A month ago, I was actually in Japan (happy tears all around), signifying one major item crossed off my bucket list: eat legit Japanese food!
This was pretty much my reaction to everything I ate while I was there.
Allow me to take you on a gastro-tour around Osaka and Kyoto by showing you the Japanese dishes we got to sample while we were there:
1) Ramen
As the picture above shows, I definitely had to have my share of my ramen (in fact, I had it thrice, in different places), and it was the first dish that I wanted to try while I was there.
The first ramen bowl I ordered was the Ajitama Ramen from Ramen Zundoya in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. When converted to PhP, it came out to less than PhP 380 (comparable to the prices in Manila).
My first spoonful of the broth felt almost like a transcendent experience. Sounds like I'm spewing a load of solid waste, but I kid you not. The flavor — a hint of sweetness, rounded out by saltiness — hit me all at once, followed by its rich creamy texture that could've only come from having been boiled for hours. The pork was so tender and flavorful that I wanted to take my time savoring each bite. The noodles were clearly handmade based on texture, feel, and taste. This dish was an amazing start to my trip, and until today, I will never forget that Ratatouille-esque moment (when Anton Ego's palate took his imagination on a wild ride) after my first ever spoonful of the broth.
The second ramen bowl was a Chasyu Ramen from Shiogensui Ramen within the Shin-Ōsaka Station. This was on the last night of the trip, so I was feeling sentimental, thinking I wouldn't have ramen in Japan for a long time. But I decided to quit waxing nostalgia prematurely and to focus on each sip, each bite.
I realized that from shoyu (or soy-based) ramen, I now came to prefer tonkotsu-based ramen (which was the previous dish I tried). Anyway, this one, while flavorful, really had one thing that stood out for me: the pork! This one had the best succulence ever. If I could come up with my ideal ramen bowl, it would be the broth and noodles from the first ramen bowl, then the pork from this second bowl. Heavenly!
This came out to almost PhP 500 when converted because this had eight (!) pork slices.
The last ramen I had (talk about separation anxiety issues) was in the airport, specifically in Ryukishin Ramen, right before the flight back to Manila.
I wasn't expecting much, but this dish was pretty decent. Again, it was shoyu-based (they didn't have a tonkatsu-based ramen on their menu), but with a much milder over-all flavor. Price-wise, it was less than PhP 400 when converted.
2) Gyoza
I regret not being able to order gyoza more than once, but well... unfortunately, I did just have gyoza once on this trip. But it was enough to make my tastebuds do their happy dance.
From the same restaurant where my first ramen came from, Ramen Zundoya, this platter of beauty emerged.
Equivalent to around PhP 200 (or less) when converted, it was probably the best gyoza I've ever had in my life: from the texture of the wrapper, to the burnt edges, to the flavor, to its juiciness with every bite. I wish I could've brought home — literally, to Manila — a whole bag of them that I could just fry in my own kitchen.
3) Katsu
On the first night, my feet were begging to take a break after having gone around Dotonburi, Shinsaibashi, and the Osaka Castle the whole day. So the plan of attack for dinner was to look for the nearest restaurant right outside the Osaka Castle. (Anyway, everything's supposed to be good in Japan, right?)
This particular restaurant was about 5-8 minutes away from the Osaka Castle. But the signage was in Japanese, so I didn't catch the name.
All you need to know, though, is this. Say it with me: one whole tray for PhP 280.
The pork cuts were thick, but juicy, and the coating was flaky. I particularly loved the sauce, and the rice that went with it. Actually, there was nothing on this tray that I didn't like. However, my stomach (which isn't used to having a heavy dinner; I normally load up for breakfast and lunch, especially when I'm training, and stick to a light dinner) waved the white flag after some time.
The second time around, it was all the way in Kyoto. Again, I wasn't able to get the name of this restaurant, because the signage was in Japanese, but it was about 10 minutes away from the Fushimi Inari Shrine. It was more like a canteen-type of restaurant where the locals would eat on their lunch break. It was cool because the ordering system was vending machine-style, and since I couldn't understand anything on the machine, I tried their Curry Katsu (which is one of my favorite things to eat anyway).
Forgive the unorthodox framing of this photo (I tried to do a geometric type of composition and failed), but let's get to the good stuff: again, thick cuts of pork (consistent with the previous katsu dish I tried), flaky breading, juicy pork, the sticky rice. But my favorite out of this whole dish was the curry sauce. A tinge sweeter than the ones we have in Manila (i.e. Yabu, Ginza Bairin, etc.), I found that it was a surprising complement to the spice level of this curry. Best of all, it was less than PhP 200 when converted!
4) Conveyor Belt Sushi
For some reason, I'd never gotten to eat in a conveyor belt-style restaurant in Manila prior to this trip to Japan (it's not like we have a lot of them anyway), so it was kind of confusing to place orders at first. The Daikisuisan Restaurant near Universal Studios in Osaka was where we (my brother, sister, and her BF) tested our ordering skills.
Each plate color or design was equivalent to a certain price. If you liked a particular dish that passed you by, you'd pick up the plate from the conveyor belt, and keep stacking the plates on your table. Afterwards, the waiters would calculate your bill based on how many plates you ordered x the value per plate.
I didn't get to take photos of every single dish on the table (suffice it to say, there were a lot), and as expected, everything was truly oishii: delicately balanced, juicy, fresh, sticky, flavorful, delightful.
Surprisingly, considering how many plates of sushi were ordered, the bill came out to PhP 900+ when converted. Not bad at all.
5) Fusion Rice Meal
On the last day, lunch took place near the Shinsaibashi area (because, hello, talk about last-minute panic shopping). I wanted rice, and this carbo-loaded me up for the rest of the afternoon.
This one was a salmon kind of fried rice, accompanied with beef gyudon. I absolutely love sticky fried rice (which is why risotto and Japanese chahan fried rice are two of my favorite things to eat), so this was a winner in my book. And the beef gyudon strips were thinly sliced — pretty sure the chef is a samurai in the kitchen — and perfectly balanced in sweetness and saltiness.
And, this is also worth mentioning, but it's a money-saver when on trips:
6) Convenience Store Food
From ice cream to okonimiyaki, from bagels to instant ramen, from sandwiches to sushi, Japan's convenience store food saves the day when you're on a budget or there aren't many breakfast restaurant choices near your hotel or apartment. Every day while we were there, we had these kinds of food for breakfast.
And they probably have the healthiest selection of convenience store food anywhere in the world.
I'm not much of a dessert/sweets person, so if you'll notice, everything featured here was on the savory side. My sister, though, was very happy with her chocolates and bagels (although she wasn't able to find any sakura bagel while we were there, since it's a seasonal thing).
My short trip to Osaka and Kyoto reinforced my love for Japanese cuisine: from their artistry and aesthetics, to their bold and distinct flavors, to their different textures and colors. I'm so grateful for the chance to have gone on this trip, and to immerse myself in their culture, sights, sounds, and tastes, even for just four days.
I plan to return to Japan next year — hopefully a different area — and to try my other favorite dishes that I wasn't able to eat in Osaka or Kyoto: namely, beef (hello, Wagyu! Hello, Kobe!). I'm genuinely praying that Tokyo will welcome me with open arms next year — also so I can visit their Ramen Museum; my heart is already palpitating at the thought of this.
'Til then, these pictures and the memories associated with them will keep my tummy satisfied.
I hope whoever reads this will be inspired to consider taking a trip to Japan not only for its attractions but also for its wide range of truly delicious food. You won't be disappointed, I'm pretty sure of that.
Thanks for reading and for going on this culinary journey with me. Arigatou gozaimasu!
