Today is the day for my doctor's appointment, but it's just to check the results of my blood tests and ultrasound, so it's not a big deal. I left my house at 7:15 am to make sure I arrive by 8:30 am, as the parking lot tends to get crowded. After the tests, I decided to have breakfast at a local diner, ordering a Morning Set for 500 yen. The hospital cafeteria, run by a foundation called Keizaidan, offers affordable meals. The set included toast (with margarine?), salad, yogurt with blueberry sauce, boiled egg, and hot coffee - quite a generous spread compared to regular morning sets at cafes in town! Even though I had about 40 minutes to spare, I finished my meal in just 10 minutes, as I didn't want to risk missing out due to unforeseen circumstances like an earthquake. The test results were perfect, marking 9 years since my heart valve surgery, with one of the top 5 outcomes. Cheers to that!

On September 12, 4th year of Reiwa (Monday), I had various tests done over the weekend, and today was the doctor's appointment! My appointment was at 10:00, but since the national highway and parking lot get crowded after 9:00, I left the office almost an hour early and arrived at the hospital at 8:45! One of the few joys is the meal at the hospital! Considering that, I arrived at the hospital an hour early! I had breakfast set here the other day, so I hoped to try a different restaurant today and checked out four places that opened in the 8 o'clock hour, but my dad's lack of initiative led us back to this place! To avoid being disrespectful to the regular reviewers, I ordered something different this time. ------------------------------------- My order: Rice Porridge Set 480 yen (including tax) ------------------------------------- The service is really quick! As soon as I entered the store and had my temperature checked and hands sanitized, I was served cold water right away! Then I placed my order immediately! But interestingly, there were several serving mistakes, which is a bit of a downside. However, since the service is quick, it didn't bother me too much. This time, I heard two times around me saying, "I didn't order this!" Now, onto the Rice Porridge Set (rice porridge, salted salmon, rolled omelette, sautéed burdock, pickled plum, seasoned seaweed), the content was decent. The salted salmon was soft and delicious, but the texture was a bit off, similar to the lunchbox salmon at work! It requires great skill to slice a 5mm thick piece! When I held the edge of the slice, it broke off easily due to its thinness. Additionally, it would have been even better if there was something like miso soup! Even though I arrived about an hour early this time, surprisingly, the breakfast time was only 10 minutes. In terms of content, it was worth the price and tasty. Looking forward to next year's September for various delights. Thank you for the meal!

On September 9, 2022 (Friday), I had a heart echo test and had to skip breakfast for blood tests. So, I quickly ordered a Morning Set to fill my stomach before the heart echo. My order was a Hot Coffee Morning Set for 480 yen (including tax), which included toast, salad, yogurt, boiled egg, and coffee. The food was served in about 5 minutes, which was perfect for impatient patients like me. The Morning Set was more generous and varied than other places, with a large salad, yogurt, and separate servings of margarine and jam. The coffee was aromatic and delicious, unlike the usual chain store coffee. It was a luxurious treat for someone like me who is frugal. I finished it in about 10 minutes and was truly impressed. I ate breakfast before the heart echo because I tend to feel anxious and my heart beats faster when I'm hungry. The young and beautiful technician noticed my heart rate was high at 90 beats per minute, which was understandable. Going to the hospital for meals and heart echoes once or twice a year is a treat for me and makes me feel rejuvenated. Maybe the experienced technician's calm demeanor helps keep my heart rate down and reduce the stress on my heart. Thank you for the meal!

The fox udon (370 yen) with various toppings (80 yen) added seaweed. It's usually crowded when I come for my appointments, but it was empty this day. The food is decently delicious. The staff are friendly and it's a pleasant experience. The seasoning is just right, not too salty. You order after being seated, and they bring the food to you. Some menu items have calorie information displayed, truly a hospital!

