated from Hawaii. Japan is one of the few places you’ll find this franchise that claims to have the best burgers on the island. Kua Aina came highly recommended by both Wilson and MJ ever since their first encounter with it back in 2008, but somehow we’d never found the chance to revisit the place in subsequent trips.

This time though, we finally managed to settle down at the Kua Aina in Odaiba. So here we were experiencing the famous burgers from one island, at a branch on a man-made island, in another island.

Kua Aina at Aqua City Odaiba.

Island-ception aside, Kua Aina does serve some impressive burgers. Not too many photos here, since we were really looking forward to tucking in. Prices were affordable, given the location, with burgers starting from around 1,000 yen (SGD$16/USD$12). For an additional 200 yen, you get a drink and an adequate serving of your choice of different types of fries and/or onion rings, which were pretty good.

Cheese burger set. 1,170 yen.

Kua Aina’s burgers did not disappoint. Each burger was made to order, featuring an actually meaty patty and a generous amount of other fillings on a perfectly toasted bun. There’s a wide selection of condiments to choose from, but even without them burgers were already oozing with flavor. We decided to keep the sauces for our sides and appreciate the burgers as is.

Avocado burger set. 1,280 yen.

Like all of the other eateries and restaurant here at Aqua City Odaiba, this branch of Kua Aina had nice seats that faced out toward the Rainbow Bridge. Between the delicious burgers and wonderful ambiance, it made for a great place to chill out at. Kua Aina also has branches at various classy spots around Tokyo such as Aoyama, Shibuya, Gotanda and Yokohama’s Akarenga Soko (Red Brick Warehouses) among others.

Excellent view.

The Japan Kua Aina website where you can find out a little more (warning Japanese only and in Flash). Each of the outlets serve a slightly different menu which can be previewed online.

Rainbow Bridge and a bit of Shiodome. Pardon the reflections.

We’ve been down to Jurong East’s new weaboo mall JCube a couple times now. The spacious shopping complex is home to quite a few Japanese themed restaurants and eateries. One of the establishments is a place called Itacho Sushi x Jika Udon. Bearing the name of what is now possibly Singapore’s most popular sushi joint, the heartlands might seem like an unusual place to put this hybrid sushi-udon restaurant.

Jika Udon is just one of the many franchise brands under Hong Kong’s Taste of Japan Group of companies. Udon as you know it, is not exactly a popular dish in Singapore. Most prefer the thicker, saltier ramen over the white noodles. Rather than opening a stand alone restaurant in Singapore, they’ve opened this new experimental restaurant which would cater to a larger audience.

Plain udon.

As far as udon goes, the udon served at this restaurant under the Jika Udon name is of the no frills, budget variety. Servings are on the small side, but start at just $6 for a bowl of plain udon. There’s a small selection of slightly different dishes to choose from and udon with something on the side, like tempura or pork cutlet as well as curry udon go for a standard $10-$11 each.

Curry udon.

Thanks to the low cost, there’s not much to complain about when ordering the udon here. Prices are comparable to other franchise chains like Sushi Tei or Waraku, without too much difference in quality. The convenience of having it in the heartlands is a definite plus.

Things would be nice if we ended it there. But we’ll have to take a look at the other half of the menu, when Itacho Sushi is the more prominent of the two names in the title.

Singaporeans will no doubt be familiar with the franchise. Since its opening two years ago, Itacho Sushi has continued to draw ridiculous crowds at its ION Orchard branch and a number of other outlets that have sprung up since. Yan detailed our experience there in this writeup two years ago.

Some simple sushi.

Sadly, as you can see from the pictures above, the sushi served now look nothing like the ones back then. And this applies to not just this particular outlet or day. We’ve been making regular trips to Itacho Sushi all this while and the quality of food served has been in constant decline.

Sushi cuts are now half the size, all while prices continue to rise. I don’t really blame them though, considering that business still remains as prolific as ever. Just part of the Asian business culture.

We actually visited Itacho Sushi x Jika Udon twice, to see how things go. But the experience was particularly bad this day. Service was, in short, terrible. I usually not one to take issue with service, and have no qualms with a place like say Saizeriya, but when you’re actually paying that extra charge one would expect some basics. (There is no tipping culture in Singapore. Instead sit down restaurants usually employ a 10% service charge on top of the bill.)

This was mostly due to how understaffed the place was, with only 3 serving the entire restaurant. We weren’t given any water at all for the entire meal and had to specifically flag someone down to get some at the end.

Stuffed crab.

Judging from the food, the kitchen probably didn’t fare any better. It seemed like all the sushi had been sitting around a while before they were served. The rice was clumpy, dry and hard. It is likely that they were pre-rolled up earlier and left there. Which sort of defeats paying a premium over the supermarket grade stuff.

We also ordered a couple of stuffed crabs, which used to be one of the restaurant’s highlights. While they used to be stuffed to the brim with shredded crab with a little bit of rice added on the side, now the crab shell was almost entirely filled with just rice and mushrooms. The mushrooms overpowered the taste of the entire dish. Oddly, the rice inside the shell was cold as well. Yan suggested that the dish had been cooked separately and the crab shells had been reused. It seems possible.

