Eating and drinking in Japan and Asia
Lilo Coffee Roasters friendly little shop is a short walk from Shinsaibashi station and the busy shopping arcade. I visited the shop on while on my way to Kansai airport and I was surprised by the attention to details and the friendliness of the staff.
Coutume Cafe, the coffee shop which originated in Paris in 2010, has landed in the depth of the Osaka underground city. It was a nostalgic visit, since I lived in Paris a few years ago, way before the arrival of the first Starbucks or anything ressembling the new Parisian third wave.
by Luc Gougeon
Dear Howard Schultz (for my friends who don’t know, he is the CEO of Starbucks),
I just finished reading Onward and I found it both informative and inspiring. After reading the part about the Clover coffee machine, I decided to find one in Japan and by some amazing chance, I located one in Osaka where I went on a day trip over the weekend. (it’s the only machine in Osaka!)
Continue reading “Drinking a Clover made Reserve coffee at the Honmachi Starbucks”
I arrived in Osaka at 9AM and I was surprised to find the city so calm. The sun was already scorching hot and the streets were empty when I made it to the Maxx Department Store. It’s weird to see the calmer side of Osaka and Streamer is the perfect place to start the day. I think that Osaka kicks into second gear at around 11 AM, so it’s a blessing to find this place open.
The Chinese food restaurants and counters 551 Horai or go go ichi are closely associated in my mind with the pleasure of visiting Osaka or the Kansai area. It’s pretty much a given, if I go to Osaka, I eat a 551 nikuman, but somehow I had never eaten at their flagship store in the Ebisubashi shopping arcade which is the extension of the famous Shinsaibashi-Suji.
Who the hell goes to a piggish dinner at 4h30 PM? Apparently, there is a shit load of people who aren’t phased by the early hours in this deep suburb of Osaka.
There is a special place in my heart for food served on a stick: corn dogs, lollipops or perfectly grilled yakitori, it’s just a great and easy way to put food into your mouth. So it pretty obvious that I had to try kushiage on my last visit to Osaka.
Kushiage or Kushikatsu is a speciality of Osaka. The idea is simple: impale some food on a bamboo stick, dip it in batter, deep fry it very carefully and serve it burning hot . It’s the perfect bar food!
Continue reading “Daruma Kushiage: Food on a Stick in Osaka”
Coffee is addictive and finding a place to drink some is even more addictive.
I’ve drank coffee pretty much every where I ever been and my last visit to Osaka brought me to Link Handmade Roast Coffee just off the popular Shinsaibashi.