Hamburg steak set meal (680 yen) I came to visit an acquaintance, but due to the coronavirus situation, visiting is not possible, so I came during lunchtime. I rarely have the opportunity to visit the hospital cafeteria. It was necessary to check it out. The cafeteria is divided into areas for the general public and staff. Of course, I went to the general public area. A very ordinary Hamburg steak set meal. A waitress brought the meal to my table. The Hamburg steak, covered in sweet demi-glace sauce, did not disappoint. Since it is a hospital facility, there were no salt or pepper on the table, but I assume it is well-balanced in terms of nutrition.

For the February monthly feature, I started a series on "GoTo Government Cafeterias." This series focuses on cafeterias in government offices, city halls, hospitals, etc., commonly known as "employee cafeterias," with some "student cafeterias" included as well. It's a broad project that seems easy but is actually quite challenging, just like me. Yesterday, I visited the "General Cafeteria" at Osaka University Hospital, part of the Osaka University School of Medicine (located in front of Osaka University Hospital in Suita City, Osaka). I ordered the breakfast set for 480 yen.

Curry udon (¥500 + free topping of tempura flakes) There are various menu items available, but the set meals are a bit on the pricier side. The best value for money is said to be the curry udon. For 500 yen, you get this size, this quality, and this deliciousness at the hospital cafeteria. And if you ask the lady, she'll give you unlimited tempura flakes. With this, the curry udon gains even more depth with the soaked oil. If you ever have business at Osaka University Hospital, be sure to try it out.

On September 24, 2021 (Friday), I went for a follow-up observation 7 years after my heart valve surgery, including blood tests and a cardiac ultrasound examination. After the tests, I enjoyed a meal at the Osaka University cafeteria. I ordered the breakfast set for 480 yen, which included grilled salmon, rolled omelette, sautéed burdock, cold tofu, seasoned seaweed, miso soup, and white rice. It was a luxurious breakfast compared to what I usually have at home, and it was a treat for me. I was quickly served my meal after choosing a seat, and I finished eating in about 5 minutes. Next, I will be visiting the cardiovascular surgery department (for a mitral valve formation) and the otolaryngology department (for a vocal cord incision) on Monday, the 27th. Thank you for the meal.

It's been a while since I visited. I was drawn in by the sign near the entrance that said "Limited Quantity Ebi Tendon" and decided to order it. It took a bit longer than usual for the food to arrive because it seemed a bit busy today. The dish was beautifully presented with three prawns, kisu fish, shishito peppers, lotus root, and pumpkin, all looking very appetizing! I usually save the prawns for last, but with three of them, I decided to have one right away. They were crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, really delicious. The slightly thick tempura sauce coated them nicely. The shishito peppers had a nice spicy kick to them. The lotus root and pumpkin were also crispy. As I ate through these, I started to feel that the balance with the rice was not quite right. I adjusted my eating so that I could finish the tempura and rice together in the last bite. I paid close attention to not eat too much rice with the kisu fish and not too much tempura with the prawns. Finally, I managed to finish the last bite with both the prawns and rice together. If you're looking for high quality, this review might not be it, but considering the variety of dishes and the solid flavors in a university hospital setting, I think it deserves a good rating. I always feel that the value for money is great here. I would definitely like to come back again.

Today, I arrived at the cafeteria at an odd time for lunch. I looked at the menu posted outside and, for some reason, was instantly inspired to order the "Katsudon". Inside, there was a daily special set meal displayed, which made me hesitate for a moment, but I stayed true to my initial inspiration and ordered the "Katsudon". It was ready in 5 minutes, and the Katsudon and miso soup were served. The thick cutlet was quite large when cut into 4 pieces. The half-cooked egg paired beautifully with it. I immediately tried a bite of the cutlet and rice. The crispy cutlet was delicious. The rice, flavored with dashi, was very satisfying. The onions, simmered in the broth, had a subtle crunchiness that added a perfect texture. When eaten together with the cutlet and rice, it was incredibly delicious! I kept eating and ended up quite full! It's great to be able to enjoy a Katsudon so easily like this! I wonder what I'll be inspired to eat next time (^^).

