Our ULTIMATE Osaka, Japan FOOD tour! 🇯🇵 (10+ dishes!)

We have spent the last few weeks exploring Japan for the first time. From the bustling city of Tokyo to the historic streets of Kyoto, seeing Mount Fuji and the Japanese Alps, and getting a bit more off the beaten path on an epic camper van road trip. And one of the best parts has been the food. We have tried a lot of Japanese food during the last 3 weeks, and every single bite has been delicious. Well, mostly. Some of these foods were a bit adventurous for us. But before we leave Japan, there's still quite a bit more to taste. So for our final adventure in the country, we've hopped on a train from Kyoto to Osaka, Japan's ultimate food city. Nicknamed Japan's Kitchen. Here you'll find local delicacies, delicious sweet treats, and handheld snacks, plus some entertainment to go with your meal. And to experience it ourselves, we're going on an Osaka food tour, sampling some of the city's mustry street food and quick eats. All while exploring the city a little bit. We have a big list of foods we want to try today. And for our first stop, we got this famous cheesecake. It is massive. It is so jiggly. And we got one of the ones that was freshly baked, so it is still nice and hot. However, before we eat the cheesecake, there's one very important thing to know. It is not going to be anything like the cheesecakes that we have back in the US. So, it's important to have that expectation before you eat it so you're not disappointed. I'm honestly not really sure what to expect. It kind of looks like a like a soule or like a pound cake or something. You can pay extra to get some silverware, but we forgot to ask for it, so we're going to eat with our hands. Oh my goodness. Woah. It's very wet on the bottom. Huh. I expected it to be a bit more like fluffy and doughy inside, but it's kind of it's creamy inside. Wo. I don't know how to describe that. It's just slightly sweet and mostly just creamy. There are raisins in there as well that line the bottom. I expected it to be more crumbly, but it's really just I don't know. I think it has kind of an eggy texture to it. I can see if you were expecting a more traditional or what we think of as traditional cheesecake, you could be kind of thrown off when you try this. But if you go into it knowing it won't be like that, it's it's really good. Much better than I thought it would be. >> Just looking at it, it looks like it'd be really light and airy, but this thing is so hefty. It >> is hefty. And it's not a light snack. >> Yeah. >> We thought we could eat half of this in one sitting, but it's actually pretty rich. >> Yeah. I was expecting that like, oh, it's it's big, but it looks so fluffy that we'll just be able to knock it out real quick or half of it or something, but I don't know. It's It's heavy. That is an odd texture. It's almost like bread pudding like texture. I don't think I've ever had anything like this before. I like it a lot. I really like the raisins in there, too. Adds a little bit more sweetness to it, which I think I think it kind of needs. Before we grab our next food item, we're making a quick stop at Tasogare coffee stand. And this might be the coolest coffee shop we have ever visited. The interior has this stunning wooden design. From the menu board to the walls to even branches hanging from the ceiling. It kind of feels like we stepped into this bohemian treehouse or a garden or like a rainforest cafe or something. It's just really beautiful. And they actually let you pick which coffee beans you want for your drink. We both got flat whites and I got their light roast which has like flavors of peach in it. And as soon as I smelled it, I instantly could smell the peach. And we've tried a lot of coffee. We've sniffed a lot of coffee. And that was probably the first time that I sniffed coffee beans and I could very instantly smell the flavors they were promising it has. And even just smelling the flat white, it just smells like peach. So I don't know. She did warn me beforehand that it has a peach flavor. So maybe it's just going to taste like peach, not coffee. I don't not really sure what to expect. Okay, it tastes like coffee. I feel like it smells more like peach than it tastes like peach, but it does have this just really smooth kind of sweet flavor to it is delicious. And the mugs they serve it in, their whole presentation, everything here is just gorgeous. I've never seen a coffee shop so dedicated to just making sure everything fits the vibe. Everywhere you look, everything is just thought of. They've painted all the appliances like the receipt printers, the the coffee roaster, the espresso machine. There's all kinds of like wooden things everywhere and also leather goods like luggage and things on the wall and there's rocks everywhere. It feels like the entrance to an Indiana Jones Disney ride in here in in like the best way possible. I'm really blown away by this place. It's so cool in here. We've headed over to Shinsikai, which is known for being the more retro area of town. Here you can find streets filled with colorful decorated buildings, huge 3D sculptures, neon signs, and old school arcades. >> This area is wild. There are so many fun things to look at. >> And it all leads to the Sutenkaku Tower, which was inspired by the Eiffel Tower. But it's also the best spot to try one of Osaka's classic food items. Kushi katsu. Kushi katu are skewers of meat, seafood, and vegetables thrown into a deep fryer stick and all. There's a bunch of different options to try and we got a variety of nine of them. We have a little bit of everything. There's beef, shrimp, a quail