kuroda
Connected directly to the Kintetsu Minami Osaka Line, Osaka Abenobashi Station, and located very close to Tennoji Station on various lines, is the Harukas Dining occupying the 12th to 14th floors of Abeno Harukas. A Chinese restaurant opened this year (2021) on the slightly casual 12th floor. The interior of the restaurant mainly consists of table seats, but there are also 10 counter seats, which are rare for a Chinese restaurant, for a total of 62 seats. All the staff seem to be from China. The menu, presented in a heavy booklet, includes various popular Chinese dishes, noodles, dim sum, as well as various set meals combining these dishes. This time, I decided to try the "Pork and Century Egg Congee" (680 yen) and the "Xiaolongbao" (4 pieces for 640 yen). After a short wait, the congee was brought to the table. On the tray were the congee, two small dishes, a spoon, and a large ladle. The congee was served in a generous portion, making me wonder if I could finish it all. The congee was naturally hot. It was cooked with century egg, finely sliced pork, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach), carrots, baby corn, and various other vegetables. When I took a bite, the soup's umami flavor came to the forefront, with the century egg adding depth to the taste. Surprisingly, the strong flavor of the century egg was subdued. The rice grains retained their shape and had a slightly sticky texture. Although the portion was generous, I was able to easily finish it as it smoothly went down my throat. The Xiaolongbao arrived a bit later. Inside the steamer basket were four traditionally shaped Xiaolongbao. I tried to lift the first one carefully but failed! It tore and the soup spilled out. So, I gave up and carefully brought it to my mouth with a spoon, and even then, the ginger-flavored soup overflowed. The taste was rich, despite being slightly light. It went down smoothly, and the texture of the skin was also good. With the hot congee and Xiaolongbao, my body felt warm. I started sweating on my forehead. This combination is perfect for the middle of winter.