Food, Food, and More Food Thread

9 Nov 2009, 08:59 #18921

Eve wrote:

OK, Im dying. :drool:

That meal looks beyond amazing. Glad we are at least having crab cakes and scallops tonight or Id be totally bumming....

Yeah I splurged that evening cuz it was my best friend's birthday...we enjoyed it :)

Yeah you guys must have some pretty good seafood available. Crab & scallops sound like a winning combo to me! :victory:

9 Nov 2009, 09:09 #18922

My buddy and I, while in Osaka, also at a restaurant called Hokkyoukusei ("Pole star" in English)...this was the place that literally invented "omu-rice."

Here's a pic of the my dish.

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Here's a little blurb regarding the history of this fabled restaurant:

The well known "Omu-rice (rice-omelets)" was born here. One day in 1926, Kodaka who is an owner of a rain gear shop came to the diner as usual. And his order would always be "an omelet with white rice on the side". "I can't just serve him the same dish over and over again, everyday. I have to find something to satisfy him even more." Kitahashi, in his mid 20's was eager in meeting new challenges. He wrapped ketchup-flavored rice with a thin sheet of omelet. It was a special dish that Kodaka could enjoy without worrying about his stomach troubles. "This is delicious! What is this called?" Kodaka asked. Without a moment to think the words just popped out of Kitahashi's mouth; "What's it called, hun? Well, it's a combination of omelet and rice, so why not call it Omu-rice!"

9 Nov 2009, 09:15 #18923

Hmmm. Looks really tasty :drooling: I watched Lunch no joou while you were absent, never failed to make me want to try Omurice :(

9 Nov 2009, 09:18 #18924

Anime Dad wrote:Hmmm. Looks really tasty :drooling: I watched Lunch no joou while you were absent, never failed to make me want to try Omurice :(

Agreed, Anime Dad. I only had omurice twice in L.A. before I went to Osaka...one was whack and tasted crappy, the other time was much better but even that omurice paled in comparison to the omurice I had @ Hokkyoukusei. The omelet was so thin and fluffy and the sauteed rice filling was really flavorful...alongside the tomato-based sauce and the fried shrimp. This version didn't have the hallowed demi-glace sauce that was the star player in Lunch no Joou...that would have been nice...but my friend and I were both happy...the meal only cost about 10 dollars US.

9 Nov 2009, 09:30 #18925

Visit to the Takoyaki Museum in Osaka....in reality it was not much more than a food court of some of Osaka's most famous takoyaki vendors...

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9 Nov 2009, 10:01 #18926

Tu_triky wrote:My buddy and I, while in Osaka, also at a restaurant called Hokkyoukusei ("Pole star" in English)...this was the place that literally invented "omu-rice."

Here's a pic of the my dish.

[image]

Here's a little blurb regarding the history of this fabled restaurant:

The well known "Omu-rice (rice-omelets)" was born here. One day in 1926, Kodaka who is an owner of a rain gear shop came to the diner as usual. And his order would always be "an omelet with white rice on the side". "I can't just serve him the same dish over and over again, everyday. I have to find something to satisfy him even more." Kitahashi, in his mid 20's was eager in meeting new challenges. He wrapped ketchup-flavored rice with a thin sheet of omelet. It was a special dish that Kodaka could enjoy without worrying about his stomach troubles. "This is delicious! What is this called?" Kodaka asked. Without a moment to think the words just popped out of Kitahashi's mouth; "What's it called, hun? Well, it's a combination of omelet and rice, so why not call it Omu-rice!"

Wow. :drooling:

Though I think I can do without the dollop of Kewpie.

9 Nov 2009, 10:05 #18927

bmwracer wrote:
Wow. :drooling:

:mrgreen:

Though I think I can do without the dollop of Kewpie.

Haha....fair enough. :bow:

9 Nov 2009, 10:11 #18928

Tu_triky wrote:[image]

Takoyaki Museum????? :shocked:

Is there one for Gyoza?

