We used it for a company-related social gathering! It's been a year since the Michelin one-star chef Essawada opened a casual Chinese bar. Finally, we were able to go while checking the budget. The location is on the first floor of the Ohatsu Tenjin Back Approach in the Ohatsu Tenjin Street Shopping District in Umeda. It's located inside on the right side. It's surprising to see owner chef Shuhei Sawada at the entrance of the counter! We were guided to a table in the middle with 5 people. Unlike the main store, which is a Michelin one-star restaurant with course meals, this place offers a la carte options that are casual and wallet-friendly. They also have signature dishes and dishes using seasonal ingredients, making it suitable for regular use. We ordered a Qingdao beer, which was refreshing with a good balance of flavor. The appetizer was a combination of 4 dishes served on 2 plates. The jellyfish was thick and crunchy, the steamed chicken was tender and moist, and the cream cheese with Shaoxing wine sauce had a subtle aroma. We also enjoyed a bottle of Emilia Novas red wine that was well-balanced and full-bodied. The stir-fried water spinach had a perfect crunch and authentic flavor. The sweet and sour pork with black vinegar was crispy on the outside and tender inside. The mapo tofu with shirako lacked a bit of spiciness but was still flavorful. The crispy chicken, a specialty dish, was presented whole and then cut into easy-to-eat pieces, reminiscent of Peking duck. The Shanghai highball was a refreshing drink to accompany the meal. We shared the char siu fried rice, which was rich in flavor, and the tantanmen with white miso broth, which was delicious with its thin noodles. Overall, the a la carte dishes were of high quality, typical of a Michelin one-star restaurant. The prices are a bit on the high side for a bar-style establishment in this area, but it's worth trying before going to Essawada. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal (╹◡╹)♡

Located in the back alley of Ohatsu Tenjin in Umeda, you can find a casual version of the authentic Chinese restaurant "Esusawada" called "Chuka Bar Sawada". You can enjoy the high-end taste of the original restaurant in a more casual bar style setting. Their signature dishes include the Crispy Chicken (half for 4,708 yen, whole for 9,108 yen) and Mapo Tofu (1,628 yen), both of which are delicious and must-try items. The chef, Katsube, skillfully prepares the dishes right in front of you, adding to the fun and excitement of dining at a bar. Other recommended dishes include Ebi Mayo (1,650 yen), Ebi Cha-han (1,738 yen), assorted appetizers (1,650 yen), and Dim Sum platter (990 yen). Starting from April, they have introduced new items like the Ebi Su Mochi Pork Spare Ribs with Doubanjiang Steamed (880 yen) and the Spicy Stir-Fried Shrimp with Chili (1,980 yen), which are both flavorful and delicious. Every dish is meticulously prepared by Chef Katsube, showcasing a high level of sophistication and refinement. Be sure to visit and try their amazing dishes! Follow my Instagram for more foodie updates → @misa_stagram_osaka.

Chinese bar Sawada in Osaka Umeda Urasando has been on my mind for a while. It was even more delicious than I expected and I'm hooked. I'd like to visit Es Sawada someday too. ❤️‍ #Osaka #OsakaGourmet #OhatsuTenjin #OhatsuTenjinUrasando #ChineseBarEsSawada #ChineseBar #UmedaIzakaya #UmedaGourmet #Michelin #MichelinOneStar #EsSawada #Urasan #Tabelog3.5andAbove #TabelogOsaka #TabelogHighRating #LikeForLike

It was located on the back approach to Ohatsu Tenjin. It was a Sunday night, and it seemed difficult to get a reservation without one. I ordered half a crispy chicken, an appetizer assortment, mapo tofu, and rice. The crispy chicken was indeed delicious. All the appetizers were tasty as well. Personally, I liked the cream cheese and jellyfish. My wife had beer, lemon sour, and highball, while I had Qingdao beer and oolong tea. My wife didn't seem to like AO's highball much and left it unusually. The mapo tofu had a strong flavor with the kick of sansho pepper, making it a good match with rice. The spiciness can be adjusted with chili oil, so even if you're not a fan of spicy food like me, it's okay. The appetizers and crispy chicken were delicious.

I have visited the main store in Kitashinchi many times and heard that a sister store has opened. Visiting the new store, I found that it had the same feel as the original Kitashinchi store. The menu is typical of a Japanese casual Chinese restaurant. The interior and exterior are a bit stylish with prefabricated fittings. The taste is... well, it's just "average". It might be just right for young students. I didn't take photos of the dishes halfway through.

Three of us girls came to the restaurant after work. The place was packed on a Friday night. We started with the eel marinated in Shaoxing wine appetizer, followed by a mixed appetizer platter, saliva chicken, shrimp with mayonnaise, mapo tofu, xiaolongbao and shrimp shumai, sweet and sour pork, and shrimp fried rice! Everything was delicious. However, it wasn't mind-blowing. The cost performance is not great...

