The Friday afternoon we visited Osaka Ohsho, not only was it packed with diners on an extended lunch cum merienda break, there was also a mad queue to get inside. The credit partly goes to Kris TV, which recently featured the restaurant, but the most compelling reason is its food: we’ve tasted it and it’s the stuff word-of-mouth successes are made of.
Located on the third floor of SM Megamall’s newest wing, Osaka Ohsho is easy on the eye with its bare walls and uncluttered seating arrangement, with tables set neatly against each side. The minimalist interiors set the tone for the small-portioned gyozas this restaurant (“The King of Gyoza from Osaka”) is known for.
THE FOOD: We started with the cheese gyoza, which came wrapped in a delicate but chewy skin that was charred on the edges to give it a mild crunch. When we bit into it, it revealed three cuts of finely seasoned pork and a beautiful fold of cheese that was warm, bold and velvety (there are two other types of gyoza available: nori and original). No wonder we felt overwhelmed by the crab cream croquette (PHP225/ two pieces), which came in blocks the size of a Muji pencil case, and oozed with cheese emulsion.
The surprisingly spicy Beef with Eggplant (PHP330), served with thinly cut meat served alongside chunky vegetables dripping in Hoikoro sauce, was the perfect dish to break our umay from the croquette. We followed that up with the endearingly tender Black Vinegar Chicken (PHP350), which was sweet and savory, what a treat! We were also impressed with the fine breading used in our assorted tempura basket (PHP450) which was fried to a perfect crunch.
THE VERDICT: Osaka Ohsho is rather affordable but the serving sizes are on the small side. There are set meals, which are perfect if you’re out dining solo. If you’re with a group, we suggest you order about three or four dishes to share; the flavors at this restaurant are bold, a single order just for yourself could tire you tastebuds out easily. Sampling the food is a far better strategy for enjoying The King of Gyoza from Osaka.
Osaka Ohsho, 3/F SM Megal Fashion Hall SM Megamall, EDSA corner Julia Vargas Ave., Mandaluyong. Tel. No. +63917 8285011
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