- Osaka food: going beyond takoyaki and okonomiyaki…
- How to eat kushikatsu like a local: don’t dip twice!
- Kushikatsu Darma, where kushikatsu was invented
Osaka food: going beyond takoyaki and okonomiyaki…
If you are visiting Osaka, chances are you are familiar with foods called okonomiyaki and takoyaki (that you should try in Sankaku park). Kushikatsu (sometimes called kushiage), or fried skewers, is also one of the many special foods from Osaka. They consist in various small pieces of meat, fish, vegetables, deep-fried with bread crumbs and served on a skewer . What’s best… they are cheap!
How to eat kushikatsu like a local: don’t dip twice!
To eat kushikatsu properly, you have to dip it in the dark, brown sauce provided in the containers on your table. All the customers share the same sauce out of the same containers, so to respect hygiene, the golden rule is “Do not dip the kushikatsu that you’ve already bit into, again!” A few years ago, a Japanese politician broke this rule, was reprimanded by the owner and it made national news. Don’t be like him!
You will notice that kushikatsu is served with cabbage. It’s actually here to help you kind of bend the golden rule: you can use them to scoop more sauce into your plate if you need it.
Kushikatsu Darma, where kushikatsu was invented
Darma restaurant was established in 1929 and started as a small canteen. They invented kushikatsu and it became regular cuisine in Osaka, and then spread all over Japan. At one time Darma almost closed, but managed to stay open thanks to their supporters, including many famous people. Today there are currently 13 restaurants in Osaka. Their service is friendly and it’s definitely worth visiting.
Darma’s menu is extremely diverse and you will probably want to try many different things, which will be easy as an order of kushikatsu is about 100 yen! Everything tastes great but if you can’t decide what to eat, please do not hesitate to ask the staff for a recommendation. The skewers come with unlimited cabbage. English, Chinese and Korean menus are available.