〜Information〜 ☆"Chuka Ryori Esusawada" Bar-style Restaurant☆ Esusawada has 2 locations in Osaka Naniwabashi and Tokyo Hiroo, both of which I visited with a friend. We ordered a variety of dishes including Esusawada's Bang Bang Chicken, Shrimp Mayonnaise, Black Vinegar Sweet and Sour Pork, Crispy Chicken (half), Mapo Tofu, and Rice (small x2) along with drinks, totaling around 6000 yen per person. 〜Memo〜 I learned that "Chuka Ryori Esusawada" continues to earn Michelin stars and decided to have a casual girls' night out with a high school classmate. It can be tricky to choose a restaurant when dining with people of the same generation, considering the price range, but with a Michelin-affiliated or sister restaurant like this, we could visit with peace of mind. We ordered a few items from the a la carte menu to share between the two of us, and we quickly found ourselves quite full. Here is what we had that day: ◉ Esusawada's Bang Bang Chicken A unique twist on the classic Bang Bang Chicken with black sesame, adding depth and sweetness that paired well with the chicken. ◉ Shrimp Mayonnaise Generously coated in rich and sweet mayonnaise, this dish was devilishly good. The shrimp was flat and crispy, providing a delightful texture. ◉ Black Vinegar Sweet and Sour Pork Made with Awaji Island's Ebesumo pork, this dish had a balanced black vinegar sauce that was delicious. However, there was a lot of sauce left over, so having a side dish like steamed buns would have been nice. ◉ Crispy Chicken (half) A signature dish of the main Esusawada restaurant, served with various seasonings for dipping. It was enjoyable to try different parts of the chicken in different ways, and the aroma of the oil and the crispy skin were delightful. ◉ Mapo Tofu ◉ Rice (small) We wanted to try Dan Dan noodles or fried rice as a finale, but we were both too full. With drinks included, it came to almost 6000 yen per person. Overall, it was a good balance for a bar-style restaurant in terms of portion size and taste, making for an enjoyable girls' night out. Thank you for the meal!

In the Ohatsu Tenjin area, there is a bustling area packed with various types of restaurants. On this day, I had a reservation at a Chinese restaurant. The Michelin one-star Chinese bar, Sawada, is a casual bar with a vinyl entrance, but inside there are counters and tables, making it a comfortable dining space. The menu is à la carte, so you can order what you want to eat. Here are some of the dishes I tried: - Anago marinated in Shaoxing wine with sansho pepper as an accent - Assorted appetizers: Steamed chicken with scallion sauce, jellyfish, cream cheese with Shaoxing wine sauce, and char siu. It was a bit small for two people, but each dish was delicious. - Dim sum platter: Xiao long bao, shrimp dumplings, and shumai. They were served hot and fresh. - Shrimp chili: Large and juicy prawns in a chili sauce that goes well with rice. - Black vinegar sweet and sour pork: Juicy pork with a sweet and sour sauce that pairs well with the black vinegar. - Crispy chicken (half): The chef's signature dish, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. - Pineapple fried rice: A flavorful fried rice with pineapple, a bit heavy towards the end. All the dishes were of high quality and delicious. Despite being a casual restaurant, you can enjoy authentic flavors. As the night went on, the restaurant became full, showing its popularity. I wanted to try more dishes, but it seemed impossible to try everything in one go. Overall, it was a delightful dining experience. Chinese Bar Sawada Phone: 050-5456-0897 Address: 2-9-17 Sonezaki, Kita-ku, Osaka Ohatsu Tenjin Ura-Sando https://tabelog.com/osaka/A2701/A270101/27113311/

I made a mistake with the reservation time and arrived about 30 minutes late, but the staff was very understanding. The Bambangie they served was delicious and the pineapple fried rice caught my eye, so I tried that instead of the shrimp fried rice I originally wanted. I definitely want to try the shrimp fried rice next time, but the pineapple fried rice was also delicious.

In a corner where stylish shops line up, there was a hidden gem. I had mapo tofu, chicken with spicy sauce, jellyfish salad, and lychee pudding. Each dish had a unique flavor and looked beautiful. They were all delicious. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

I had high expectations for this restaurant, but I felt that the shark fin lacked flavor and deliciousness in its seasoning, and while the chicken was tasty, it became a bit greasy after a few bites. I didn't feel as enthusiastic about the other dishes. The smoke was a bit overwhelming, so I hope they consider better ventilation. Thank you for the meal.

