A well-known kappo restaurant famous for its kaiseki cuisine is located in Shinsaibashi. Despite not having won any Michelin stars, the restaurant has a rating of 3.60 on Tabelog as of August 8, 2023, which is just considered a good restaurant. The restaurant seems to only offer an omakase course, with reservations only requiring date, time, number of people, and name. The concept of kappo cuisine by the head chef, Mr. Okuda, focuses on bringing out the maximum potential of the ingredients (enhancing them). The basic seasoning is light, slightly sweet, and a bit savory. The philosophy is to season the dishes without overpowering the natural flavors of the ingredients. The dishes we had that day included appetizers (young burdock), hassun (firefly squid, edamame, squid ink, etc.), sashimi (sea bream, squid, medium fatty tuna, fatty tuna), soup (tofu skin, taro, shrimp, rape blossoms), grilled dish of sea bream's milt and sea bream's roe, grilled horse mackerel, rice with salmon roe, and dessert. The appetizers and hassun were safe choices, but the sashimi was mediocre, especially the tuna. The sea bream was the best among them. The soup had a kombu-based broth, with the bonito flakes not overpowering, creating a well-balanced flavor. The grilled dish was average in terms of quality and cooking. Some of the ingredients were questionable in quality, and the preparation did not impress. The bamboo shoots and rockfish were seasoned slightly sweet and savory, with the wild chive adding a nice touch to the dish. This level of seasoning seems to be the balance the restaurant aims for to harmonize the flavors of the bamboo shoots and rockfish. The dishes were slightly sweet and leaning towards savory, with a subtle umami flavor from the bonito flakes. The seasoning was light, staying within the realm of mild flavors. It left a good impression. While bold flavors like those at Honkogetsu are popular, the subtle seasoning of this restaurant might not appeal to everyone. However, considering the quality of the ingredients, one might expect more given the price of the course. The service and atmosphere were good. The boisterous head chef is well-known, but the female owner also seems to enjoy chatting with customers. There is no need to feel tense at any point. Reservations are easy to make, and the restaurant is convenient to visit.

I visited a restaurant in Osaka where you can enjoy unique dishes that are characteristic of the region. It seems they focus on bringing out the natural flavors of the ingredients and use a special broth in their cooking. Personally, I found the taste of the clear soup with shijimi clams to be simple yet delicious, with a perfect balance of sweetness from the kelp and the aroma of bonito. The owner recommended some excellent sake options, so if you're unsure, it might be a good idea to leave it to them.

Last time, I didn't feel the rumored greatness, but this time I was impressed by the natural softshell turtle broth. The delicate broth, combined with the gelatin and umami of the softshell turtle, was delicious! I could drink it endlessly! It was a refined and deep broth, not too light or too strong. I can understand why chefs come here to train... Natural ingredients really make a difference in gelatin. The mushrooms were also delicious, but the softshell turtle was so amazing that it was a bit pitiful, haha. Since I've started to understand its value more on my second visit, I want to come back again when the season changes.

I had heard that this place is famous for its dashi, so I decided to visit for the first time. The bamboo shoot and kelp dashi was very gentle, but I found it slightly lacking in flavor. The Thai whitebait and fish roe omelette was excellent, with the dashi being my favorite part. The simmered rockfish was also delicious, although the variety of dishes left me wanting more. I wished I could have tried more types of soup and dashi since the place is known for it. The restaurant is not smoke-free, and the smell of cigarettes from nearby private rooms took away from the delicate flavors of the dashi. It would have been better if there was a more serious environment to fully appreciate the delicate taste and aroma of the dashi. The atmosphere was casual and not too formal, but with the prices averaging around 23,000 yen for the courses, it didn't feel cheap. I noticed that other reviews praised the sea cucumber and softshell turtle dishes, so I might consider visiting again if the opportunity arises.

On this day, I was invited to the "Kue Festival" held regularly during this season. The festival featured a menu focused on kue dishes. Each customer was served the same menu, which included a bottle of beer, cold sake, fried kue, simmered kue, grated enoki mushroom salad, matcha sherbet with sweet red bean, and more. The slices of kue sashimi were incredibly thick and had a firm texture, with a rich flavor and elegant fat. The simmered kue was cooked perfectly, with a subtle sweetness that complemented the natural taste of the kue. The meal ended with a delicious porridge made with the chef's special broth, which enhanced the flavor of the kue. Overall, the meal was a showcase of the restaurant's expertise in highlighting the natural flavors of the ingredients, particularly through their flavorful broth. The only downside was that the smell of the chef's cigarette was somewhat bothersome.

