More eating in Grand Front Osaka

My favorite kind of hotel has the conveniences of transportation, shopping, and eating all in a nice higher end area.  The Intercontinental Osaka fits my preferences for location, conveniences, and quality of hotel.

On the ground floor of the hotel is a mall entrance to Grand Front Osaka.  This mall has a few buildings, all with local and import shopping brands and a variety of endless eats.  Adjacent by a short walkway bridge is the Osaka Station, which also has two major department stores, Lucua and Daimaru - both with basement floor food halls, and restaurants on the upper levels.  There's soo much to eat that it keeps us coming back to Osaka for second servings.

One of the many views around Grand Front Osaka

Unagi set dinner at Bincho
Changed and elevated my standards for unagi

Cherry Blossoming in Osaka

Back in Osaka, and this time for Cherry Blossom season!

The last time I was in Japan in April I was a toddler; so my memories are few and far between.  This time around I researched the best places for "hanami", which translates to cherry blossom (sakura) viewing.

If you can only choose one destination for hanami in Osaka, it's the Mint Bureau, or Mint Museum grounds.  In mid-March, dates are announced for the one week viewing in April.  This year, they fell on April 9 to 15.  Just those few days to walk just over 500 meters and view 350 trees with 132 varieties of sakura trees.  It's a cluster of incredible.

My first viewing was on day 2, April 10, when the rains went from a drizzle to mildy heavy with winds.  Despite that, the crowd was decent and the sights made up for it.  The next morning, it was cloudy but rainless.  So I went back again.  It's amazing to see the change in blossoms over 24 hours.  That's why the viewing is only for a strict week.  After that the weather, rain, wind, and heat of the sun, will take the blossoms away until next year.

Parallel is a food festival with vendors that seemed to match the number of sakura trees.  Mainly filled with local street food, like okonomiyaki, the vendors are freshly preparing hot food and snacks to make a day of your cherry blossom viewing.

In the past, Japan gifted countries around the world with cherry blossom trees.  While it is beautiful there, it's truly a sight to see in its homeland.

Massive weekend crowd

Food Chronicling around Japan

Japan is a country where the great eating and drinking never stops.  Something tasty is around every corner.  Some bites are better than others.  And some bites have been the best I've tasted in the course of my food travels.

Here's a look at some of the tastiest bites from my week in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo:

Afternoon break on the hotel balcony
Palace Hotel Tokyo

Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki in Osaka

Back in Osaka and back to eating some of the city's specialties.  Okonomiyaki is a filling and satisfying meal that packs in flavors and textures.  Momojuu the second time around was just as fun as the first visit.  This time we learned more about monjayaki.

Originating from the Tokyo area, monjayaki is another savory "pancake".  The differences between okonomiyaki and monjayaki are the seasonings and cooking style.  Okonomiyaki is a firmer pancake form, while monjayaki is softer, spread throughout the iron cooktop, and eaten straight from that heat source.

I love both dishes, but if I had a choice I would go for the monjayaki.  It's lighter and more fun to eat because of its interactivity right in front of you on the cooktop.

The table

Hands down the best pizza I've eaten to date, in Osaka

If there's one food I can't do without, it's pizza.  Well, actually I can do without pizza if it's average or mediocre.  What I'm talking about is the Neapolitan pizza.  That slightly charred chewy crust made from quality flour, tomatoes, and mozzarella.  Yeah, I can't get enough of that good stuff.

Last time in Osaka, my brother kept raving about this pizza place called Echi Ponte Vecchio which he claimed to be the best he's eaten.  This time around, I was not going to miss out.  And, boy, did we get our fill of it.

It is, hands down, the best pizza I've eaten to date.  The Japanese have mastered Italian food and made it their own in the best way possible.  These pizzas were flawless and our stomachs were bottomless.

Here's just a sample of the pizzas we had in the two times we were able to eat here.  I think we ordered the margherita pizza at least 4 times...

Margherita pizza

Osaka's Okonomiyaki

The beauty of traveling with a food focus is that you travel to eat every town and city's specialties.  In college, the big traveling dream was to roadtrip around the US to all the ballparks and watch a baseball game in each of those cities.  These days, the big traveling dream is actually two dreams: 1) A wine roadtrip around the old world of wine, and 2) A expedition around Japan discovering the all their ramen origins.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying eating my knowledge around the regional foods of these current cities visited.  Osaka has a few known specialties.  One is the filling and flavor-filled okonomiyaki.  Okonomiyaki is a savory pan-fried pancake consisting of batter and cabbage.  The toppings vary to your preference, as "okonomi" translates to "to one's liking."  It is said that this dish originated in Osaka.  Other parts of Japan have variants of using noodles in the batter.

In Grand Front Osaka Mall, there are a few okonomiyaki restaurants.  Momojuu is a great place to discover the dish or the eat it again in a fun, casual setting.  The pancakes are cooked at your table so you get to enjoy the presentation and the heat of the food.  If you're in Osaka, you have to try out okonomiyaki in a restaurant to fully appreciate the dish and the experience.

