Akashiyaki at Kuishinbo

I randomly found this, ultra-famous-listed-in-every-magazine-shop-right-in-downtown Osaka the other day. Really I’m a loser for not knowing about it earlier…
The name of the store is KUISHINBO, 「食いしん坊」 which means “GLUTTON” or, less dramatically, “big eater” in English.

The shop is in Shinsaibashi, walk down to the Apple Store, turn right into America-Mura, walk down to Triangle Park.. Keep going on the right side of the park, past McDonalds (right on past!), cross the big street and it on the right side.

The store is famous for their Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, Akashiyaki, and pretty much anything else they happen to throw together. Also it’s cheap.
The portions are BIG. This is the first time EVER that I have actually had to get a doggy bag in Japan. Not only that, but because the store also has a window where you can order stuff and eat it on the street, they actually had the equipment necessary to prepare said doggy bag.

Excellent.

The picture above. Is SOBA-MESHI. Soba as in noodles, meshi as in rice. Plus, in this one… squid, beef, shrimp, hotate (clam?), octopus, eggs, green onions, ginger…

The list goes on and on. This Soba-Meshi isn’t joking around. It’s got GUU (具).

Last but certainly not least. The picture below is AKASHIYAKI. Akashiyaki is like Takoyaki, but it is from… well… a place called Akashi. Inside you still have octopus, but it is not cooked as much and is very soft. Also, you dip the entire akashiyaki into that soup in the same picture before eating.

The soup is called “dashi”… Contents unknown.

You dip it in order to add to the flavor of the akashiyaki, and also… if you ask me… to cool down the akashiyaki so it doesn’t burn your tongue!

I’m gonna miss the food in Kansai when I go back to Kanto area!
Map to Kuishinbo.

- Harvey