Shichifuku shokudo 七福食堂

Shichifuku Shokudo is a ten-minute walk from the Higashimuki shopping street. I found this gem on Google Maps while searching for a place to have lunch. The restaurant also has a website selling coffee beans and aprons.

This modest restaurant offers a healthy, affordable seasonal set menu at 1300 yen, along with some drinks and desserts.

I recommend making a reservation; you can email them at nanafuku.shokudo@gmail.com.

The staff was pleasant and friendly. The male waiter who served us spoke English and had a gentle demeanor.

The set menu includes scrambled eggs with shirasu (Whitebait), pickled carrot salad with goji berries and orange, pork croquettes, seafood soup, and a soybean pudding-like dessert with sweet syrup and grapes. I also ordered lemonade and panna cotta.

The ingredients were fresh and reminded me of a homecooked meal. The scrambled eggs with shirasu were a lovely pairing. The salad had a good combination of sweetness and tanginess. The seafood soup was gorgeous, light, hearty, and packed with umami. The croquettes were juicy and delicious. The soybean pudding was interesting. It had a subtle hint of soybean, and the texture was jello-like but softer. The syrup had the right amount of sweetness.

The lemonade was refreshing with a hint of rosemary. The panna cotta was creamy, rich with a custard-like texture and a coffee liqueur syrup.

Overall, I had a lovely, delectable lunch.

Shichifuku shokudo 七福食堂

Website: https://www.instagram.com/shichifuku.shokudo/

Telephone: 070-1800-0789

Opening hours: Check the restaurant’s Instagram page for the latest opening hours

Address:19-19 Narukawacho, Nara, 630-8335, Japan

La Pizza Napoletana Regalo

Regalo is a pizzeria located near the Shin-Fukushima JR Station. It has been dubbed as one of the best pizzerias in Osaka. The interior is charming but tiny, with 12 seats. We waited for an hour to be seated. The owner is pleasant and friendly but does not speak much English. He was trained in Italy and won 3rd place in the World’s Best Pizza competition in 2013. He also runs the restaurant alone, a one-man show. Cutleries, dishes, glasses, and drinks are self-service, and the restaurant only accepts cash payments.

I’m unsure if an English menu is available; another foreign customer and I were not given one. We had to use Google Translate.

The menu is straightforward, with a good selection of tomato sauce or non-tomato tomato sauce pizzas.

I ordered the classic Margherita and Marcantonio ( mozzarella, fresh cream, ham, mushroom, and basil). The pizzas were around 10 inches and cost 1,500 yen each. The ingredients were fresh, and the tomato sauce on the Margherita was beautiful. The pizza crust was thin with nice charred edges, but I was a little disappointed with the flavor and texture of the cornicione. It was salty, dense, and chewy.

The pizzas were decent and good value for money, but for me personally, they were not worth the one-hour wait. I have had better pizzas in Japan.

La Pizza Napoletana Regalo

Website: https://ameblo.jp/regalo22/

Telephone: +81647962215

Opening hours: Monday- Sunday (except Tuesdays) 12 – 14:30 p.m., 17:00 – 21:00 p.m

Address: 5-chōme-9 Fukushima, Fukushima Ward, Osaka, 553-0003, Japan

Melbourne Coffee, Craft & Cider

Melbourne Coffee, Craft & Cider is a hip little cafe near the Shinsaibashi station serving Australian-style breakfast and coffee. It is difficult to find breakfast places that open early in Osaka, especially those serving Western-style breakfast. This cafe opens at 9 a.m. and is near my hotel, which is perfect. There is a good breakfast selection, such as toasties, muesli, smoothies, and cakes. There are gluten-free and vegan options. Their coffee beans are roasted in Melbourne, and the yogurt and muesli are made in-house.

The interior is decorated with graffiti art and has a lively atmosphere and chill vibe. The staff was bubbly and friendly. From their accent, I think they were Australians.

We ordered a Flat white, a detox smoothie (banana, lettuce, and avocado), and two different toasties—tomato and cheese and avocado, ham, and cheese. The coffee has a more robust flavor than the ones I’ve had at a Japanese cafe. The smoothie and toasties were simple yet delicious; it felt like breakfast at home.