The tables

Back for the Beef at M Yakiniku in Osaka

If there's one thing my family loves, it's steak night at home.  It's so hard to eat beef and steak just anywhere.  But when you find that restaurant that serves beautifully marbled, quality cuts of beef and can grill it to the point of slightly charred and glistening, you go back as often as you can.. well, as often as your heart and pocket can take it..

In 2012, I had one of the best meal's of the year in Osaka.  Since we were back in the city, we naturally had to re-live the meal.  Matsusakagyu Yakiniku has a a few locations around the city.  We went to the same location because of the great service of Kuni-san.  He's great with visitors to the city and remembers who you are when you come back.  Food and service, they always go hand in hand.

The beef was just as beautiful as ever.  Complemented with grilled vegetables and kimchee, this was again one of the highlight meals of the trip.  If you like beer, you should also try out Osaka's local bottles of pilsner, pale ale, and double IPA.  All locally crafted and pairs perfectly with the grilled meat.

Plates of meat

Plates and plates of meat

Intercontinental Hotel Osaka

Last time in Osaka, we stayed at the St. Regis Hotel, with convenient walking access to Shinsaibashi all the way down to Dotonbori.  It's a great location if you want to be in that vicinity.

This time around, we wanted to be based around Osaka Station to enjoy the department stores, restaurants, and train access.  The new Intercontinental Osaka is located inside the new Grand Front Osaka mall.  I love hotels that have indoor access to malls.  You get to enjoy the conveniences of nearby restaurants and take out foods which you can bring back to your room.  Plus, if the weather is too cold or rainy or snowy, you can spend time in the mall and enjoy a warm meal without suffering outside.

The view from the room

The bedroom

Train ride to Osaka Station

The best way to see Japan is by getting out and onto the train.  Their train systems are so efficient and allows you to really see the country and other great cities and towns.  From Tokyo to Osaka, the JR Shinkansen (bullet train) takes about 2-3 hours.  The ride goes by so fast, and smooth.  Plus you can bring food from the stations or even buy it on the train.

The winter scenery along the way really changed once we neared Nagoya and into Osaka.  Fresh snow was starting to coat the grounds and roof tops.

From Tokyo, you arrive into the Shin-Osaka station.  From there you can take a cab or another train to connect to your destination.  The main station is the Osaka station.  It's worth a look as there a few great department stores, malls, and a lot of restaurants.  Plus since it was the year end/new year, the spirit of the holidays were beautifully lit around the station.

Katsu sandwich and a beer from the station for the ride.

Snow covered scenery along the way.

Osaka Station dressed for the holidays

Matsusaka Beef Experience in Osaka

After reading the NY Times 36 Hours in Osaka article, we were convinced to spend a couple nights in Osaka.  The paragraph that reeled us in to Osaka wrote, "Kobe is not the only place in Japan pampering its cattle. In fact, an arguably more delectable steak comes from the massaged, beer-sipping, black-haired variety in Matsusaka, about two hours east of Osaka." It went on to talk about a yakiniku restaurant serving the beef where you can grill yourself at your table.

Matsusakagyu Yakiniku was one of the most memorable meals, ever.  We tasted 7 of the 12 cuts of beef.  Every cut of beef would melt so gently and so beautifully on my tongue.  This is seriously one of the best tasting cuts of beef I've ever tasted.  It was an epic night to savor.

If I were a cow, I'd love to be a Japanese cow.. A Matsusaka cow.  A life of massages and beer!  That is the life.

Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

If you can't see the slide show here, check out my Flickr album: Matsusakagyu Osaka

Dinner with Bread at Kobeya Kitchen in Osaka

An early evening of walking around Osaka Station's department stores left me hungry for a filling dinner.  Like all Japanese department stores, there are a number of restaurants on the upper floors.  So after walking around the restaurant floors and getting even hungrier, we decided on a Japanese steak restaurant.  Unfortunately, after a few dishes the service just got worse and worse.  So we ended that meal early in search of a different restaurant.

With only 10 minutes before restaurant closing, we were welcomed into Kobeya Kitchen.  The menu's pictures of hamburg steak were too tempting not to try.  Kobeya Kitchen is a bakery with several outlets of bread shops and restaurants serving their breads.  Kobe is a port city which was heavily influenced by Europe in the past, as a result the locals eat more bread than rice.

The menu is full of choices that can all be eaten with bread.  It's a filling dinner when you order a bread basket, which allows you to get unlimited bread for a limited time.  The selections you choose are served piping hot as each roll and slice is warmed in the oven.

The hamburg steak was the perfect order to fill my hungry stomach.  And after 5 rolls and slices of bread to sop up the sauce, and a glass of cold draft beer, I was completely satisfied.  The next time I'm in Japan and come across another Kobeya Kitchen, I'm definitely stopping to eat.

