on my plate: akamaru tonkotsu ramen @ Ippudo, Osaka

While waiting in line at Ippudo in Osaka, my friend confronted me with a Sophie's choice dilemma last night: If I had to get rid of one food from my life, would I choose ramen or souvlaki?

Assuming that no more souvlaki in my life also meant none of its cousins, the schwarma or the kebab, I foolishly chose ramen. My justification at the time: There were way more noodle dishes that could maybe try and fill the void of ramen, whereas meats wrapped in flat bread with garlic sauce is a much more difficult thing to substitute for.

Hmmm, yeah, about that decision. I might have to reconsider that after waiting in line  for 20 minutes for Ippudo's akamaru ramen. I didn't think you could top tonkotsu ramen: the deliciously garlicky and creamy broth made from pork bones is unsurpassable, but then again, I had never tried it with the addition of miso paste and black garlic oil. I could even dedicate another post solely to the thick tender cuts of charsiu pork and - perfectly runny egg, but that may just have to wait another day.

on my plate: ama-ebi sushi @ Nipponichi, Osaka

It's a sign of being spoiled in Japan by cheap ¥100 a plate sushi when ¥130 a plate seems a little excessive. But unlike the cheap, sushi trains I've been visiting lately, this one was manned by actual sushi chefs, not just part timers.

And damn, was it worth the extra ¥30 yen. Freshly prepared fish that just melts in your mouth. While the chu-toro had me back for seconds, it was the creaminess of the ama-ebi, or sweet prawns, that made me glad I wasn't as tight with my purse strings as I've been lately.

no fuss lemonade scones

Breakfast really is the meal for champions. Eggs benedict, pancakes, and french toast- it just seems like a shame that these foods are relegated to just the one time of the day. Unfortunately, my daily fantasies of a feast of a breakfast are soon dashed when I realise it requires getting out of bed earlier than desired just to fumble around in the kitchen.

on my plate - una-ju @ Kissho, Osaka

What better way to beat the heat of summer than with unagi? Well, if you ask me, I would have suggested Maxibons, gelato, an ice cold bear, or just about anything other than steaming hot eel with rice. How unagi came to be associated with summer is still debatable (some say it's because the fattiness of the eel gives you more energy to last in the humidity compared to regular fish, others say it's because foods starting with the character 'u' are connected to winter, and so its winter-associations are meant to counteract the heat of summer), but being in Osaka, I felt the need to do what Romans do, and gave it a shot.

My aimless wandering around Osaka finally paid off when I stumbled upon Kissho, a restaurant famed for its Edo-style (a.k.a Ye Olde Tokyo style) unagi. Yes, eating a Tokyo style dish in Osaka is essentially the same as going to Sydney to try South Melbourne dim sims, but my previous experience with unagi involved buying the discounted stuff from convenience stores, so my ability to discern quality eel from the regular stuff is probably quite low anyway.

Not the cheapest lunch I've had in Japan (about $28), but I guess there's no use complaining when the meat is rich, juicy, and slathered with sweet soy-based kabayaki sauce. I am still highly suspicious of its reputed summer-beating qualities, however, unless the food coma that occurred on the train immediately afterwards was pure coincidence.

Kissho
8-47 Kakuda-cho, Kita-ku
Osaka city, Osaka

on my plate - pintxos @ Naked for Satan

It might be an obvious statement, but tapas sure isn't the same in Melbourne as it is in Spain. Don't get me wrong, Portello Rosso, and from what I hear, the Mo Vidas offer quality food, but if you're looking for food that compares to Barcelona or Madrid, expect to pay a pretty penny for that privilege.

With Naked for Satan's weekday 80 cents per pintxo, at least I know now that I don't have to break the bank every time I get a hankering for some tapas. Maybe it was just the shock of food being that cheap, or the sheer amount of food that I kept piling onto my plate, but I forgot to take note of what exactly I was eating. I vaguely remember some tasty garlicky prawn pintxo and the croquettas. Did I like the jamon one more, or the second one? Then again, does it really matter when each bite costs 80 cents?

fancypants mac & cheese

I distinctly remember being ten years old and looking forward to Tuesday tennis lessons not for the tennis itself, but for the post-training visit to McDonalds. Needless to say, I was slightly, *ahem* heavy as a kid. Fast forward to now, and I find myself forgetting how exactly drive-through works as I head to Maccas for the first time in more than two years.

While their burgers just aren't as appealing to me as they used to, one bite of the piping hot fries reminded me why so many others in keep coming back. It reminded me of all the other guilty pleasures from childhood that I can't seem to quit, even after my tastes have changed.

Yu-u and yakitori

Despite talk about it having some of the best Japanese lunch sets in Melbourne, there's a lot of mystery that surrounds Yu-u. A quick google will find some Urbanspoon reviews and a couple blog posts about it, but don't expect to find an official website or any pictures of the food. Yu-u has earned the reputation of being one of Melbourne's best kept secrets, and judging by its nondescript entrance off in a side alley in the CBD and strict no photo-taking policy, it seems intent on keeping it that way.