Opium @ Utsubohonmachi

March 31, 2021 Dave Perry

***Scallop and kiwi carpaccio in sanshō pepper vinaigrette sauce***

***Green pea sformato in gorgonzola sauce***

***Spaghetti with fried aubergine in tomato sauce***

***Clams and rape blossoms in bottarga sauce with squid ink Tagliolini***

***Sautéed red sea bream in sauce Americaine***

***Roast Rib pork in lemon sauce with roast potatoes***

***Framboise and white chocolate terrine with pistachio parfait served with berries***

Established in 1984 by owner-chef Nishimoto Junzo as ‘a little Italy in the city for the enjoying of delicious times,’ Opium is a delightfully addictive restaurant near the east end of Osaka’s Utsubo Park.

Spread over two floors, the tastefully appointed interior evinces a mixture of old world charm and nostalgic, colonial-era South East Asia aesthetics, resulting in a cozy yet elegant setting in which to enjoy accomplished cooking and fine wines.

The menu offers lunch and dinner courses, as well as a la carte options, to suit a variety of appetites and purses, while sommelier Ishigaki Ayako’s unfailing hospitality, as she acquaints guests with a 900 bottle cellar encompassing 90 regional Italian varieties, ensures a memorable experience.

La Cucina Italiana Opium

06 6447 1044

Freeman Shokudo @ Nishihara

March 29, 2021 Dave Perry

Currently the darling of Tokyo’s ravenous insta-gourmands, Freeman Shokudo is an exceptional pit-smoked BBQ joint created and curated by erstwhile Brookyln reggae DJ Jeremy Freeman and local BBQ legend Sou Ieki of Hatos Bar fame.

The simple interior is dominated by an immense speaker and turntable combo, providing a reggae soundtrack with occasional forays into The Beatles’ back catalogue, and a fridge stuffed with a rich variety of beautifully illustrated canned and bottled craft beers and a few pricey wines.

Billed as ‘Brooklyn backyard BBQ,’ the food is all bold, smokey flavours and super-tender meat served in immensely satisfying US-sized portions with tangy pickles, sauces or mustards. Particular favourites are the meaty half- or full-rack spare ribs, the 250g melt-in-your-mouth home-cured, pit smoked pastrami sandwich and the moreish pulled pork and smoked mackerel sandwiches.

Freeman Shokudo

03 6317 7262

Tonkatsu Katsuichi @ Meguro

March 21, 2021 Dave Perry

The most reasonably priced and generously portioned among Meguro’s big three tonkatsu houses, Katsuichi is considered to rank in 2nd place behind the venerable Tonki and ahead of our personal Meguro favourite, Tiahou.

In business since the mid-1980s and now with the second generation master at the helm, this compact yet homely basement eatery is steeped in a rich Shōwa era charm complete with a gyotaku adorned ceiling memorializing the master’s fishing exploits. Although mostly frequented by regulars the welcome to the uninitiated is invariably warm.

The menu ranges from weekday lunch sets, katsu-curry and katsu-don to breaded oysters, but it’s the seminal loin and fillet cutlets, served with pickles, miso soup, rice and mountainous freshly sliced cabbage (wonderful with the sesame dressing!), for which this restaurant is famed. Although less refined than the cuisine at Taihou, the coarse, crispy bread crumbs and thick cut, juicy pork result in an exceptionally robust tonkatsu experience.

Tonkatsu Katsuichi

03 3779 3388

Braceria Delizioso Italia @ Ebisu

February 25, 2021 Dave Perry

***Porcini and bacon cream sauce tagliatelle***

***Beef cheeks braised in red wine with mashed potato***

***Lemon cake with machedonia and vanilla ice cream***

Since its late-2017 renovation and relaunch, Braceria Delizioso Italia’s focus on robust Italian cuisine marked by quality ingredients, preparation and presentation has laid previous gripes to rest. The prefix lunch and dinner courses, which allow selection and sharing of dishes from across the entire a la carte menu, are particularly generous.

Despite the elimination of pizzas from the menu it remains impressive in its scope; from catch-of-the-day seafood, charcuterie and seasonal vegetables to moreish risottos, lasagne and a pasta offering encompassing no less than twenty regional sauces for pairing with a selection of ten different fresh and dry pasta varieties.

The kitchen also prides itself on the range of cattle, sheep and goat cheeses incorporated into its appetizers, mains and desserts, although as the ‘braceria’ moniker suggests, choice meats grilled upon an Okibii wood-fired kiln are the house speciality.

Braceria Delizioso Italia

03 3440 5510

Ironbark Grill & Bar @ Ginza

February 14, 2021 Dave Perry

***Amuse of beetroot purée with almonds and olive oil***

***Tasmanian ocean trout tartare with carrot puree, salmon roe and feta cheese***

***Premium natural beef flat iron with parmesan polenta, bok choy and shallot pepper sauce***

***Rib eye with parmesan polenta, bok choy and shalot pepper sauce***

***White chocolate parfait with Nutella ice cream, berry sauce and crumble***

Ironbark Grill & Bar is a pleasant lunch spot within the stylish Ginza 6 mall that riffs of past Salt Grill & Tapas Bar glories while no longer living up to them. It touts itself as a contemporary Australian restaurant with a focus on authentic Aussie ingredients and spices combined with the culinary influence of diverse regions and cultures.

We’ve yet to have an unsatisfactory visit, although a cursory glance at online kuchikomi reveals a chequered history of poor service and a ‘tourist trap’ mindset that, with the exception of woefully over-priced table wines, seems to be mostly remedied.

Ultimately, and especially for those who remain ignorant of the culinary depths of The Ginza, this is accessible premium economy dining by the numbers; the set lunch courses provide attractively presented, uncomplicated cuisine and cost performance that will neither disappoint nor excite.

Ironbark Grill & Bar

03 6264 5402