Jackie_m
Last night, I swore to myself that I would never go back to the Chinese mama's snack bar, but I ended up going there again. Alcohol often gives people unbelievable power, but that power usually has a negative effect, as I have learned from experience. However, this morning was a complete turnaround with a clear blue sky. It's Friday, and my heart is filled with hope. I feel like I can leave behind that shop for good this time. I also promised myself to only try one new snack bar per night.
I went to "Osaka Osho Gotanda Store" after getting off at JR Gotanda Station. It was still before 11:30, so I decided to explore the area with my camera. I came across a shop on a wide street that boasted about its wonton noodles, and it was already packed with customers! The lively atmosphere made it clear that the food was delicious. I decided there was no room for me there and continued on. On the other side of the main street, the chain restaurant I visited in Shinbashi yesterday seemed to be open for business. Unlike the previous shop, it was quiet (really?), so I decided to go in. I ordered the "Revival Gyoza Set (12 pieces)" for 482 yen (excluding tax) and a "Rice Set" for 250 yen (excluding tax), totaling 805 yen including tax. The gyoza set came with chicken karaage, which I avoid at all costs, so I passed on that. I didn't want to diminish the significance of crossing the threshold of Osaka Osho two days in a row by getting the gyoza and mapo tofu set, so I carefully reviewed the menu and decided to get just the gyoza with the rice set to replicate yesterday's conditions. The price was almost the same, and I felt like I had upgraded with the addition of pickled vegetables.
I drizzled an appropriate amount of chili oil on the small dish and filled it with gyoza sauce. The gyoza had a similar style to the one at the Shinbashi store, with a single cooling fin in the center. The skins were a bit loose, but the gyoza itself seemed to be in better shape than yesterday's. The Shinbashi store had regular disposable chopsticks, but this store used reusable chopsticks. I prefer regular disposable chopsticks, not only for their functionality but also because of the Japanese concept of purity and impurity. The soup here was lighter in color compared to the murky one from yesterday, resembling a clear soy sauce broth. However, it was still a bit bland. I also noticed that there were two small dishes at each seat, and I realized that they were set up for customers to use both miso sauce and gyoza sauce. This made me think that they were actually setting them up fresh for each new customer, which improved my impression. It dawned on me, better late than never, that places like Osaka Osho, including yesterday's visit, don't stand out with a "This is delicious!" kind of feeling, but they also lack the unpleasant flavors (like the smell of meat) that you often remember from Chinese-owned Chinese izakayas. So, I started to convince myself that I should be satisfied with these gyoza...