As much as I want to love Itacho Sushi like in the past, all of their corner-cutting makes it really difficult. Right now, the only thing that Itacho Sushi and its Jika Udon hybrid has over the competition would be in variety. But when it comes to good quality food, I guess we’d have to stick to Chikuwa Tei for that raw fish fix now.

We found this crepe shop beside a department store in Osaka, along with another at Tokyo Dome. It turns out, thanks to their popularity, MOMI&TOY’S (モミアンドトイズ) is everywhere. The gourmet crepe stand’s claim to fame is winning a prestigious silver award in 2010 by the Monde Selection, the global consumer equivalent of being awarded Michelin stars.

MOMI&TOY'S stand in Osaka Shinsaibashi.

The masters of your crepes.

The selection of crepes.

MOMI&TOY’S crepes boast some fine ingredients. An innovative point is that it uses crushed almonds inside of its batter instead of the usual flour. In addition to being healthier, it gives the crepes their unique soft fabric-like texture that simply melts in one’s mouth.

Your ordered them through the ticketing machine here.

Crepes prepared right in front of you. Some will love this.

Each stand carries a standardized menu with a selection of flavors to choose from. There are the typical dessert crepes, such as this strawberry one here used in its marketing, or savory crepes for those without a sweet tooth. They make for a light mid-day meal, and are probably a hit with health conscious office goers.

Strawberry Crepe.

Savory crepe from another occasion in Tokyo.

To accompany its crepes, shops also serves “tapioca”, which is Japanese for bubble tea. The MOMI&TOY’S website gives us a glimpse of its delicious menu.

Best crepes in Japan? Possibly.Note that Yan pointed out that this is also the crepes that Minegishi Minami eats in a certain pseudo-voyeur episode of 600seconds so it’s most certainly AKB48 approved.

Even though it calls itself an izakaya (a Japanese budget style pub), Izakaya Nijumaru Restaurant is a homely, family styled eatery at Cuppage Plaza smack in the center of Singapore’s Orchard Road. After a busy day shopping in town, Nijumaru is a comforting, laid back place that you can come to relax for your dinner, without busting your wallet.

Nijumaru Izakaya at Cuppage Plaza.

Izakaya Nijumaru Restaurant is located at Cuppage Plaza, one of those places in Singapore where businesses targeted toward our sizable Japanese expat and tourist population have collected. Like many of the eateries here, it’s existence is no secret, having once been lauded by self-proclaimed foodies years ago as a trendy “hidden find”.

Homely family setting.

Truth is, there is no shortage of good food in Singapore. In fact, being spoiled for choice, one of the most frequent first world problems here is deciding on a place to eat. With the many places constantly popping up, it is completely possible to never have to eat at the same place twice.

As ridiculous as it may sound to those overseas, local “bloggers” have built prolific careers on doing this alone. And this constant preoccupation with finding “secret” eating spots on this tiny island has extended to the rest of the populace, lest their digital cameras become lonely.

Bento style meals.

In response, the decade old Izakaya Nijumaru Restaurant has really become much less of a izakaya than a traditional family styled restaurant. While it does serve individual dishes as a izakaya should, they are hardly inexpensive. Instead, Nijumaru caters to the typical value seeker with its complete set meals. It’s not a bad thing, since you’ll be able to find all of the expected Japanesey dishes here at some of the lowest prices as far as Orchard is concerned.

No frills.

Considering that you’re able to grab a full meal here from between $12-$20, there are hardly any competitors in that price range in town. For this reason, Nijumaru manages to achieve the rare repeated customers. In fact, they have expanded their shop over the years to occupy a large part of the floor adding another plus point for many now that space is not a concern and bringing it one step closer to that idealized concept of being a dining safe haven in Singapore’s city center.

Simple but comforting taste.

Izakaya Nijumaru Restaurant
#02-10 Cuppage Plaza
5 Koek Road
Singapore 228796

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Ekiben is a portmanteau of eki, meaning station and bento. Literally, it’s the boxed lunches that can be found for sale at major train stations, especially those serving shinkansen bullet trains throughout Japan. A delicious ekiben can make a long journey by train all the more bearable, or even something to look forward to.

Ekiben shops can be found both in main stations and sometimes on the tracks itself. Most prefer to grab their meal before boarding but if you’re quick, you might be able to grab your ekiben while your train makes a temporary stop at a station. Some trains sell their own boxed lunches onboard too.

Shako Meshi Ekiben from Tokyo Station.

Shrimp rice and noodles.

Major shinkansen stations can have dozens of different ekiben shops. The meals sold are generally local specialities and ekiben make an effort to highlight the area’s cuisine or produce. For example, Yan found this odd ekiben from Osaka that comes with sekihan (red rice) and takoyaki. Not all ekiben serve rice, you’ll find noodle and sandwich ekiben too.

Takoyaki Ekiben from Osaka Station.

Literally takoyaki, and rice.

Prices of ekiben can vary greatly, and are about the equivalent in price to eating out (i.e. anywhere from 600 to more than 1,500 yen). Famous, extravagant sets can set you back thousands of yen. But such gourmet meals are better left to the aficionados.

Choosing an ekiben can be confusing, with the many options to choose from. The elaborate, graphic packaging, and food displays make it all the more difficult a decision. Apparently, there are ekiben-otaku, who collect the wrappers from ekiben.

Have you tried any ekiben? If so, what was your experience like? Share it with us below.

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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