The breakfast table was reminiscent of my home, but the salmon was quite thin, which was disappointing. The overall content was good and delicious, but the salmon was lacking. The B set included sweet and salty grilled salmon, stir-fried shishito peppers and shiitake mushrooms, simmered tofu, miso soup with tofu and enoki mushrooms, and rice.

Midsummer story. My office is located more towards Sakai-suji. In the scorching heat of 36℃, I walked and walked, this place is on the west side of Yotsubashi-suji (^o^;). Now, it's time to explore a new restaurant. For lunch here, one item was sold out, so I ended up with the minced cutlet lunch only. However, if you wanted to eat this, it was totally fine. The minced cutlets, which seemed to be homemade, were big and came in a set of two. They were freshly fried, piping hot, and despite burning the skin in my mouth, it was pure happiness. The side salad was generous, so even those with a healthy diet preference would be satisfied. The only downside is that the place is a bit cramped. The counter area felt quite tight and packed (^o^;).

I was planning to go to the 50th lunch spot in Higo Bridge, but the cafe I was interested in was temporarily closed, so I decided to have lunch at a nearby coffee shop. I ordered the A set with minced cutlet for 900 yen, which came with coffee. I thought it was a good deal, but when it was time to pay, they told me it was 1100 yen. I was surprised, and when I checked the lunch menu at the entrance, it said coffee was an additional 200 yen. I need to be more careful next time. The meal was delicious.

Higo Bridge ◇ Cafe Lunch ◇ [1-chome, Kyomachi Hori, Nishi-ku] Located 150m west of the signal at Yotsuhashi-suji Kyomachi Hori 1 on the left side, is the cafe rest RITZ. As usual, I went for an early lunch after leaving the office. I crossed Yotsuhashi-suji and arrived in front of the restaurant I wanted to go to, but it was temporarily closed. Disappointed, I noticed a lunch menu sign outside this cafe and decided to give it a try. The daily lunch specials were: ◆ A set (800 yen) - Assorted fried shrimp and chicken cutlet ◆ B set (800 yen) - Sweet salt-grilled salmon with stir-fried shishito peppers and mushrooms. The bright cafe has counter and table seating. I was seated at the counter and ordered the A set. It was ready in 7 minutes. The freshly fried chicken cutlet and shrimp were served with salad and vegetable soup. The portion of rice was surprisingly generous, and the homemade tartar sauce was delicious. The only downside was that the counter seats were too high, making it a bit uncomfortable to eat. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

There was a cafe near Higobashi Station on the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line, on the north side of Utsubo Park at the intersection. I have passed by here many times, but I never noticed this cafe. That's because I always got distracted by the long line in front of the nearby curry restaurant "Gar". On this particular day, the line in front of Gar was especially long. The cafe "Cafe Litz" had two lunch menu options written on their sign: pork sauté and fried chicken. Both are my favorite dishes. So, of course, I chose the fried chicken, while also worrying about the breast or thigh meat issue. The breast meat vs. thigh meat issue is a small concern of mine when it comes to fried chicken. I am a thigh meat purist, and I prefer the juicy and tender thigh meat over the dry breast meat. Recently, the demand for breast meat has increased, causing the wholesale price to rise. Maybe everyone is buying breast meat because it is cheaper? Athletes are often recommended to eat lean breast meat due to its low fat content. While I understand the health benefits, I still prefer to eat what I enjoy. There are many recipes online on how to make breast meat taste better and reduce its dryness, but I believe the same effort put into thigh meat would result in a much tastier dish. I entered the cafe, sat down, and ordered the fried chicken. I wondered if they start cooking after the order is placed, which means I could enjoy freshly cooked food but also means it might take longer. The fried chicken arrived. I thought the main dish would be piled high on the plate, but it was actually a mountain of salad underneath the chicken. The chicken was drizzled with sauce. There was bean sprouts in a small dish. Rice was on the left, and miso soup was in the back. I found the arrangement a bit odd, but I learned from a TV show that this is a unique Osaka way of serving food. Rice on the left and soup on the right is a traditional Japanese way of serving food, which is slowly disappearing. Now, back to the fried chicken, is it thigh meat or breast meat? I needed to solve the thigh meat issue. Regardless, I took a bite of the fried chicken. It was juicy and tender, confirming that it was thigh meat. With that settled, I could now focus on my lunch. The salad portion was quite large, so I started with that. It is said that eating fiber-rich vegetables first can help stabilize blood sugar levels, especially for those at risk of diabetes. However, I don't particularly like vegetables, so I finished them first to get them out of the way and focus on the rice and chicken. I saved the best for last, just like saving the egg yolk for the end. Once the vegetables were gone, I savored the fried chicken slowly.

