Healthy Japanese Cuisine: Tofu & Yuba

Whenever I have guests from overseas, I often take them to "Umeno Hana(梅の花)". There you can enjoy Tofu and Yuba as a course. All of the dishes are made with Tofu or Yuba and you will certainly be surprised at how many different ways Tofu can be cooked!
As you see in the photos, each dish looks very pretty. You can also enjoy the presentation.


Tofu Dengaku 豆腐田楽 (grilled tofu) with black sesami sauce and miso sauce. (photo below)


Lastly, you can make your Yuba on your table. Yuba (湯葉) is bean curds skin: "Tofu Skin." Once the bean curd is heated, a skin forms on the surface that you can ladle out with long chopsticks. You can make about 10 Yubas' until the bean curd is finished.


I always feel happy after eating not only tasty, but also healthy food like this Tofu course.

All tables are in private dining rooms, so it's a great place to invite your important guests.
There are about 14 Umeno Hana(梅の花) restaurants in Kanasai.

Umeno Hana (梅の花 心斎橋店)
大阪市中央区西心斎橋1-4-3 心斎橋OPAビル11F
Shinsaibashi OPA Bldg. 11F 1-4-3 Nishi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka
TEL: 06-6258-3766
Open: 11:00～16:00 / 17:00～23:00

Fresh Seafood: Sashimi

What would you guess to be the most well-known Japanese food for foreigners....?
If you answered Sushi & Sashimi you are right!

Japan is bursting with restaurants that have fresh and delicious Sushi & Sashimi.


Today, I want to introduce "Fugu Sashimi". Fugu (ふぐ) is the Japanese word for puffer fish.
I am not sure if Fugu is a popular fish for eating around the world... But the Japanese people love it. This potentially poisonous fish is a delicacy, and if it is not prepared properly it can be quite dangerous!

It is an expensive dish and is prized among sashimi connoisseurs. It is normally cut very thin and arranged like a flower (much like the photo above). In the middle of the arrangement - the middle white in the photo above- is soft roe. We call it Shirako (白子). It's a delicacy!


The photo above is the popular "Assorted Sashimi" We call it "Sashimi no Moriawase" (刺身の盛り合わせ) Arranged on this plate are shrimp (Ebi えび), tuna (Maguro マグロ), yellow tail (Hamachi, ハマチ), and sea bream (Tai 鯛).

As you may know, Sashimi is enjoyed with Wasabi (わさび green horseradish paste). If you don't know about Wasabi, you might take a big bite thinking it's guacamole (avocado paste). haha!
Wasabi is super powerful! Really really HOT if you eat too much at once.

Enjoy~ and be careful~!


Sakanaya (肴屋)
大阪府大阪市天王寺区大道4-2-5
4-2-5 Daido, Tennoji-ku, Osaka
TEL: 06-6773-1386
Open: 17:30~25:00

Japanese Traditional Sweets: Maccha Shaved Ice

As you might know, we had extremely hot summer in Japan.
You may think many people eat ice cream under this hot weather, but actually NOT.
Ice cream business was not so great this summer.

When it's really really hot, people choose to have shaved ice instead of ice cream!!!
I had shaved ice at least 10 times this summer, but I don't remember if I had ice cream this summer...


The photo is Matcha(finely-milled Japanese green tea) shaved ice with shiratama-mochi (rice‐flour dumplings) and anko (sweet red bean paste). It's my favorite! It's not too sweet. Just Nice!


My favorite place to have shaved ice is Maeda (まえだ).

It's a chain Japaense-styled cafe.
It's popuar, so mostly you have to wait to get a seat in summer time.
There are at least 10 of them in Osaka. Mostly it's in the restaurant floor of the big fashion building like HEP in Umeda, Mio in Tennoji, Namba City, and Namba Walk etc...

They have various Japanese traditional sweets such as...

kinako-mochi (きな粉餅)
= rice cake with soybean flour

kurogoma-mochi (黒ごま餅)
= rice cake with black sesame

anko (あんこ)
= sweet red bean paste

mitarashi-dango(みたらし団子)
= sweet dumplings covered with a soy and sugar sauce


Please try it when you have a chance~!


Amato Maeda (甘党まえだ)
〒530-0017 大阪府大阪市北区角田町7-10 HEPナビオ 6F
HEP Navio 6F 7-10 Kakuta-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-0017
TEL: 06-6315-5731
Open: 11:00~22:00

Difference between Takoyaki and Akashiyaki

Do you know Takoyaki (たこ焼き)? I don't know how famous it is...because I already knew when I was born :)

Takoyaki is..... (by wikipedi)
(literally fried or grilled octopus) is a popular Japanese dumpling made of batter, diced or whole baby octopus, tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion, topped with okonomiyaki sauce, ponzu, mayonnaise, green laver (aonori), and katsuobushi (fish shavings), first popularized in Taisho-era Osaka.