If you can't see the slide show here, check out my Flickr album: Kobeya Kitchen Osaka

Department Store Snacking in Osaka

Just like in Tokyo, one of our main attractions in Osaka was the department store food halls.  It's easy to think that the same branding of department stores will pretty much have the same kind of food halls.  Not at all!

In Osaka, the Daimaru and Mitsukoshi Isetan department stores seemed even bigger and better than some of the ones we just saw in Tokyo.  They have sweets and savories from Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto - a lot of goodies that we didn't see and taste in Tokyo.

In reading about Osaka, the city likes to be the "anti-Tokyo."  For example, in Tokyo you stand on the left side of the escalator, and over take on the right.  In Osaka, it's the complete opposite.  So it's easy to spot a visitor from Tokyo if you're in Osaka.  (And if you stand in the middle and block the way, it's obvious you're a tourist.)

With that spirit of rivalry and competition, Osaka's department store food halls really make an effort to compete on the same level as the best in Tokyo.

A little side story: After taking one of the pictures (of the Belgian beer) I was told that I was not allowed to take pictures because I tried to frame the picture of the beer with a little background.  In the department stores, the Japanese are seriously strict about the no picture policy.  I guess you have to go for yourselves to see all the amazingness I'm talking about..

Here are some pictures of the snacks I had at the food halls and some that I took home to enjoy.

If you can't see the slide show here, check out my Flickr album: Osaka Department Store Eats

Shinsaibashi & Dotonbori Sights in Osaka

In our Japan itinerary, we set aside an afternoon and night to explore downtown Osaka.  The main attractions for us were Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori streets.  If it's your first time in Osaka, this must be in your itinerary, too.

Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street is the famous shopping area in Osaka.  It's a roofed arcade that runs about a third of a mile (600 meters) long.  The covered arcade is a great way to familiarize yourself with Osaka's shopping and eating culture.  There are so many restaurants, cafes, and snack stops with Japanese, imported, and local-Osaka treats.


Further down the street is Dotonbori street - famous for local eats including okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes) and takoyaki (octopus-battered balls).  The street is filled with so many signs and lights.  It's best to go at night to enjoy it all.  Plus, there are so many side streets to pop into and get lost. It was fun to discover hidden gems of restaurants and bars filling these streets.

Here are pictures of sights along the walkway of Shinsaibashi and through Dotonbori and its side streets.

If you can't see the slide show here, check out my Flickr album: Osaka Arcade and Doutonburi Eats

St. Regis Hotel in Osaka

Like all of my trips with my parents, one of the highlights of a destination is the hotel.  Clean, comfortable, and almost always conveniently located.  The St. Regis Hotel in Osaka was just that.  It opened in 2010, so it still had a relatively new feel.  The location is ideal, too, as it's situated right where the local shopping arcade starts.  So it's a leisurely walk into the heart of downtown Osaka.

The hotel has its luxury perks, like a butler per floor who is one telephone call away.  And, a pillow menu with 11 kinds of pillows to choose.  However, compared to other 5-star hotels, I was surprised there was no turn-down service.  It's a nice convenience to come back to a room with fresh towels and a fluffed-up bed at the end of the day.  I noticed details like that made a difference between this hotel and other 5-star hotels, especially around Asia.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed my 2 nights here in Osaka, and I definitely see myself going back in the future - both to this city and to this hotel.

If you can't see the slide show here, check out my Flickr album: St Regis Osaka

Train Tripping around Japan

My past trips to Japan were focused in Tokyo.  There's so much to do in the city and with just a few days it's hard to go anywhere else.  But, in the past couple of years, we've been doing more research (thanks to great travel articles online in the NY Times and our favorite food magazines, like Saveur and Food & Wine), and have tailored more of our trips to include at least 2 cities.

After days of research, we found a great 36 Hours article in the Times on Osaka.  It talked about specialty beef as good as Kobe beef and a relatively new luxury hotel.  Beef and a new hotel?  Our itinerary was made - 2 nights in Osaka, including a day trip to Kobe.  All by train, the easiest way to get around Japan.

The train and subway systems in Japan are the most convenient way to get around the cities and the country.  Prior to arriving in Japan, we ordered a Japan Rail (JR) Pass which allows tourists unlimited rides on all trains.  It's something you can get at your local authorized offices.

Depending on the train schedule, you can get to Osaka from Tokyo between 2-3 hours.  Be sure to pick up bento boxes at the station.  It's a great meal to enjoy during the ride.  The boxes I chose were so quality - way better than a lot of mid-level restaurants in the states, and for the same price.

I was so impressed when I arrived in Osaka.  I didn't set any expectations and I didn't do too much research (it's sometimes nice to be surprised when you arrive in a new city).  All I knew was that Osaka was a city filled with great eats.  It's so true.

In this coming week, I'll have posts about the hotel, the local eats, the department store munchies, and a couple of memorable restaurant meals.

For now, here are some pictures from the train rides to and from Tokyo and Osaka.

If you can't see the slide show here, check out my Flickr album: Osaka Train Ride