I visited 551, a representative gourmet spot in Osaka located on the basement floor of Hankyu in Umeda for the first time. They only sell freshly made hot products, no refrigerated items. You cannot buy chilled products to take home to Tokyo and share with your family. At most, you can bring them on the Shinkansen to enjoy on the way back. The shrimp dumplings (600 yen) were decent. They were tasty enough and I could see why they are praised for their cost performance. The meat bun was filled with plenty of meat juice and had a rich filling, very delicious. To explain to someone from Tokyo who hasn't tried it, it's similar to the meat buns at PAO PAO in Tokyo's depachika. They are a bit small and cost 200 yen each, which is great value. I feel like I'll end up buying these every time I visit Osaka.

During a busy lunch hour, the Western restaurant I wanted to go to had a long line... so I went to 551 Horai near the station instead. I had the Tianjin rice. Surprisingly, the rice inside the Tianjin rice was just plain white rice! Maybe I should have ordered fried rice instead... Thank you for the meal!

It was back when Gogatsuyama was still in high school. He was working part-time at Horai with a classmate, and they were discussing "What is the best food in Horai?" Horai is known for its famous 551 pork buns that everyone loves. Naturally, one would think that's the best. However, his classmate boldly declared, "The scallop-filled shumai is the best." What? What's that? Is that even available in Horai? Fast forward 30 years, on his way home at Hankyu Umeda Station. He suddenly saw a signboard with a limited-time menu: Kyochiku Shumai (scallop and pork shumai). A luxurious taste packed with the umami of scallops and pork. Memories from high school came flooding back. Was he referring to this shumai? Let's try it, the one he said was the best at Horai. It was just before 8:00 pm, with only two customers waiting at the register. This Horai branch usually has a relatively short line. The Horai display inside the store was tempting with pork buns. Conflicted between the desire for pork buns and the Kyochiku Shumai, he decided to get the Kyochiku Shumai 16-piece set (960 yen) and the shrimp shumai 12-piece set (660 yen) to go. Stepping onto the train, the scent of 551 filled the air. This aroma, whether from pork buns or shumai, was the same. Upon arriving home, he immediately tried them. - Kyochiku Shumai: Bite-sized. When he took a bite... Hmm, it's okay. It's a tasty, meaty shumai, but the scallop flavor isn't as strong as expected. - Shrimp Shumai: Bite-sized. Wrapped in a yellow skin, it had a hint of the atmosphere of Ichibatei. When he took a bite... Oh, the shrimp is so plump! Combined with the pork and onion flavors, it was really delicious. And so, after over 30 years, he confirmed that, personally, the shrimp shumai from Horai was quite delicious.

♪Let's go eat, let's go to Hourai♪ (Composer: Kidataro) Whenever I see that red 551 sign, I can't help but be drawn in. Am I the only one? ◎2 pork buns, tax included 380 yen♪ No need to say more! ◎Sweet and sour dumplings, tax included 350 yen♪ I bought it for the first time, and it's really excellent!(^^)! It's great as a side dish for lunch, and the sauce is generous so you can also mix it with stir-fried vegetables! ◎6 shumai, tax included 420 yen♪ ◎Chimaki, tax included 350 yen♪ Seafood and pork, both made with sticky rice~ Whenever I eat at 551, I can't help but smile(^^)♪

While in Osaka, I realized I hadn't tried the pork buns from 551. I couldn't leave without trying them, so I bought some at the 551 store in Umeda Station. I decided to do a simple twist on the sweet vinegar dumplings to make them like sweet and sour pork while heating up the pork buns. I quickly cut up some vegetables, stir-fried them, and added the sweet vinegar dumplings. I cooked it just enough for the sauce to thicken. In about 10 minutes, I had a pork bun sweet and sour pork set meal ready. The sweet vinegar dumplings are delicious on their own, but sometimes I like to have them as sweet and sour pork. Just like in the commercials, seeing 551 always brings a smile to my face.

I have never encountered a pork bun that surpasses the 551 Horai pork bun. As a reward for finishing work, I purchased it! Of course, I ordered it "hot and fresh!" Enjoyed it at home with a beer! It was still warm since I bought it hot! "Ah, it's delicious as always!" Just as I expected. I couldn't resist and ate two in one go. Looking forward to enjoying the reward pork bun again next year!