Takoyaki is mostly sold at the food stall or at a small corner of the restaurant. Most of the time, its take away only. about 300yen for 6~8 balls. You eat them using tooth picks. The sauce on the top is "Okonomiyaki sause" and mayonnaise. The green one is seaweed called "Aonori". It tastes quite bland. You can put as much spices as you like. It can be really really hot inside, so if you eat the entire ball at 1 go, you may cry~! be careful.



This food above is called "Akashiyaki" 明石焼. It's like sister of Takoyaki. It looks almost the same as Takoyaki. But Akashiyaki has a softer, more eggy texture compared to Takoyaki.
The way of eating is also different. You dip into soup. The flavor of this soup is really mild. I like it!!

Akashiyaki is from the city of Akashi in Hyogo Prefecture, so if you want to eat it, you have to go there. It's not easy to find Akashiyaki ourside of Akashi area.

I also like the presentation of Akashiyaki. This is the way they serve. This 15 balls set is for 1 person. Isn't it a lot? But it's really soft and light, so you can easily eat them all!

Please try both of Takoyaki & Akashiyaki!!

Italian Dining: Unforgettable Urchin Pasta

This Italian Dining called "PIENO" is one of my favorite restaurant in Osaka. When I can't think of any places to go for dinner, I go here. The dishes here always makes me happy. It's located near Namba station, so it's convenient. PIENO is popular among young adults around 30yr. It's casual and price is not bad. BUT the taste is fantastic!!


This photo doesn't look that nice, but once you try this Urchin Pasta, you will be surprised! It's exquisite! You can't forget about this taste. This dish is my best recommendation.

There are various a la carte menu such as prosciuto, antipasto 6 set, veggitables with bagna Cauda sauce (oil fondue) etc... The photo below is avocado and fresh urchin canapé.


After enjoying entree, you can have pasta/pizza. I recommend pasta! especially Urchin Cream Pasta that I mentioned above. and also blue crab cream pasta is delicious!!! (the photo below)
But pizza are not so fantastic. just normal small pizza. I don't order them. Their main dish and dessert are good as well.



The other reason why PIENO is so popular is...I think wine selection and reasonable price. Most bottles of wine is 2500yen which is cheap as an Italian restaurant. and their wine selection is good. If bottle is too much, you can always order glass or decanter. decanter is only 1500yen.
Most people in this restaurant are drinking wine. Selling wine at a low price makes this restaurant more popular.

PIENO opens at 6pm. Often, people are waiting before the restaurant open! There are only 30 seats in restaurant, and they only take reservations for half of the seats at 6pm. After 6pm, they won't take any reservations. So you just have to go there and wait for seats to be available. If you are lucky, maybe you don't need to wait. But so far, every time I go here, I have to wait for at least 30 min...! But it's worth it!!!
I had seen a famous TV food commentator eating there~! hehe


Italian Bar PIENO
〒542-0076 大阪市中央区難波4-5-3
4-5-3 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 542-0076
TEL: 06-6633-0141
Open:
Lunch: 12:00～14:00
Dinner: 18:00～01:00 (L.O.24:00)

Osaka's Soul Food: Okonomiyaki

If you come to Osaka, Okonomiyaki is the one you MUST try! Okonamiyaki looks like pancake, but its made with cabbage. Okonomiyaki is from Osaka, so we think its Osaka's Soul Food. The most popular Okonomiyaki restaurant is "Fugetsu" 風月. There are over 60 branches in Kansai, so you can find it easily.



Okonomiyaki is so popular for people because it is casual and cheap. One Okonomiyaki is about 600yen to 900yen. (depends on topping) You can order 1 Okonomiyaki for your self and 1 Yakisoba (fried noodle) to share with people you go with.



You can choose the topping such as pork, shrimp, squid. these are traditional style.
If you want to make it new style and more unique food, you can also add cheese, mochi (rice cake), kimuchi (Korean spicy pickle), potato etc....as you like.
But I recommend you to try basic one which is pork.

Cabbage is the main ingredient, so it sounds healthy, but it's actually not that healthy because of a lot of sauce on top. The sauce is called "Okonomiyaki sauce". It's made for Okonomiyaki. its also called "Tonkatsu sauce". Normally, they make it for you on the cast-iron pan in front of you, so you can enjoy looking at how it's cooked. Flipping it is the most fun part! Also you can enjoy the smell. That definitely makes you more hungry ;)

They put Mayonnaise before the "Okonomiyaki sauce", so if you don't want Mayonnaise, you must say 'No Mayonnaise, please'. otherwise, they will put it.
lastly, they put "Katsuobushi" (dried bonito shavings) on the top.
The photo bellow is before it's cooked. Once you had watched how to cook it, you will find it easy. You can even make it at home! Enjoy~!




Fugetsu (風月)
〒530-0011 大阪市北区大深町1-1 ヨドバシ梅田 8F
Yodoashi Camera 8F 1-1 Ofuka-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-0011
TEL: 06-6377-2319
Open: 11:00~23:00