9 Nov 2009, 10:17 #18929

bmwracer wrote:
Takoyaki Museum????? :shocked:

Is there one for Gyoza?

Yes, there actually is! No joke...I went to it in Tokyo, 5 years ago..it's called the Ikebukuro Gyoza Stadium:

http://www.bento.com/rev/2159.html

....moreover they also have a Gyoza Stadium in Osaka!

http://thesoulofjapan.blogspot.com/2009/06/gyoza-stadium-osaka.html
http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/search/detail/gourmet_5020.html

You would obviously love either of them, 'racer.

9 Nov 2009, 10:26 #18930

^ Ahh, I remember that stadium being mentioned before here... :victory:

9 Nov 2009, 10:49 #18931

bmwracer wrote:^ Ahh, I remember that stadium being mentioned before here... :victory:

Yup, yup. The one in Ikebukuro has a mad selection of gyoza...you'd be in dumpling heaven.

http://www.rameniac.com/index/comments/ikebukuro_gyoza_stadium/

9 Nov 2009, 11:12 #18932

In addition to takoyaki, the other Osaka soul food is okonomiyaki! My friend and I ate it at Botejyu at Hankyu San-Bangai - an undeground mini-metropolis in Osaka.

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(I ordered a large beer not knowing it was One Liter in size!)
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9 Nov 2009, 11:20 #18933

I've had okonomiyaki before, but I bet it wasn't as tasty as that one :drooling: it looks great!

9 Nov 2009, 11:24 #18934

Tu_triky wrote:[image]

That fried egg on top must've been chronic.

9 Nov 2009, 11:28 #18935

I couldn't pass up perhaps my favorite Japanese food...yakitori! :woot:

Here are a few pics of the yakitori-ya we grubbed at called Tori no Mai...a yakitori restaurant actually based in Tokyo that has 3 branches in Osaka.

(Negima - Thigh meat w/onion & breast meat, sorry the pic is blurry!)
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(Nankotsu & sunagimo - Cartilage and gizzard)
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(Cherry Tomato wrapped in Bacon)
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(Tsukune w/ nama tamago - Chicken Meatball dipped in Raw Egg)
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(Tebasaki - Chicken wings)
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This isn't an exhaustive pictorial of what we ate that evening...but considering how much I drank I think it's a fair survey of the yakitori.
:sweat: Again it blows away what's available in the States.

9 Nov 2009, 11:37 #18936

Takoyama wrote:

That fried egg on top must've been chronic.

:lol: To use a well-known adage..."icing on the cake." That particular day my friend and I didn't eat lunch (too busy walking around sightseeing)...but having okonomiyaki definitely staunched the appetite.

"Chronic" -- I like your thinking~ :beaten:

9 Nov 2009, 11:39 #18937

Anime Dad wrote:I've had okonomiyaki before, but I bet it wasn't as tasty as that one :drooling: it looks great!

Right on...I had it twice in L.A...but yeah...it wasn't as good as in Osaka...where Okonomiyaki was born and bred.

It's all relative, A.D.

9 Nov 2009, 11:41 #18938

Takoyaki...this is what you're likely to eat even after having dinner...and a million beers....munchies, yo

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9 Nov 2009, 20:38 #18939

What is in the takoyaki?
Are those potatoes?

9 Nov 2009, 20:54 #18940

Eve wrote:What is in the takoyaki?

Fried octopus, (tako = octopus, yaki = fried)

Takoyaki (‚½‚±Ä‚« or ‘ûÄ?) (literally fried or baked octopus) is a popular Japanese dumpling made of batter, diced or whole baby octopus, tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion, topped with okonomiyaki sauce, ponzu, mayonnaise, green laver (aonori), and katsuobushi (fish shavings).

They're fried up in balls, hence "octopus balls" :naughty:

But they're real yummy!! :drooling:

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