In Osaka, a summer tradition is the catchy phrase "551's Ice Candy~♪" often heard in commercials in the Kansai region. Every summer at Kintetsu Department Store in Uehommachi, Osaka, a special area for Yawata's ice candies is set up for sale. I visited on a weekday evening around 7 pm, and there were long lines at the shops selling meat buns and dumplings, but the ice candy sales counter was a bit further away and less crowded. I bought the "551 Ice Candy" for 140 yen each, regardless of the flavor. The limited edition "White Peach" flavor was fruity and refreshing, while the Pineapple flavor was similar, like frozen juice. Personally, I prefer the "Fruit" flavor with frozen fruits in a milk base. Trying all eight flavors made me feel extremely cold, so it's best to enjoy them without rushing. The Chocolate and Matcha flavors didn't stand out much. The expanded special sales area during the summer season always brings a sense of summer nostalgia. I recommend visiting the special sales area for "551's Ice Candy" before it's gone. Overall rating on Tabelog: 3.05 (at the time of visit).

2021: Revisited 551 Horai's pork buns after seeing them on TV, couldn't resist the Osaka DNA! Around 3 o'clock with no line, the polite staff as always, greeted me with a smile. Pork buns x2 for 380 yen tax included. Warmed them up in the microwave and took a big bite... Oh, the moist, sweet skin and the savory onion filling, so juicy and delicious! Just as tasty as ever! In Osaka, when you see someone carrying a 551 box in the same train car, everyone smiles.

"I didn't know there were such kinds of chimaki. I have tried popular summer treats like ice candy and cold noodles at 551 before, but this time I found eel chimaki for the first time. The one I purchased at 551 this time is called 'eel chimaki,' which uses grilled eel as the filling for the Chinese-style chimaki. While there are other varieties like 'chicken and quail,' 'pork and chestnut,' and 'seafood,' the eel option is limited edition available from 7/16 to 7/31. Many eel shops also offer chimaki or okowa, but most of them are seasoned with a soy-based sweet and savory sauce, both on the rice and the eel. In contrast, the seasoning of the 'eel chimaki' from 551 that I tried this time is more Chinese-style than traditional Japanese. Eel dishes are often sweet and savory with soy sauce, and some people may feel that eating only one piece doesn't really give them the satisfaction of eating eel. However, personally, I think it's nice to be able to enjoy a different eel dish once in a while. The Day of the Ox is coming up soon, but for those who prefer smaller portions or want to keep costs down, I recommend considering this eel chimaki from here."

As a memo... This place always has a long line, so it's worth waiting for. I purchased the following: - Sweet vinegar dango (10 pieces) (¥300) - Gyoza (2 boxes of 10 pieces each) (¥600) - Shumai (10 pieces) (¥650) - Pork buns (6 pieces) (¥1020) - Meat and chestnut rolls (¥350): Pork, chestnut, shiitake mushroom filling - Chicken and quail egg rolls (¥350): Chicken, quail egg, bamboo shoot filling - Seafood rolls (¥350): Shrimp, squid, scallop, clam filling

June 27, 2015 (Saturday) - An old friend brought me some souvenirs. She knew my favorite snacks! Thank you so much, Shimada-san! However, all of them seem to have the filling concentrated on one side, with no filling in the middle. February 12, 2012 (Sunday) at 6:30 PM - I bought 4 pork buns for 160 yen each, totaling 640 yen for takeout. Sometimes the famous Horai pork buns are available, and sometimes they are not. I have recently become addicted to them. When I was living in Kansai, I took the area around Uehommachi Station for granted, but now that I am away, I realize how great it is to have pork buns for only 160 yen. The staff at the store will put some mustard in a paper bag for you, and it is a must-try. Osaka's food is both cheap and delicious, the quality is too high! In Okayama, where there is no Horai, I try various snacks at the major convenience stores.

