Omurice @ Hokkyokusei, Shinsaibashi, Osaka

 

Omurice is just a simple dish with rice, egg and some sauce mixed together when you think about it. So if a shop is going to us this as their main pillar, you got to know that they are pretty confident in what they are doing. And no other place exudes that confidence like Hokkyokusei. Considered one of the best omurice in the country, I was definitely keen in trying this during a work trip lunch break. 

Classic tatami dining area. Dont worry, there is space under the table. 

The establishment is located in the heart of the entertainment district of Dotonbori. And for over 100 years, they have been selling this fusion dish with great care and precision. Even when you enter the place you can feel the history and nostalgic feel of the area. We sat at tatami mats and the center of the building has a small Japanese garden which allows for light to come in as well. Very very fancy. 

Hefty

Being the bastion for egg and rice, it just makes sense to get that as the first order. And for that you are given several options, like the type of filling and also the type of sauce your rice and eggs are cooked in. There are also various side dishes you can choose from like fried goodies and salad. But I am a greedy person and I was a very hungry one at that. So I decided to get their special lunch place as it will have everything! Specifically, it has a karaage, a fried shrimp and some salad alongside the rice and eggs. And it stood for a modest 1480 yen. And the plate that came forth was an amazing sight for sore eyes. The fried goodies were golden brown and the rice sits in a side glistening just waiting to be devoured. Ketchup was selected as it is the classic option and it definitely was the right choice. However, I think some extra ingredients have been included and the ketchup is recooked, as it does not have the chunky and sticky texture you get when it is out of the bottle. I think you know what you mean. 

However, it was not just all aesthetics as I enjoyed this lunch alot. That tomato based glaze then envelops the egg and rice perfectly. The egg was cooked to perfection, while it blanketed the rice. The rice was also pretty tasty, and you can feel its seasoning covered in each grain. This was not boring, despite omurice being somewhat of a simple looking dish. The side dishes were no slouch either. 

Golden brown

The karaage was extremely juicy and the crust felt like I was going into a rice cracker. I can feel the crunch every time I sink my teeth into it. And the juices just came out like a torrent of violent flavour. It was so good, that I think coming here just for the chicken was worth the journey. But that is not all, the breaded shrimp was also amazing. 

Crunch time... this was so good. 

The outer crust also had a crunch to it, although somewhat different as compared to the chicken. It had more jagged edges like a bed of cornflakes. The shrimp was also very fresh. So fresh in fat, this could easily be an entre in a seafood izakaya. No jokes or superlatives on that one. The salad, well, was there I guess? At least it helped to even out all the carbs and oil and bring everything down into a  more balanced lunch. 

The scenic garden inside. What a nice view. 

I think you can guess by now that I really enjoyed my meal here. I mean, it is hard to think otherwise. Everything was on point food wise and the ambience was like a retro time capsule which helps. Long story short, you need to come here if you like omurice or even good food in general. So if you fancy a go, which I hope you already do, the address is as follows:

2 Chome-7-27 Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0086

Front of the house. You cannot miss it.