The journey along the coastal region of Japan was indeed breathtaking and relaxing, so different from the hustle and bustle of city life. Now, we have finally arrived in Osaka to immerse in the sights, the food, the city vibe, the culture. Now it is time to check out on Ramen and the food offerings.
We took the subway to the Lucua shopping arcade in Umeda station. It was so easy to get to. Spotted a Ramen chain restaurant that has extremely long queues. I asked the gentleman in front of me and he claims that it is famous for their ramen. Without hesitation, I persisted in the art of queuing and waited for them to call my number.
I remembered once that my Japanese mate was telling me how nice the noodles was, together with the tasty broth. I decided to order the bigger portion so that we could share.
Kamakura is famed for its Shoyu ramen (soy sauce based) and we ordered that. It was served piping hot, with generous portion of cabbages, spring onions and tender slices of pork. The soup was tasty and easy to sip as there are less amount of oil compared to the Tonkostu ramen which I often order. I was pretty impressed by their consistent standards, despite having a long wait of people at their door. Gyoza was decent in its fillings and the taste and was nicely charred on the bottom. Goes hand in hand with the chilli vinegar mix. 1180 Yen is good price for both the ramen and gyoza.
One of the things that I look forward is how well stocked the supermarkets in Japan are. I went over to my favourite food section and there was the lovely cheese tarts smiling at me. How could I resist. The crust was buttery and crisp and the cheese filling was rich and tasty. This is something that you need to try when you are in Japan. Great option for a quick dessert fix.
I nearly fainted when I walked past the fruits aisle in the expensive supermarket by Hankyu Departmental Store. The white strawberries were really going at that price. I kid you not… Even the grapes was so expensive. Wonder who would get those?
We continued our shopping spree along the streets of Osaka and we buying lots of clothes and eating at the same time. There were numerous malls in Osaka and it was such a joy for me to having a wide selection of cafes all within walking distance when your legs become sore from carrying all the bags. After all that walking, we got hungry and decided to recharge. We were checking out the different restaurants in Daimaru Osaka and we thought we gave this place a go as it has been a while since we had buffet in Japan.
The buffet at Chiso Zanmai was priced at 2808 Yen per head for dinner and around 1944 Yen for lunch. I was tempted due to the fresh looking crabs and abundant supply of fresh sashimi on display.
We had several helpings of food. The crabs were quite fresh and tasty and the salmon was delicious too. Some of the items were average but you got to be discerning when you select the items. The desserts such as the green tea cake and mousse was delicious too.
In terms of pricing and food quality and selection, I think it would be much wiser to settle for a ala carte item elsewhere when you are paying such a price and you are unable to eat everything on the buffet table. Just my 2 cents worth. Will share more of my delicious food trips in Osaka and surrounds soon.
Bernie The Hungry 