During my trip to Osaka, I visited "551 Horai" to try their famous pork buns. There are many branches in Osaka, including takeaway shops and restaurants. After a day of sightseeing, I stopped by the Horai store at Kintetsu Uehommachi station to buy some pork buns to enjoy at my hotel. The store was crowded with mostly older women, and it took a while to get served. Apart from pork buns, they also had dumplings, shumai, meatballs, and chimaki, all looking delicious. I decided to just get the pork buns this time, and they were bigger than I expected, filled with plenty of ingredients. Each bun cost 170 yen, which I thought was reasonable. They were tasty, especially when eaten with mustard or sauce. If you want to experience Osaka's gourmet food, this is a must-try dish.

Visited "551 Horai Uehommachi Kintetsu Store" located near Osaka Uehommachi Station, in the B1F of Kintetsu Department Store Uehommachi Store. This is a take-out specialty store. There is also a store on the 2nd basement floor where you can eat in. The pork buns at 551 Horai are hand-made at each store, with the secret being the chewy skin. You can even see through the glass the process of wrapping the filling in the dough. This store is always crowded, but this time I was able to buy without waiting. I bought the "A Set 1,310 yen" which includes 2 pork buns, 12 shrimp shumai, and 6 shumai. When I opened the box at home, the food was still warm and looked delicious. The pork buns had a thick and chewy skin, sweet and juicy with pork and onion flavors. The shrimp shumai was also delicious with a generous amount of shrimp. The shumai had a thin skin but was packed with meat and onions, juicy and flavorful. Perfect as a beer snack. I also tried the "Seafood Chumaki 350 yen" which was on sale. It was made with glutinous rice and had a rich flavor with a variety of seafood. The texture of the ingredients was great. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

Walking in Uehommachi, suddenly had an inspiration! "I haven't had a Penglai pork bun in a while...!" Oh no! Hurriedly dashed to the shop underground at Kintetsu! (lol) Normally, there's always a long line, but luckily it was empty! (Lucky!) The cheerful and friendly female shop assistant! You are perfect for Osaka's Penglai pork buns! !(^^)! Bought 2 for 320 yen, microwaved them at home, and enjoyed them wholeheartedly... So delicious~ Ah, I'm glad to be alive~ (*^_^*)

■Update History■ 2012.12.21 Photo posting, comment posting ■2012.12.21 Still, 551 pork buns are the best! ■Introduction■ Located in the basement of Kintetsu Department Store near Osaka Uehommachi. Today, I was thinking of getting some sweets as souvenirs, but when I passed by 551, there was always a line of people waiting. Usually, I would just walk past because I didn't feel like waiting, but on this day, there was only one person buying! Before I knew it, I had ordered six pork buns! (^^)v ■Today's Order■ So, I got six pork buns! *I just love them so much! On this particular day, the pork buns tasted especially delicious for some reason. The umami flavor with a hint of sweetness added made me like them even more. ■Comment■ Dim sum is famous in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but personally, I think 551's pork buns are the best in terms of being affordable and delicious! Thank you for the meal. (^^)v

It was around September, on a certain evening for dinner. I went to Horai, a small eat-in space located in the basement of Kintetsu Department Store in Uehommachi. This place is very easy to visit alone. I arrived at 7:00 PM and found that the space, with about 10 seats, was very popular and full. The customers included housewives returning from shopping, salarymen coming back from work, office ladies, and elderly men, among others. I ordered the "551 set meal" for ¥890, which included three items: salad, soup, and rice. On that day, the daily special consisted of mixed vegetables, sweet and sour pork, and small shrimp tempura. Everything was delicious, especially the mixed vegetables, which had a refined taste and were very tasty. The sweet and sour pork was also delicious, with lean pork meat used, making it very flavorful. The seaweed soup was light in flavor. They also offer free rice refills, but the portion was so generous that I couldn't have seconds. I found this place very easy to visit alone and I definitely want to come back again. I might try their lunch menu next time.