I bought 2 warm pork buns and 3 packs of sweet vinegar dumplings. The sweet vinegar dumplings can only be purchased at the department store basement. They cannot be purchased at Shin-Osaka Station, so I went out of my way to buy them at the department store basement. I like to stir-fry onions and mix them with the sweet vinegar dumplings and red bean paste for added volume and vegetable intake. I buy extra because they can be frozen and eaten later.

I purchased shumai, pork buns, and Chinese sticky rice from 551 Horai. I would rate them as follows: pork buns ☆5, shumai ☆4.5, and sticky rice ☆4. I regret not using a steamer to heat them up, as they would have all been rated ☆5. I was only able to take a calm photo of the sticky rice, as I forgot to take pictures of the pork buns and shumai since they were too delicious. Additionally, I pan-fried the last 5 shumai, and they were also incredibly tasty. I once again realized how amazing 551 Horai is. Thank you for the meal<(_ _)>

We had a reason to go to Umeda with my husband, but in the end we couldn't buy what we wanted (lol). "Since we came all the way to Umeda, why not have some ice cream?" So, before heading back to Ibaraki, we made a stop and bought ice candy, meatballs, and shrimp dumplings. The ice cream was delicious! We got the meatballs and dumplings to go. We hadn't been to this shop before, but we were surprised that they were still open in this situation.

On the way back from Osaka, I always buy something at Hankyu Department Store... This time, I bought 551's pork buns. They wrap the filling in a skin, creating a live sensation that brings back the deliciousness in my head and mouth. 551's pork buns are so popular that their bento boxes with a variety of side dishes and generous portions are also very appealing. Next time, I'll try their bento boxes as well. In the end, as usual, I bought 4 boxes of 2 pork buns each. I heard on TV that sprinkling salt and olive oil on the pork buns makes them really delicious, so I tried it... Hmm, it must be a trick to make cheap pork buns taste better. For 551, I prefer just simple mustard. My husband, who used to enjoy traveling alone, would always ask Japanese people he met abroad what they would want to eat when they returned to Japan. Two people in a row mentioned 551's pork buns (while I would prefer freshly cooked rice with grilled salmon and a hearty miso soup). When we got back, we immediately looked it up, ordered some, and were amazed by the deliciousness. But it's true that it's better to eat them right away rather than frozen. That's right, it's hard to resist buying them, so I tried making something similar at home with more strong flour, but it's still not the same. The convenience store's premium meat buns are also good, but for this taste and size, the price is a good deal. I buy various souvenirs when traveling all over the country, but everyone at work and at home is always so happy with 551, so I'll definitely keep buying them every time I go to Osaka.

During the New Year's holiday, most shops are closed, but chain stores like this in the station are often open. When that happens, I tend to go for something I know tastes good. Penglai's pork buns and shumai are one of my favorite B-class gourmet foods. It's a shame they don't go well with wine, but on a cold day, eating a piping hot pork bun that's too hot to hold in your hands may be quite a luxury. Even with just two pieces, I finish them in no time.

I've mentioned it before, but the best time to visit Taketoi, located nearby, is Sunday before noon. There were about 10 people in line, but only one person was ordering, so I quickly got my turn. I got two meat buns for 380 yen. Oh, it's a shame that it went up by 40 yen. It's almost 200 yen per bun now. Later that day, I saw lines of over 30 people at Kyoto Station and nearly 40 people at 551 in Itami Airport. If you're heading back from Itami via Umeda, buying here is the best choice. I'm glad I didn't have to wait in line! Thank you for the meal.

Visited in October 2019. I had some business in Umeda that day. After finishing my errands and heading back, it was already evening and I was starting to feel a bit hungry. I had been curious about trying the pork buns from 551 on the Hankyu train for a while, but I never had the courage to buy one. Since I was in Japan, I decided to buy some delicious pork buns to take home. I waited in line and purchased 4 pork buns for 700 yen and a pack of 10 sweet vinegar dumplings for 350 yen. I thought they would make a nice addition to my dinner. Having pork buns as a side dish might seem a bit strange, but the pork buns from 551 have a rich and delicious flavor. It's safe to say that 551's pork buns are a well-established soul food in Osaka. Thank you for the meal!