I visited Umeshi-san two weeks in a row. Last week, the boss invited me to come eat kue on the 29th, so I took advantage of it and visited unexpectedly. I ignored all my other plans and pretty much came to Osaka just for this, but that's a secret... In conclusion! The kue was amazing. The fried scales were amazing, the sashimi was sweet and amazing, the skin boiled with liver was amazing, the radish and simmered dish were also amazing, and of course, the hot pot was amazing. The rice porridge at the end was also super amazing. I'm sorry, but I haven't eaten anything like this before, so I can't come up with a clever comment. It was delicious, no complaints. I'm glad I came. Thank you for the meal.

I visited this restaurant based on the recommendation of a foodie friend. The owner is a skilled chef who specializes in "Kansai cuisine," also known as "Osaka cuisine," which focuses on using high-quality ingredients and creating delicious broth without overpowering the natural flavors. The food here was simply amazing, with a perfect balance of flavors. The chef's expertise was evident in every dish, especially in the soup, which was mind-blowing. The restaurant is a hidden gem with a unique atmosphere, and the sake served here was exceptional. From the appetizers to the main courses, each dish was a delight to the senses. Overall, a fantastic dining experience that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for authentic Japanese cuisine.

The turtle dish was so delicious that I thought it might be the first time I've ever truly enjoyed it.

Near Nagahori Bridge Station, on a back street close by, there is a mixed-use building on the second floor with a square green sign with white letters that reads "Umeshi." Upon climbing the stairs and opening the sliding door, you are greeted with a unique atmosphere, featuring a deep white wooden counter surrounding the cooking area, and private rooms as well. This is a traditional Osaka-style restaurant serving "Kansai-style cuisine," which can be succinctly interpreted as "cooking with good ingredients and good broth." It is said that the owner, who was tired of heavy flavors, enjoyed dining here. The kitchen is run by a head chef and a young apprentice, with the head chef being a well-known figure in the Kansai culinary world. There is a sense of tension in the kitchen, and the guidance given to the apprentice is strict in a positive way. On the other hand, the head chef is talkative and shares interesting stories from his training days and about cooking. This time, I tried the kaiseki course. The sake was from Toyama, and the sake cup chosen was made by a Living National Treasure, as casually mentioned by the staff. The appetizers and the first course were all excellent dishes that paired well with the sake. The meticulous preparation of the ingredients was evident. The soup dish was outstanding, showcasing the true essence of dashi broth. The highlight was the mackerel sushi, which was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted in my life. It was so good that I asked for seconds, despite it being a kaiseki course. This place is amazing, and I am grateful to have been brought here. The songs "Tsuki no Housenzan Yokocho" and "Naniwa Koishigure" kept playing in my head throughout the meal. It's that kind of place. It may not be suitable for young people, and it could be a hit or miss for those from the Kanto region. If you can enjoy it in the spirit of the owner, then you should definitely visit. I will definitely come back without hesitation. I will make time for it no matter how busy I am. I will fast before my next visit.

Exceptional Conger Eel Hot Pot

High-class traditional Japanese cuisine. It was delicious. The extra dry sake called Sakamatsu paired well with the dishes.

It was amazing.

I experienced the essence of Japanese cuisine.

The natural hot pot was amazing.

Traditional cuisine This visit is the third time, about a year since the last visit. Located on the west side of Minami Police Station in Shinonochi, on the second floor of a building, Umeshi-san. The location is a bit hard to find, but the staff kindly guided me and I found it right away! Inside, there is an L-shaped counter, and at the back of the entrance, there is a sunken tatami private room. The length of the legs and the height of the tatami were a bit too low, which was a bit disappointing. This restaurant is a rare place where you can smoke while eating. In this day and age where non-smoking is the norm, it is a happy place for smokers. The meal started with Nuta-ae, and then three types of appetizers (one with trout sandwiched between lotus root, stacked conger eel, mashed edamame dumplings, and ginkgo nuts). The main dish was Hamo from Oma, sea bream from Akashi, and a soup with duck and winter melon from Senshu. The hotpot came out with a whole fish and was served in front of us. It was accompanied by white rice. Finally, there was a peach from Okayama. Overall, the impression was of traditional Japanese cuisine with a mild and non-overpowering flavor in dishes such as the main dish, hotpot, and rice. Personally, I enjoyed the duck hotpot, but I felt that a little more creativity would have been nice. I ordered bottled beer and got Ebisu. For sake, I had a sake from Senshu (forgot the brand), which was light and didn't overpower the food. When I ordered another one, they brought out Uragasumi Extra, which was very fruity and easy to drink. The owner, who enjoys chatting, showed me a set of five Inuhai cups from the third generation Kakiemon. It cost 1.2 million yen when purchased. Thank you for the meal.