The cafe is popular amongst foreigners, so I recommend getting there early. All in all, it is a fantastic place to grab Western-style breakfast and coffee.

Melbourne Coffee, Craft & Cider

Website: https://www.melbournecoffee.jp/

Opening hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m. to 13:00 p.m.

Telephone: +817089507788

Address: 1st Floor Sanei Moor Building, 3-8-7 Minamisenba Chuo-ku Osaka Japan
542-0081

Ramen Mugyu Vol. 2

Tucked away in a small alley is a simple, no-frills ramen restaurant. The automated kiosk has four language options – English, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. The staff was friendly.

The restaurant uses chicken broth as its soup base. There are three soup choices: shoyu, plain chicken broth, and thick white broth. We ordered the thick white broth ramen, plain chicken soup ramen, and gyoza. Both noodles were delicious and packed with umami. The thinly sliced chashu (pork slices) were lean and flavorful, one of the best I’ve had. The gyozas had a crispy crust with a juicy meat filling.

A very satisfying meal. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Ramen Mugyu Vol. 2 Karasuma Takoyakushi

Website: https://www.instagram.com/ramenmugiyuvol.2/
http://ramen-mugyu.com/shop/vol2/

Telephone: 075-221-2588

Opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. – 23:30 p.m., closed on Sundays

Address: 298-13 Ichirenshacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8146, Japan

Authentic South Indian food in Osaka

On my recent trip to Osaka, I stumbled upon a South Indian restaurant—Cocobanana. The restaurant has a set menu as well as an ala carte menu. I love that the food is served on banana leaves, a traditional South Indian method of serving rice dishes. The prices are reasonable, and the portions are substantial. The cooks are Indian, and one Japanese waitress is friendly and speaks some English.

I had a plain Lassi (200 yen), a Dosa with rice set with chicken curry and coconut fish curry (1300 yen), and paratha (300 yen). The lassi was sweet and refreshing. The curries were mild but delicious, and the paratha was soft and flaky, not too oily.

Overall, I enjoyed the meal and curbed my 3-and-a-half-year craving!

Cocobanana

Website: https://kdnr800.gorp.jp/

Opening hours: Lunch: 11:00 – 15:00, Dinner: 17:00 – 23:00(L.O.22:30)

Telephone: 050-5488-7042

Address: 2-7-4, Edobori, Nishi-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, 550-0002

C&C breakfast

C&C breakfast cafe is located opposite the famous Pork Tamago Onigiri Honten shop. The restaurant offers an array of healthy breakfast dishes, such as pancakes and french toast with local fruits, acai bowls, sandwiches, omelets, salads, fresh juices, and smoothies.

The cafe is small but cozy. It is popular with locals and tourists, so it fills up fast, so it’s best to get there early. I was lucky the day I went; there weren’t many customers, so I got there a little after 9 a.m. An English menu is available, and the staff is friendly.

I ordered the Lilikoi sauce souffle pancake ( Lilikoi butter, cream, and passion fruit sauce)(800 yen). The souffle was airy and soft. However, the tart taste of the passionfruit sauce was more pronounced than I would like it. The cream helps balance out the tartness a little.

**Lilikoi butter is a curd of passion fruit juice, egg, butter, and sugar.

This is a cute spot for breakfast or brunch if you are in the area.

C&C breakfast

Website: https://www.ccbokinawa.com/

Opening hours: Weekdays 9:00 a.m. – 14:00p.m., close on Tuesdays
Weekends 8:00 a.m. – 14:00 p.m.

Telephone: 0989279295

Address: Japan, 〒900-0014 Okinawa, Naha, Matsuo, 2 Chome−9−6 タカミネビル 1F

Nakamura Soba

Nakamura Soba is a no-frills restaurant serving Okinawan soba. It is located along Onna Sunset Coast Road between ANA Intercontinental Manza Beach Resort and Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island Resort and offers a panoramic view of the sea. There is outdoor seating at the back of the restaurant.

It is an excellent place for a quick lunch.

After a hearty meal, you can stroll on the quiet beach across from the restaurant.