This summer, for the third time, I bought ice candy every time I went to Umeda. This time, I also bought azuki flavor for the first time. It was refreshing and delicious. I also purchased a cooler bag, which can also be used for keeping food warm, and bought ebishumai and gyoza. From now on, whenever I go to Umeda, I will bring this bag with me.

On a very hot day in Umeda, after shopping, my son wanted to have some ice cream, so we decided to stop by the Hankyu Station to try 551's ice candy. We tried a pineapple flavor on the spot and ended up buying a total of 7, which included a box and dry ice as a service for purchasing 6 or more. They assured us that the ice candy would be fine for 2 hours, so it was a perfect souvenir for our family. While pork buns are a classic souvenir, ice candy might be a good option to buy and bring back. It seems like a convenient gift for friends and family in places like Nagoya or Tokyo if traveling by Shinkansen. Highly recommended for Osaka souvenirs this summer!

I usually use Hankyu trains, so this 551 shop is the most convenient for me. It always seems crowded in the evening, and when I went on a weekend evening, there was a line extending outside the store as expected. However, the turnover of each line is fast, so purchasing is relatively smooth. I bought 2 pork buns (380 yen) and steamed rice cakes (various types for 380 yen each) and ate them at home. The steamed rice cakes were sold out for the warm ones, so I bought chilled ones. There were three types: pork and chestnut, chicken and quail egg, and seafood. The pork buns are as expected, with a thick skin, a hint of sweetness, and delicious meat juice. The steamed rice cakes, when reheated, had chewy rice and large ingredients that didn't overpower each other, and they were delicious. The seafood one had a salty Chinese flavor that I particularly liked. It's a bit pricey, but the classic flavors that never get old. I will buy them occasionally.

I love chimaki so much! I found out there is a special deal day and I was so happy that I immediately bought some. It's so delicious and chewy! However, I noticed that only the pork buns have a strong smell. But then I realized that the chimaki might have an even stronger smell! During rush hour, I got quite a few stares. I hope someday they invent a bag that doesn't give off any noticeable smell (lol).

Unintentionally, the takeout here is reasonably priced and delicious, with a great location. It's located inside Hankyu Electric Railway Umeda Station, next to Takei. This was my first purchase here. The sweet and sour (meat) dumplings are good on their own, but if you're having it with beer or something, ask the lady to add some mustard to give it a bit of a kick. It goes well together. Thank you for the meal. Thank you for visiting and reading. Release 2019 Nankaihawks1's gourmet guide. Nankaihawks1's blog: http://hawks1.exblog.jp/

I went to Osaka to use up my Youth 18 Ticket before it expires. I bought two boxes of 551 Horai's pork buns, each containing 2 buns, for easy carrying. The department store basement only sells warm pork buns, so you can eat them right away. The ones with lots of onions are delicious.

"551 Hourai Hankyu Umeda Station Store" is a restaurant where I tried the "pork bun" at Hankyu Umeda Station in Osaka, and I happened to stop by out of curiosity about the shop's products. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ■ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■ Hankyu Umeda Station Distance from Hankyu Umeda Station to the store: approximately 0m 2nd floor, central ticket gate * * * * * * * Latest as of December 2018 * * * * * * * "Cash on Delivery" method ◆ Pork Bun @ 170 yen "The Hourai Honkan Corporation operates a Chinese restaurant in Namba, as well as wholesaling refrigerated and frozen foods such as pork buns to supermarkets, cooperatives, and station kiosks, with mail-order sales being the main business. The origin of "551" in 551 Hourai comes from the company's goal of aiming for the best in taste and service, in line with the fact that the store's telephone number was "551" at the time of establishment. Also, the hint came from the brand of cigarettes the president was smoking at the time, which was "State Express 555." At 551 Hourai, they do not sell frozen pork buns, and each store sells freshly made ones wrapped by hand." ● I ordered 4.21 pork buns. I was pleased to receive them piping hot. Size: Approximately 7.5cm in diameter, a medium size in the Chinese bun world. Dough: Chewy and elastic with a hint of sweetness, very delicious. Filling: Made with pork and onions, juicy and flavorful filling, very delicious. With chain expansion and this level of quality being provided, the standard is quite high. **Rating is based on the pork bun category** ==================================================================