Guide to Eating in Osaka with Arashi (ft. Kyoto)
In my 10-day gourmet trip, I’ve eaten and snacked from no less than 40 different places of all kinds of genres throughout Osaka, a little of Kyoto (1/2 day), and Tokyo (flight transit). Here, I’m just going to share some of the eateries I went which are somewhat related to Arashi XD If you’re interested to go to any of these shops, you can easily Google their addresses, since some shops have more than one branch so you can pick the one which suits your itinerary better.
Hirokazuya ひろかずや
This is where Arashi went during How’s It Going concert. A famous long-established shop serving Osaka specialty okonomiyaki (savoury pancake). They have 2 shops very nearby each other, one with only counter seats, and the other with tables for 4-6. While you’re there, you can also go for their yakisoba (pan fried saucy noodles) and nikomisuji (tendon stew). Well honestly everything on their menu is good and authentic.
Downstairs Coffee @ Grand Front Osaka
How about a café right inside Mercedes-Benz Connection? You can check out their showcased cars while enjoying your coffee and cakes. Don’t miss their Acai Bowl if you want a refreshing wholesome breakfast/ snack without burdening yourself with a heavy meal. Spot Aiba Masaki.
Asakusa Kitchen Omiya 浅草キッチン大宮 @ Grand Front Osaka
This is a branch of a famous shop originally from Asakusa, Tokyo. Arashi went to their Asakusa main shop during Arashi no Wazaari. Both Tokyo and Osaka branches have been repeatedly featured on Japanese shows for the juicy and well-flavoured hamburg steaks and demi-glace sauce they serve.
Koala Shokudou コアラ食堂
This is where Arashi brought Hey Say Jump for dinner during Arashi no Waku Waku Gakkou 2015. Having a small (but cute!) signboard and small door, this shop is easy to miss from the outside. Counter seats are recommended if you would like to see the shop owner swiftly preparing all their popular teppanyaki dishes such as cabbage steak (curious already huh?). Kureson shabu-shabu (watercress stir-meat hot pot) is yet another specialty of theirs which is not to be missed. Ladies, I bet you’ll love their crushed plum teppan tofu! Only open for dinner.
Madras Curry マドラスカレー
Kitamura Kazuki recommended this shop on Arashi ni Shiyagare, and it was featured again when Daigo was guest. Being a pretty humble-looking shop (and don’t let the name fool you, it’s not Indian at all), this is a very highly-rated shop among Japanese not just in Osaka but all over Japan, claiming that the curry they serve is one of the best, nation-wide. Their regular portion is considerably big, but they offer Ladies Set which consists of a salad bowl and a small curry rice with cheese topping. Neat.
Daruma だるま, Yamatoya やまとや
Yamatoya is where Sakurai Sho went during Nippon Kenminsei SP in 2006, while Daruma has served their signature dish to Arashi at Arashi ni Shiyagare recording studio. Cheap and fast kushikatsu (deep fried skewers), a popular local cuisine. While most shops would require customers to dip only once before consumption into the sauce container which is shared among all customers, Osaka shops serve big-cut cabbage together with the skewers which puzzles even Japanese, who may be from other regions. Apparently this roughly-cut cabbage is not to be eaten as salad, but to be used as a scoop should you need more sauce after you’ve bitten into your kushikatsu. An age-old Osaka favourite, doteyaki (meat and tendon stew) is served as a single dish so be sure to order that too. Yamatoya has marked the stool where Sho sat on, and everything he has tried that day is now called “Sho-kun set”. You will probably see a longer line at Daruma.
Grill Bon グリル梵
Calling their best-selling menu “best-selling” would be an understatement. Due to extremely high demand, they have commercialized their beef fillet cutlet sandwich (which is about 1.5cm thick with just meat alone) to be sold at major departmental stores across the country. Not seen merely as a sandwich, it is actually considered a good choice to serve as respectful gifts for important people, as what Arashi has done during Kouhaku 2015 when they presented this set to fellow performers. The master chef still stands firm in this small and outwardly shady shop where everything started, despite having other bigger branches, even in the sophisticated Ginza, Tokyo. Don’t be surprised when the friendly master chef himself recommends curry sauce beef fillet cutlet instead.
Kinoko no Sato きのこの里
Featured on Arashi ni Shiyagare hot pot death match, Ohno Satoshi managed to answer correctly and got to try the hotpot dish. Before you even start eating, you will see a wet tissue pack on your table that says “diet with mushroom”. Don’t be turned off just yet, with 4 branches around Osaka, this place offers very delicious low calorie mushroom hot pot course meal which contains 10 types of appetizers beautifully arranged into one dish, a tomato-based hot pot with 6 types of mushrooms and minced meat, another 4 more dishes including dessert, and you get to pick your own mushroom from their self-cultivated stem!
Yoshida 吉田
Ohno Satoshi used to come here quite often. There are 2 branches of this yakiniku shop just nearby each other, it doesn’t matter which one you end up at though the main shop appears much bigger than the other. They serve higher-end meat and portions compared to typical meat BBQ shops, making the price slightly steeper. If you’re assigned to the first floor, you may be led to a table that requires you to remove your shoes. You will also see many photos and autographs of celebrities from even outside of Japan, all decorated nicely near the main entrance like they’re Olympic medals. Here's TOKIO’s Matsuoka Masahiro too.
Café and Bar Arasick
Arashi-themed café and bar. In my very honest opinion, it is a cheapo place that serves overpriced cocktails which are probably mis-mixed by elementary school kids. There are a lot of Arashi posters and uchiwas on display, and they play re-edited concert cuts, like those you see on Youtube. Going once is enough for experience, going twice, you probably should get your head checked.
Rakushou 洛匠 @ Kyoto
Recommended by Sakurai Sho during Arashi no Joukamachi segment in Mago Mago Arashi. Famous Japanese sweets traditional café with a big Koi-fish (really big ones!) pond within its Japanese garden. Be sure to get Warabimochi, a special texture mochi which originated from Kyoto. Don’t forget Sakuramochi too, and if you’re wondering whether the leaf is is edible, it is.
Bonus: 365Days @ Tokyo
This is what Ohno Satoshi had in the recent QLAP photoshoot. A gift from a friend who came to meet me at Haneda Airport.