There are 6 different toppings to choose from –

Ahsa soba – seaweed soba noodles topped with seaweed, stewed pork belly, and boiled fish pastes.
So-ki soba – plain soba noodles topped with stewed pork ribs
Nakamura soba- plain soba noodles topped with stewed pork belly and pork ribs
Okinawa soba- plain soba noodles topped with pork belly and boiled fish paste.
Sanmainiku soba- plain soba noodles topped with three thick slices of pork belly.
Tebichi soba – plain soba noodles topped with pig trotters.

The noodles come in two sizes: medium and large. For an extra 200 yen, you can add a side of fried rice or Inari sushi.

I went for the medium-sized So-Ki soba( 800 yen) with fried rice and Inari sushi. The food came out fast, and the staff was friendly. The pork was tender and flavorful. The noodles are chewy with an al dente texture, and the broth is light and aromatic. Delicious!

Nakamura Soba

Website: http://www.ii-okinawa.ne.jp/people/menmen/

Opening hours: Daily 10:30 a.m. – 17:00 p.m.

Telephone: (098) 966-8005

Address: Serakaki1669-1, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun 904-0404 Okinawa Prefecture

Taco rice with a seafront view

Taco rice is an iconic Okinawan dish that combines Japanese and Tex-Mex ingredients. It consists of ground beef, cheese, lettuce, and tomato served on a bed of rice.

I stumbled upon this taco rice cafe as I looked for a place to have lunch, and I’m so glad I did. It’s a cozy little shop on the 2nd floor with beach vibes overlooking the beautiful emerald-blue sea. There is a small terrace seating area which is the perfect spot to enjoy the meal while taking in the breathtaking view of the ocean.

Customers can choose from a selection of 14 different toppings. Omutaco is the cafe’s original creation which is taco rice topped with fluffy eggs and is one of its popular dishes. I ordered the taco rice with avocado (860 yen). The beef was well-seasoned with a generous helping of cheese and fresh, crisp lettuce –Oishi!

Sadly, the Diamond Beach shop where I had the taco rice has been relocated to Onna Village next to the Onna Village Elementary School. The new shop is located on the ground floor and has a modern cafe vibe and decor.

Taco Rice Cafe Kijimuna Onna Village Branch

Website: https://www.omutaco.com/

Opening hours: Daily 11:30 a.m. – 20:00 p.m.

Telephone: 098-966-8389

Address: 6092-1 Onna, Onna-mura, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa 904-0411

Hawaiian Pancakes House Paanilani

The Hawaiian pancake house is a famous pancake shop located along Onna sunset coast road near diamond beach. The shop serves generous portions of sweet and savory pancakes. I recommend going early.

I got myself an Iced cafe au lait and the King bacon pancake topped with scrambled eggs and whipped cream. The pancakes were fluffy and buttery. The bacon was succulent and soft.

The perfect breakfast to start the day!

King bacon pancake 1100 yen

Scrambled egg 150 yen

Whipped cream 500 yen

Iced cafe au lait 500 yen

Hawaiian Pancakes House

Opening hours: Daily 7:00 a.m. – 17:00 p.m.

Telephone: +81989661154

Address: 698 Serakaki, Onna, Kunigami District, Okinawa 904-0404, Japan

Jack’s steak house

Jack’s Steak House is a long-established restaurant in Naha that opened in 1953. It used to be an “A-sign” restaurant that was approved for US military personnel when Okinawa was still under American rule. The restaurant has maintained its retro old American diner decor. No reservations are available; however, service is fast, and you won’t have to wait long for a seat.

I arrived at the restaurant around 6 pm, which was already packed. The menu has three kinds of steak: tenderloin steak, New York steak, and hamburger steak. The tenderloin steak is available in three sizes; small, medium, and large, while the New York steak and hamburger steak comes in two sizes; large and small. All steaks come with a side of potato wedges and onions, soup, two toasted buttered buns, and salad. I opted for the medium tenderloin steak.

The soup was bland. It was a very light cream of corn soup. The steak was well done, but I was not impressed with the flavor. It was good but not outstanding. It lacked that rich, smokey beef flavor.

Tenderloin steak (medium) ¥ 2,500

Jack’s steakhouse

Website: https://www.steak.co.jp/

Opening hours: Daily 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m (except for the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month)

Telephone: (098)868-2408

Address: 1-7-3 Nishi, Naha City