Naniwa on a Plate: Exploring the Historic Flavors of Old Osaka

shipping route, leading to the development of a rich dashi culture. Here, the kake broth is a deeply savory blend of dashi made from makombu kelp and dried mackerel. Udon is served in variations such as plain broth, deep-fried tofu (kitsune) and meat. The shop is run by a kappo chef, with a wide selection of drinking snacks also available.

Okonomiyaki is a signature dish in Osaka’s flour-based food culture. Known as a local specialty, the savory pancake is characterized by the regional method of mixing the ingredients before grilling. The chef’s background in French cuisine adds an intriguing twist, sparking curiosity about what’s to come. A meal that begins with French-style hors d’oeuvres in the French tradition and concludes with Osaka-style okonomiyaki makes for a memorable culinary journey.

A light dashi soup stock is essential for Kansai-style oden. Alongside daikon and eggs, beef tendon is also a popular choice in Osaka. Run by a kappo-trained chef, this restaurant reflects the creativity and precision of Japanese culinary technique. Here, oden is treated as a series of simmered dishes in the style of a kaiseki (multi-course) meal, with each ingredient carefully paired with its own unique seasoning or garnish.

Kushiage skewers (deep-fried skewers) are emblematic of Osaka’s unique food culture. Guests can enjoy creative kushiage inspired by cuisines from around the world, including French, Indian and Chinese. A wide variety of flavors is part of the appeal, and seasonal ingredients like bamboo shoots, sweetfish, chestnuts and crab reflect the changing seasons.

The restaurant is located in Kitashinchi and is known for its inventive teppanyaki dishes. The okonomiyaki is prepared in a mixed-grill style, with toppings like pork or shrimp. Another tempting option is tonpeiyaki — pork wrapped in a grilled batter and egg.

Naniwa kappo cuisine is guided by shimatsu no kokoro — a traditional ethos of resourcefulness that calls for using ingredients fully and without waste. While rooted in tradition, it continues to evolve through fresh approaches and creativity. Valuing local ingredients such as traditional Naniwa vegetables, seafood from Osaka Bay and Kawachi duck are also part of that spirit. The chef’s attentive response to diners’ preferences adds to the appeal.

delicate flavors of the white fish and vegetables at its core, each piece is coated in a light batter and deep-fried. For the same reason, no soy-based tempura dipping sauce is served. Instead, a custom-blended powdered salt is used to bring out the ingredients’ natural taste.

A traditional Japanese noren curtain hangs in an alley that runs from Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street to Osaka Tenmangu Shrine. The specialty here is bateira, a type of pressed sushi first created by the founding chef in the Meiji era. The fourth-generation chef carries on the tradition, pressing pickled mackerel onto sushi rice in a boat-shaped wooden mold crafted by temple carpenters, and topping it with white-sheet kombu. In step with the nostalgic spirit of the neighborhood, this shop continues to preserve Osaka’s sushi culture.

Osaka is one of Japan’s largest consumers of pufferfish. Sourced mainly from western Japan, the fugu variety became popular for being both accessible and affordable. Due to its poisonous nature, it’s also known as teppo, meaning “rifle”, and despite the risks, diners have long been captivated by its flavor. Exceptional knife skills are on display in the preparation of torafugu (tiger pufferfish) from the Bungo Channel, its flesh artfully arranged to resemble the petals of a peony.