On Tuesday at 6:30 pm, the restaurant was almost full but we were able to get a table just in time. It was a Chinese bar-style restaurant called Essawada, well-known in Osaka for authentic Chinese cuisine. - Assorted appetizers (1,650 yen): A combination of jellyfish, cream cheese, steamed chicken with scallion sauce, and homemade char siu. The jellyfish was particularly delicious with a nice crunchy texture. - Saliva chicken (920 yen): The chicken was incredibly tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked, bringing out the deliciousness of the chicken without being too spicy. - Mapo tofu (1,628 yen): A perfect harmony of spiciness, numbness, and umami in the mapo tofu. The aroma of the oil and spices that hit your nose is irresistible. - Dim sum platter (990 yen): This restaurant had a casual Chinese bar atmosphere where you can enjoy drinks along with authentic Chinese dishes. #Chinese #ChineseCuisine #Bar #Dinner #HigashiUmeda #OsakaCity #Osaka

Crispy chicken is really delicious. Jellyfish has an impressive deliciousness and goes perfectly with wine! Crispy chicken is also delicious, but steamed chicken is also very tasty. If there was a restaurant nearby, I would want to eat lots of jellyfish and steamed chicken.

Visited with 4 colleagues around 6 pm on a weekday. The small restaurant had about 20 seats and was already full by 6:30 pm. The customers were diverse, including couples, groups of women, and work colleagues, but mainly in their 40s. The appetizers were surprisingly delicious, raising our expectations for the main dishes. Everything we tried was delicious, but the mapo tofu was exceptional. If you like spicy food, be sure to try it with the Sichuan chili oil. The staff were friendly, and we definitely want to come back to this restaurant.

This street, where bars are densely packed in the back alleys, has a nice atmosphere. The signature dish that the person at the next table was eating, Crispy Chicken, was already sold out around 7 pm. They said we should make a reservation for it next time. They told us that last order is usually around 1 hour and 30 minutes. The taste was truly amazing, as expected from Mr. Sawada.

I visited this restaurant with high expectations as it is frequently featured on a certain menu judging TV show and is known for being lively. The mapo tofu was indeed delicious. However, it was not quite like the one featured on the show. It lacked spiciness and had a strong numbing sensation from the Sichuan pepper. It could be described as a Chinese-style version of meat miso tofu. Without rice, the flavors can be a bit overwhelming, so it's best paired with alcohol. The drinks are priced around 800 yen, which may be considered a bit high. It truly lives up to being a restaurant owned by Mr. Sawada.

I received some recommendations and ordered dishes with a mark on the menu. The best dish was the fried rice. The fluffy meringue was also very delicious. The assorted appetizers with 5 varieties were excellent, especially the steamed chicken. I was able to walk in without a reservation on Sunday at 8 pm.

It was a long time since my last visit. I came with a friend who loves the cold noodles here and really wanted to eat them, but surprisingly they were no longer on the menu... I also love them, so I secretly hoped they would make a comeback. We ordered the crispy chicken on a hot plate and appetizers first. While enjoying the appetizers with some drinks, we decided on the rest of our order. I've been on a bit of a diet, so I couldn't eat as much as before and ended up taking some of the chicken home. They happily wrapped it up for me to take away! It was still delicious even when cold. The place is small, so be careful with big bags or luggage. Haha.

As always, high quality! We ordered crispy chicken, hollow heart vegetable, yakisoba, fried rice, and mapo tofu, and everything was authentic! The casual atmosphere makes it easy to relax! Unlike typical Chinese restaurants, it's innovative to find a place where you can enjoy high-end dishes in a comfortable setting. ◎

A cozy restaurant with a back-alley vibe. It's smaller than expected, so you may need to make a reservation to get in. It's more casual than fancy, with delicious dishes that are on the rich side. The menu isn't very extensive, but it's a great spot to go with friends for a laid-back meal.

Mysterious Gourmet Exploration Team in Osaka. Tonight, we tried Chinese cuisine in Osaka. We visited a Chinese bar called Sawada near Higashi-Umeda Station. It's a casual version of the Michelin-starred Essawada, and it's also been selected as a Bib Gourmand. The restaurant was fully booked with reservations. We started with a toast with beer. The glasses were quite long and slender. We ordered steamed chicken with green onion sauce (920 yen), xiaolongbao (600 yen), and shrimp chili (1,680 yen) to start. The appetizer (500 yen) was a scallop dish. The piping hot xiaolongbao was delicious. The shrimp in the chili dish was nice and firm. The beer was going down smoothly. For the second round, we ordered highballs. We also added daikon mochi (600 yen), mapo tofu (1,628 yen), and shrimp fried rice. The daikon mochi was like deep-fried and different from the usual, but it was delicious in its own way. The total bill for two people was around 10,000 yen. It may be a bit pricey for a casual Chinese restaurant in town, but all the dishes were great. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

My friend was always full and couldn't get in, so they were happy to finally get in by making a reservation at 5:00. The appetizer platter, stir-fried greens, shrimp chili, mapo tofu, and fried rice were all delicious and paired perfectly with wine. The crispy chicken, in particular, was amazing with its crispy skin and juicy interior.