Slowly but surely, Osaka emerges from Kyoto’s fine-dining shadow
A single clam and lotus croquette crowned with a halo of crisp lotus root sits poised in a pool of delicate cream. A drizzle of emerald parsley sauce harmonizes the dish with its freshness and earthiness.Both visual and textural perfection, the dish is part of a course at Liaison, a Michelin-starred establishment in Osaka, and served up by chef Yuji Tsuji, who was working his second to last night on the job in late October. After joining the high-end restaurant in 2021, he helped it earn it one Michelin star three years in a row, a distinction reflected in his creative dishes such as a pillowy soft steamed rabbit — a bold choice in Japan — with spaghetti squash and carrot sauce, which makes distinctive use of cumin foam, and a pan-fried foie gras and anago (conger eel) married with the deep umami of matsutake and richly spiced wagyu consomme.It’s a setting that stands very much in contrast with the stereotypical image of Osaka’s food scene dominated by okonomiyaki (savory pancake), kushikatsu (breaded skewers), takoyaki (octopus dumplings) and other examples of so-called B-kyū (B-grade) cuisine, the Japanese term for cheap yet delicious comfort foods. An exit survey of visitors at Kansai airport in December 2024 showed that 80.5% reported B-grade cuisine as one of the activities they enjoyed when staying in Osaka, far outstripping what they pursued when staying in other towns and regions.