Last time the salmon was disappointing, but this time the pork was thick and delicious with 3 slices! B set includes ginger pork, simmered dried daikon radish, tofu and enoki mushroom miso soup, and rice.

Today's adventure was aimed at conquering the lunch spots near my workplace in Yodoyabashi. On this cross-border day, I visited RITS for the first time. While cafes are usually off-limits, I was lured in by the regular lunch sign. The bright and clean cafe-restaurant had neatly arranged tables and offered a straightforward menu. I opted for the A set (grilled chicken thigh, vegetable soup, salad, rice) for 800 yen. The service was prompt and the food was decently delicious. However, the restaurant lacked a standout feature, leaving me with a feeling of something missing. Overall, the taste, service, atmosphere, and value for money were all good, but the place felt somewhat bland.

I had lunch near the park and decided to check out a nice-looking restaurant called "caferestRITZ". It had a sophisticated atmosphere and seemed reasonably priced. Although there were many female customers, there were also a lot of middle-aged businessmen. I was seated at the counter with no one else in line. I ordered the A set, which included a mix of shrimp fry and chicken cutlet, along with vegetable soup, salad, and rice. The B set had salmon, cold tofu, and miso soup for those who prefer Japanese cuisine. The set arrived promptly, and I started with a sip of the delicious vegetable soup. The shrimp fry was crispy and satisfying, with a good amount of meat. The cutlet was also generous in portion. Overall, it was a very satisfying lunch, and I will definitely visit again. Thank you for the meal.

Utsubo Park is located on the north side. In this area, there are trendy and popular shops gathered. I arrived early and was the first customer~♪ The small shop is probably run by a couple, a man in the kitchen and a woman in the hall. The menu has two options, both for ¥800. - Set A: Fried shrimp & chicken cutlet combo with vegetable soup, salad, and rice - Set B: Sweet and salty grilled salmon, cold tofu, miso soup, rice Both for ¥800, with coffee for an additional ¥200. I chose the sweet and salty grilled salmon. The cozy shop has a few counter seats and small table seats neatly laid out. Despite its small size, it is located on a corner lot with two open sides, allowing sunlight to brighten the interior and create an open atmosphere. The main dish of sweet and salty grilled salmon is a favorite among Japanese people. The sautéed sweet long pepper and shimeji mushrooms served as side dishes. The miso soup with tofu and nameko mushrooms was also delicious♪ I couldn't resist ordering an iced coffee. Perfect for a coffee break or lunch. A lovely cafe indeed. Thank you for the meal.

This area has many stylish shops. I stopped by to kill some time. This is a rare shop where smoking is allowed. It's a lifesaver for smokers~ There were also customers using it for lunch. It's a small shop but simple and has a nice atmosphere. The cappuccino was delicious without any problems. If you're thinking of having lunch around here, you'll be quite indecisive because everywhere looks stylish and delicious (laughs). The staff's service was good, so I might come back for lunch next time. Thank you for the meal.

I wanted to try popular curry, but when I arrived at the restaurant, there was a long line... I decided to go to a cafe nearby instead. When I sat down, I was asked if I needed an ashtray, which surprised me because I didn't expect smoking to be allowed. The set meal I ordered came with shrimp fry, scallop fry, and rice for 800 yen, with coffee available for an additional 200 yen. Inside the cafe, a few people were eating while watching the TV in the back. Since it wasn't too crowded, I was able to choose my favorite seat. The set meal included soup, salad, fry, and rice, all of which were quite generous in portion size. The salad, in particular, was surprisingly large and satisfying. The shrimp fry was delicious with plenty of tartar sauce. The shrimp was big and tasty, with a nice firm texture. The rice was a bit on the soft side. The soup was also substantial, allowing me to enjoy it until the end. After finishing their meals, everyone started ordering coffee and smoking... It's a bit tough to handle smoking being allowed during lunchtime. Overall, I think the cost-performance ratio is good, and the taste is nice, so I would recommend it to smokers.

Today's lunch was at "Cafe Restritz" in Kyomachi Hori, where I had a combination of fried shrimp, scallops, and potatoes. The tartar sauce for the shrimp fry was rich and delicious, with plenty of egg and pickle chunks that you wouldn't find in store-bought ones. I'm a tartar sauce fanatic when it comes to fried seafood, and this one was top-notch. I used to dislike mayonnaise in the past, but now it has become an essential part of my diet. Sometimes, I make it a point to try foods I used to dislike to see if my tastes have changed. More often than not, I end up realizing that I actually like them. I invited my mentor from Senbayashi and a colleague to join me, and since yesterday was all about Japanese cuisine, we decided to go for something Western today. The ruling party's shadow boss is under investigation for possible money laundering by the special investigation unit. Thank you for the meal.