I don't want to get older on September 28, 2020 (Monday)! Six years ago I had heart valve surgery, and this year I had a difficult vocal cord adhesion surgery. I had to wait 3 months for the heart valve surgery at Osaka University, and 4 months for the vocal cord adhesion surgery. So, I decided to have the surgery done at a hospital affiliated with Osaka University. Both surgeries went smoothly, but my vocal cords have deteriorated due to age, so now it's just a matter of time and medication. Today, I had post-operative check-ups for both surgeries at the hospital from morning till evening. After the blood test in the morning, I was very hungry and the only options nearby were a general cafeteria and an udon shop. Since I had already been to the udon shop before, I chose the general cafeteria this time. Originally, I ordered the hamburger set meal, but they only had morning menu at that time, so I ended up getting the Ebi Fry Curry instead. It was only 600 yen including tax, which is quite cheap for Ebi Fry Curry these days! The taste was surprisingly good, almost like a delicious curry from a cafe with two cute shrimp tempuras on top. I was very satisfied, especially because I was so hungry. Now, I have some heart echo and vocal cord sound tests to go through. Thank you for the meal.

It was well past lunchtime, but the restaurant was still packed with customers. It seems like a reliable place where you can feel at ease eating anything because it's cheap and delicious. The interior is spacious with plenty of seating, allowing you to relax and enjoy your meal.

I skipped breakfast and was really hungry, so I headed to the cafeteria right when lunchtime started. I quickly decided on the daily special, which was "Salmon and Squid Rings Fry". The food arrived in just 5 minutes since it was a busy lunchtime. I got one salmon fry, three squid rings, cucumber pickles, plenty of cabbage, and some fruit. All of this for only 560 yen including tax, which is a great deal! The fries were already drizzled with Worcestershire sauce. I started with the salmon, which was crispy and flavorful with the Worcestershire sauce. Then I tried the squid rings, which were a bit chewy but delicious when blended with the sauce. Both went well with rice. The generous amount of cabbage and cucumber pickles added a nice balance to the meal. I managed to finish everything, and for 560 yen, it was really worth it. I can't wait to see what the next daily special will be!

I had the three-element pork loin cutlet curry (^｡^) for 620 yen. It seems that this hospital has two separate kitchens for the general cafeteria and the hospital staff. Staff members seem to buy meal tickets, while the general public pays after eating. The pork cutlet in the curry was made from three-element pork. Some places may pre-fry the cutlet for time efficiency, but this one was freshly fried and piping hot. The cutlet may look small in the photo, but it was actually substantial and satisfyingly large. The curry was medium-spicy, and even as someone who prefers sweeter flavors, I found it delicious (^｡^)

It's been a while since my last visit. I usually try the surprising daily special CP, but this time I decided to change it up and chose the katsudon. The restaurant was not crowded, so my order came out quickly. The portion of rice was generous, giving a substantial look to the dish. I sprinkled some shichimi for extra flavor, and took a bite of the katsu and rice. The first bite was amazing, with a crispy katsu coating! It was delicious with a rich dashi flavor, and the onions were crunchy. Despite the large portion of rice, I managed to finish the katsudon while balancing the flavors. I left the restaurant feeling satisfied and full. I always enjoy the great value for money at this eatery. Looking forward to my next visit!

I went to the Osaka University Hospital for lunch. It was a busy time around 12 o'clock, but the service was fast. I ordered the shrimp fry set meal, and it came with one salmon fry and two shrimp fries. The tartar sauce was also delicious. The quality and quantity of food for the price was amazing. I would definitely recommend eating at the Osaka University Hospital cafeteria if you have the chance. Their cost performance is excellent!

Today's lunch set costs 650 yen. The miso soup is not low in salt, but rather normal. The white meat in the fry is thick and the coating is crispy. The rice is dry and has a slight odor, which is disappointing. However, I managed to finish the meal by topping the rice with fatty and lightly seasoned tender grilled meat, creating a bowl-like dish.