福寿司 Fuku Sushi Osaka style boxed sushi .......... Osaka, Japan

福寿司 Fuku Sushi is located along Shinsaibashi, the long shopping street in the Namba area of Osaka. The sushi place is known for their Osaka style boxed sushi, Hakozushi. This type of sushi is made inside a wooden box called oshigata and hence you can see that it is more rectangular than the typical sushi. This box is used as a mold to form the box shape. First the sushi rice is  placed in side the base of the box. The ingredients are also carefully sliced into small squares or rectangulars and then laid onto the rice. This usually ends up a much bigger piece of sushi which is then cut up into bite sizes before serving.

With the Osaka boxed sushi you can even see a half and half. For example in one of the photos below you can see a sushi that has temago (egg) and prawn in halves onto top of the sushi rice.

The rectangular ones are the Osaka style box sushi. The round ones are typical futomaki.

The window display shows the mock-up box sushi before they are cut-up into bite size...........

Fuku sushi's stall front ..........

Address : Osaka City, Central Shinsaibashi, ichome 4-19 大阪市中央区心斎橋筋1丁目4-19

Tel : 06-6271-3344

Opening Hours : 1100 ~ 2030

Country : Osaka, Japan

Website : http://www.hon-fuku.co.jp/

大たこ ootako takoyaki .......... Osaka, Japan

Takoyaki, grilled octopus balls, is one of Osaka's favourite street food. A batter is poured into the multiple "scoops" made in this special hotplate. A piece of octopus tentacle, tako, is placed inside each "scoop". The takoyaki is then cooked with a sharp metal pick with which the chef will pick at the cooked batter to make sure that the balls of batter are uniformly grilled till golden brown. A sauce is poured over the tako balls and with fish flakes sprinkled all over. Ootako is one of the best takoyaki specialist along the Dotonburi food street. They have many years of history in cooking takoyaki and is recommended in many Osaka guide books.

It's located near to the ryokan that I was staying. So, everytime I pass by the stall I'll just order a 6 piece set (300 yen). I think I had 24 balls of takoyaki during my stay in Osaka. Ootako's takoyaki is a little crispy on the outside and the batter is soft on the inside. Most importantly, they give big pieces of fresh octopus tentacle, tako. Ootako insist on using fresh tako when many other takoyaki stall already use the frozen tako. At Ootako, the takoyai is served in a boatshaped container which makesit handy while you eat on the move. 

Address : 1-5-10 Dotonburi, Chuo-ku, Osaka

Tel : 06-6211-5223

Openeing hours : 10:00am ~ 11:00pm (close as soon as takoyaki is sold out)

Website : http://okiraku.cside.com/ootako.htm

Country : Osaka, Japan

かに道樂 Douraku .......... A popular Crab chain in the Kansai region

Everytime HY and I walked past Doraku, the mechanised crab above the entrance will start waving its legs at us, beckoning for us to walk in. Doraku has 3 outlets along the Dotomburi food street. All of them has at least a 30minutes to 1 hour wait. The restaurant do not have a common dining area where you eat with the rest of the patrons. We were ushered into a private Japanese room with tatami. A dedicated kimono clad waitress served us throughout our crab feast. 

In Japan, snow crab can be prepared in 3 ways; grilled,  sashimi and boiled in a hotpot. We've chosen a set that prepares the snow crab in all 3 ways.

The snow crab sashimi. The meat is sweet.

An extra serving of the sashimi crab ........

This is the other way that I like the snow crab prepared. By grilling .......... Add a little bit of lemon and the taste is already heavenly!

This is the plate of raw ingredients including the snow crab that is ready to be dunked into the suki hot pot to be boiled.

I'm so obsessed with eating this feast and totally enjoying that I forgot to take shots of the hot pot and the setting of the room. Any way, the service is tip top. there is even a intercom in the rom for you to get the waitress attention.

Douraku is a chain for snow crab feast. they are also in Tokyo. I saw one outlet in Shinjuku San chome.

Cost : about 12000 yen for 2 person

Address : Namba Osaka, At the junction of Doutomburi and Shi sai bashi.

Country : Osaka, Japan

Website : http://www.douraku.co.jp/kansai/shop/honten.html