Food Coma Adventures

I'm so excited because in three months, I'll finally be in Osaka, just in time for sakura season! It'll be my first time in Japan, and I can't wait.

But in the meantime, on the first day of the year, my family and I were able to sample some of Osaka's delicacies right in the heart of Manila: the humble but flavorful gyoza.

Osaka Ohsho, specializing in gyoza or Japanese dumplings, opened its doors to the Japanese public in 1969. Over the years, they opened other branches all over Japan and in their neighboring Asian countries. Finally, in 2014, they opened their first branch in Manila; in Megamall's new Fashion Hall wing, to be specific.

I had heard about this restaurant from various food blogs and reviews, but never had the chance to sample their gyozas until New Year's Day because I'm rarely in Megamall nowadays. (If I can avoid congestion on the road, I will; I'd much rather be a hermit than get stressed because of traffic, especially on a weekend.)

Because the restaurants my family wanted to eat in were full of people (apparently, most restaurants in the Fashion Hall of Megamall don't accept reservations), I steered them towards Osaka Ohsho, and thankfully, they were not let down at all.

We started our New Year's feast with the Osaka Ohsho Salad (PhP 195 for a half serving, PhP 350 for a full serving). It had a good balance of textures and flavors; the kick from their Asian-style vinaigrette whet our appetites for our entrées.

Then we ordered separate entrées. We're not the kind of family that usually orders several kinds of dishes for everyone to share; we order for ourselves, and if someone wants to try one's dish, then they can pick from that person's plate.

My dad got the Chicken Karaage Toji Set (PhP 375). Aside from the chicken karaage (obviously), it also came with three pieces of gyoza, miso soup, Japanese sticky rice, and some fruits. A pretty reasonable price for such a loaded meal. I'll talk about Osaka Ohsho's gyoza in a bit, but he really loved the karaage (in particular, that it had such a flavorful sauce), and that it complemented the gyoza very well.


My sister took the photo below (this was what she ordered). She was so hungry that she was in a hurry to take the shot, hence the blur. Anyway! She had the Pork Cutlet in Miso Sauce Set (PhP 380). She likes her food dry (not a fan of sauces or soupy dishes), so this was perfect for her. Like the other set meals, aside from the pork cutlets, it came with 3 pieces of gyoza, rice, miso soup, and some fruits. According to her, the pork was juicy and had a good texture.


My brother ordered the Chahan with Chicken Teriyaki Set (PhP 385), but upgraded to Black Chahan Rice for an additional PhP 10, out of curiosity. He said that the rice reminded him of nasi goreng, for some reason. And you can never go wrong with teriyaki; it's a no-brainer in any Japanese restaurant.


Similar to my mom, I wanted a basic set because I wanted my meal to feature the restaurant's star, which was gyoza. I had the Chahan Gyoza Set (PhP 360), and I couldn't wait to dig in.

Chahan is one of my favorite kinds of fried rice, and I can eat it alone, to be perfectly honest. But eating it with gyoza made every bite turn into a party in my mouth.


For those who don't like ordering set meals, there is also a page in their menu dedicated just to rice toppings. My dad's youngest brother, who is more like a cousin to us, joined us for lunch, and he ordered the Gyudon (PhP 290). As expected, it was gooey (thanks to the egg and the sauce), but delicious.


And moving on to the star of the show, the gyoza. On the side, we ordered 12 pieces of cheese gyoza (PhP 380), so we could pick on our own regular gyozas from our set meals, but get our fill of cheese gyoza as well. Osaka Ohsho also offers regular gyozas in 6's (PhP 175) and 12's (PhP 350), cheese gyozas in 6's (PhP 190), and nori gyozas in 6's (PhP 190) and 12's (PhP 380).


But in Osaka Ohsho, every bite of gyoza stands out: outside, the wrapper is both crunchy (especially on the side that's fried) but tender; inside, it's packed with meat and cheese that melts in your mouth. The cheese just adds a different element to the gyoza, but the regular gyoza can stand alone and be appreciated simply for its meaty flavor.

The best part is, you can order frozen gyozas and take them home. The instructions for heating are written on the box (or you can have one of the staff explain it to you), but basically, it involves two processes: frying the gyozas until the sides facing the pan turn golden, then steaming until the water in the pan evaporates.

I'm glad I finally got to eat here, and that my family enjoyed themselves as well. If this is a foretaste of what's to come in Japan, I really can't wait to pack my bags and go.

For gyoza fans, or fans of dumplings in general, give Osaka Ohsho a try. They claim that they serve "The World's No. 1 Gyoza" (it's on their menu), and compared to the other gyozas I've sampled in other restaurants, I definitely think that theirs are a cut above the rest.

Osaka Ohsho
3/F Fashion Mall,
SM Megamall
(+632) 631-7074
(+63917) 8285011