egg, asparagus, rice cake, a pork cutlet, all kinds of stuff to try. The man that was sitting next to us when we sat down said the shrimp one was his favorite. So, I'm going for that one first. Oh, really good. It is so tender and moist in there. And then on the outside, it's nice and crispy, lightly battered, and the sauce is really good. It's kind of sweet, little tangy. >> It's kind of hard to tell what some of them are. So, I just picked this one because it looked good. And it'll be a fun surprise when I bite into it. I don't know what it is. It might be the the pork. It's really good though. Very juicy inside. We thought nine would be enough, but we loved it so much we had to get more. So, we actually selected the ones we wanted this time instead of getting the variety. So, we have some beef, some pork, some cheese, shrimp, and these like moshi balls of bacon. >> All right, Catherine just raved about this mozzarella cheese one. It's cheesy. It's freaking good. The best mozzarella cheese stick, fried cheese stick you could ask for. Our next stop may be one of the most popular street food spots in the city, as evidenced by this long line. This is Toyo, which became pretty famous in the last few years due to its feature on Netflix's Street Food Asia. And it's most known for its owner, Chef Toyo, and for his grilled tuna cheek, which he cooks with a flamethrower while using his bare hands right in front of you. >> Pretty excited for this. >> That was worth the wait. M. >> Oh my gosh, it melts in your mouth. M. I love the grill flavor. That is my favorite piece of fish I've had this entire trip. You always worry with these Netflix spots if they're going to live up to the hype, and we totally think it did. We also got some fatty tuna sushi, which was super good. But before you come here, make sure you check their hours because they're not open every day. >> So, we got there at 12:50, which was 10 minutes before they opened, and it is now 2:20. So, it took about an hour and a half for the entire experience. You do have to wait a bit for the grilled tuna cheeks because he cooks it all at once. And also, there are no seats. You just stand at a table with other people, which I think totally added to the experience. Since filming this video, Chef Toyo has decided to retire and pass down his idakaya to someone who has been working with him for 20 years. We are so grateful we had the chance to see Chef Toyo in action. And even though things may be a little different moving forward, we still highly recommend checking out this spot. Toyo is located pretty close to Osaka Castle, so we decided to take a little break from eating to walk around a little bit to work up more of an appetite. Osaka Castle was originally built in the late 16th century as a symbol of power and unity. However, over the years, it was attacked and destroyed, rebuilt, then struck by lightning and burned down before the version you see today was built in 1931. But despite being a newer castle, it is still absolutely beautiful with a striking white exterior plus gold accents. >> You can go into the castle, but we just decided to walk around the grounds, which is free and gorgeous. There are tons of pathways and gardens to explore. But our favorite part were the stones in the surrounding walls of the castle. Some of them were absolutely massive, just as big, maybe even bigger than the ones we saw in the Inca ruins in Peru. Another one of Osaka's classic dishes is okonomiyaki. A savory pancake with a flour batter, cabbage, and then a variety of ingredients like pork or seafood which is then cooked on a tap. And then once it's done cooking, a sauce and mayonnaise are added to the top. Okonomi is a Japanese term that means as you like it. So, you can customize these in a bunch of different ways, but we got this one with prawn on it. Actually had this in Canada of all places years ago. So, I'm excited to try this in Japan. >> Oh my god. The edge is good and crispy and then the inside middle and gooey. M. Tons of vegetables in there and the sweet sauces. Sweet and creamy sauces on top. Man, that's so good. M m. That sauce. Oh, it's sweet but savory at the same time. I also love how many vegetables are in this. It was so fun watching them make it because there was just this mound of cabbage and vegetables and then it just like really shrinks down as they cook it. We also got yaki soba which is a Japanese stir fry dish made on the tapon with a worstaser based sauce plus vegetables and your choice of meat. We had this near Fuji where we tried the local version of it but we're excited to see what the more traditional version is like. >> That is delicious. The noodles are both chewy and have a little bit of a crunch from the grill. I will say I liked the crispy pork bits in the one that we had near Mount Fuji. But flavor-wise, this one is just as delicious. I love that they serve it to you on the hot griddle so that it's always hot and fresh. And I actually think it tastes better the longer it sits there. Next up, we've headed to Doenbury, which is one of the most iconic tourist areas of Osaka. Located along the Doenbury River, it's known for its neon lights, entertainment, and bright billboards, which reminds us a little bit of Time Square. It is honestly such a fun vibe. But besides all the colors and the lights, you can also find quite a bit of street food here, which we are super excited to try. So, these little balls are takoyaki, a famous Osaka street food. They are a flour batter with octopus, pickled ginger, and leftover fried tempura batter, and then cooked in a special mold and then topped with takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, bonito flakes, and seaweed flakes. They are ooey gooey and piping hot. M. That might be one of the best bites of the day. The batter is just ooey, gooey. Like I said, the octopus in there is so good. Love the bonito flakes gives it a little smoky like umami fish flavor, salty flavor. And then the takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise is like creamy and tangy and salty. And it's just a wonderful, wonderful combo. >> This is one of the things Adam's been most excited about in Japan. It's supposed to be piping hot. That one was really hot. >> M. The gooiness inside kind of reminds me of the okonomiyaki. And the octopus just gives it a nice chew to kind of break up the gooness a bit. >> Oh no. >> Oh man. I was like, "This doesn't look like what I remember it looking like." Sad day. So, Japan is famous for having some delicious strawberries. They are said to be sweeter than the ones that we have back home. And at Strawberry Mania, they have all the fun strawberry treats. We got this mixed strawberry ice cream that had a nice plump strawberry on top that we will not be eating cuz now it has a hair on it. And we got dauku, which is mochi filled with red bean paste and topped with a strawberry. I got to eat the ice cream before we lose any more of it. M. That is delicious. It has a really strong strawberry flavor. >> They are strawberry maniacs. Strawberry mania. >> The strawberry is so juicy. This is a great combination cuz the strawberry adds sweetness, juiciness, and freshness. And then the red bean paste adds this kind of heartiness. >> That is a good combo. Over the trip, I've really warmed up to the red bean paste. I'm a fan now. This is 10 yen bread, which despite its name is actually 500 yen, but it is shaped like a 10-y coin. And it is a pancake- like batter that is filled with a hunk of mozzarella cheese. When I saw him put the cheese in there, I was shocked that that much cheese was going to be inside. I'm so excited. on their uh display, they show a cheese pole, and it looks really cool, but we're going to see if it actually happens in real life. >> Good one. >> Oh my gosh. It's like It's like a curtain of cheese. >> Yeah. >> Oh my gosh. Oh, it's so fluffy. It's all fluffy. >> It's sweet. The bread is sweet. I wasn't expecting that. I thought it'd be more just like a a plain dough, but it's sweet, fluffy, kind of dense, and moist. And then the cheese is just hot and gooey. Feel like gooey has been the description for a lot of words or foods today. Adam just got the largest cheese pull I've ever seen. Oh my gosh. >> M. It is like pancake batter and then >> slightly salty mozzarella cheese. Sweet. Salty. >> Perfect. >> Mhm. We've been trying to enjoy as many matcha things as possible while here in Japan. And when I saw a photo of this, I knew we had to come get it. This is a creme brulee matcha crepe. It is a matcha crepe that has a bunch of goodies inside, I think, including matcha ice cream and then they put all this sugar on top and they creme brulee it. It looks Oh, it's got a little crack like little uh crunchy top. Oh my goodness. Even if it didn't have the creme brulee top, the flavors inside are incredible. Just such a good strong matcha flavor, but that creme brulee top takes it to the next level. >> Yeah. >> There's walnuts in there, too. Like a bunch of whipped cream. I >> think there's some berries. I got a berry in my second bite. >> The creme brulee top is unreal. Different textures going on in here. Also different temperatures of things. This is awesome. Before we hop on the train back to Kyoto, we have one final food item we wanted to try. Beef Katsu sandwich. >> Look at that. We came to this tiny late night walk up stand that's open until 500 a.m. that specializes in a bunch of these sandwiches. And we got their premium beef one which is breaded and then sandwiched between some toasty bread. We've been eating a bunch of these sandwiches from the Kambinis, but this one looks way better and you're paying for it. It's a lot more expensive. M. Oh my gosh, that's so tender. It's got like a maybe a teriyak sauce in there with it, too. I did not expect that meat to be so tender. That is ridiculously good. Oh >> wow. That is one of the most tender pieces of steak I've ever had. Wow. I did not expect it to be this good. I think I might cry. Wow. I actually have tears in my eyes. That's so good. M. Oh my. >> Wow. >> I might cry. That's so good. >> Kind of mad we saved this for the end. >> We should have gotten here at 4:30 a.m. Gotten one of these. Came back when they opened, gotten another, and then came back again right now to get another. We'd have no money left, but we would have been even happier today. It's safe to say that the food in Osaka blew us away. I'm never going to forget that sandwich. We couldn't have asked for a better grand finale for our time in Japan. And even though the food was a big highlight for our time in Japan, there is so much more that made our time in this country special. The last 3 weeks were filled with the perfect mix of exciting cities, stunning nature, meaningful cultural experiences, and truly some of the kindest people we have met anywhere. But there are also a lot of things the camera couldn't really capture, like feeling in awe of so many little details and intentionality, the joy of sitting on a heated toilet seat, and the excitement of late night runs after a long day exploring. Just like every country we visit, we are leaving here with a slightly different perspective. This was definitely just our first taste of Japan, and we cannot wait to come back here again and again.