551 Penglai Kamihommachi Kintetsu Store (Gogoiichihorai) - Kamihommachi (Nikuman/Chinese buns) Address: 6-1-55 Kamihommachi, Tennoji-ku, Osaka TEL: 06-6771-6525 Business hours: 10:00-20:00 Closed: Same as Kintetsu Department Store Kamihommachi branch Gyoza (10 pieces) (¥260) Shumai (6 pieces) (¥390) Food/Taste: Shumai is full of ingredients and has a reassuring taste. Gyoza is better eaten on the spot rather than taking it home. Service: Specializes in takeout. Only one register can make it a bit inconvenient to purchase. Atmosphere: Located on the first floor of the department store basement. Cost performance: Gyoza is very affordable. Shumai is also reasonably priced. Great cost performance! I always end up stopping by 551. It would be even more appreciated if they had a wider selection of items.

<First Visit on 11/12> Well-known 551 Horai. I wanted to eat a little bit of Chinese food, so I decided to stop by here at the underground mall of Kintetsu Department Store. There are also places to eat in on the same floor of the underground mall. The 551 Horai here in the underground mall seems to be a small store specializing in takeout, so the variety is very limited. Some items are already sold as packaged products, making it a bit difficult to purchase. I ended up buying sweet and sour pork and shumai (6 pieces/¥390) from the available individual items. It was just right to satisfy the feeling of authentic Chinese cuisine at an affordable price. The dumplings seem to be very reasonably priced, so I'm considering buying them next time. I'll visit again when I have the chance.

In Osaka, there are 551 shops everywhere, including at the Kintetsu Department Store in Uehommachi. While the pork buns at 551 are a bit more expensive at 160 yen each compared to convenience store meat buns, they are consistently delicious. My favorite item at this shop is not the pork bun (although it is delicious), nor the shumai, nor the gyoza, but the sweet and sour meatballs. The fluffy meatballs are coated in a sweet and tangy sauce. Eating them with the mustard provided by the shop enhances the flavor. Sometimes I just buy the sweet and sour meatballs to take home. In those cases, I ask the staff to give me some mustard as they don't include it by default. There have been times when they were sold out while I was waiting in line, but lately they have been well-stocked so I always manage to buy some. I have seen other customers buying just the sweet and sour meatballs as well, so it seems like they are becoming more popular.

Upon returning from Nagoya on the Kintetsu train, I stopped by 551 at the department store basement for some takeout dinner. I purchased pork buns, meat dumplings, and shrimp dumplings. Both the flavors of the meat and shrimp were enjoyable, typical Osaka specialties, and I enjoyed them at home.

I got takeout from the Kintetsu store in Penglai Kamimotomachi. It cost 420 yen for 2 pieces. I had it as a snack after lunch. It has gone up in price, but that can't be helped. I hope it doesn't increase any further. I will use their service again.

The chewy rice cake is delicious. The Derby set with 4 different kinds of chimaki has 46 pieces, and the eel chimaki is the most popular. The sweet vinegar dumplings are fluffy and delicious. I enjoy the gentle sweet and sour sauce. The shrimp shumai has a nice shrimp aroma and a cute, small size. The texture is great when you bite into it.

It is easy to eat in bite-sized portions. It has a creamy texture and a rich shrimp flavor that tastes good. 12 pieces for 660 yen. The pork buns have thick, sweet dough and are delicious (^O^) It is said that they sell 64 million pieces a year. (From TV in November 2022)

I stayed at the Sheraton Hotel, so I went to Kintetsu for souvenirs. I found some 551 there, so I bought it and ate it in my hotel room. It was delicious as always! I didn't get heartburn and finished it all! The hotel room may have smelled a bit afterwards, but I'm satisfied.

On November 24th, it was introduced on TV. The pork bun has a sweet and delicious dough. The filling inside also has a spicy kick from onions and pepper. It's juicy. I had it for the first time in a while. It also has a good volume. I like to eat it without any sauce. According to a survey by Jalan News in February 2022, "551 Horai" is the most popular souvenir in Osaka. I also like the sweet and sour dumplings and shrimp shumai. I often buy them.