Fujiya 1935 — Restaurant in Osaka

Had high expectations for this restaurant because of its Michelin rating. Upon our arrival, we were welcomed into a small dimly lit waiting area with 2 other parties. The seats were an awkward height to the table, and the space was not all that comfortable of the tight quarters. We noticed the party next to us had a guest wearing casual jeans and a hoodie, but the restaurant didn’t seem to mind. The hostess brought out welcome drinks for the party next to us, and ours didn’t arrive until 5 minutes later, even though we all arrived at the same time. We weren’t actually seated in the restaurant until 10 mins later, when we were led up the stairs, passing the chefs who welcomed us on the way in. The restaurant is a renovated apartment building, beautifully designed with 4-5 tables per floor. We sat at our table for another 10 min before we were finally served water, and the first part of dinner seemed like the staff was playing catch up because they seated too many tables at the same time. Service was polite, but not particularly personable, and everyone spoke English well. Food was actually quite delicious, although I’m not sure I saw any Spanish influence in particular. The Chef had trained in Modena, Italy and a wasabi pasta in particular was excellent. The menu was very fall-inspired; we loved the airy pumpkin bread, the toasted brown rice risotto, and the roasted chestnuts that really invited all senses into the Japanese countryside. There was also a few seafood presentations from Hokkaido such as an Amberjack that was beautifully plated, just lightly seared. At the end of the night, one of the chefs walked us out and gave us a very warm send off. For a 2 star restaurant (it used to have 3), Fujiya is very reasonable priced, and the food is simple and delicious. It is unfortunate that the night did not start off the same...

My wife and I have been to 20+ Michelin starred restaurants, and Fujiya 1935 has to be one of the best ones. I would say, value-wise, it is THE best one. The cooking is impeccable, and every single dish showcases the seasonal Japanese ingredients well. It was an emotional experience, invoking a great sense of the seasonality and Japanese beauty. The chef is also generous in using super luxury ingredients, such as Hokkaido salmon roes and WHITE winter truffle!

The flavors are sophisticated, delicate and surprising. The seating is very spacious and comfortable. The service is amazing, even by Japanese standards. The incredibly young and talented chef would bow and watch you leave until you disappear from his sight.

The only thing I would hope it to improve would be the wine pairing. For the price tag, I would expect slightly higher caliber wines. I am willing to pay more money, for more premium wine pairing. I hope the restaurant would offer a more expensive version of wine pairing. For instance, for the venison course with mushroom sauce, an earthy Barolo or Brunello would be so perfect, but instead a rather simple South African Carb was selected. Perhaps in Japan, it is just the norm to over-charge for alcohols compared to European countries. However, the wine pairing was in general done very thoughtfully, and the wines do accentuate the flavors. I particularly enjoyed the Sake pairing, with the lightly cooked grouper course.

All in all, I would not hesitate to come again. Perhaps I will order a good bottle of white wine instead of doing the pairing.

If they up the wine game, I think it is just a matter of time when they get back the third...

Nestled between two buildings with a discrete entrance, Fujiya 1935 is a Three Star Michelin restaurant serving contemporary European influenced dishes prepared with seasonal Japanese ingredients. The interior of the restaurant is elegant and understated with a minimalist decor accentuated by natural lighting. Dishes are expertly cooked and presented beautifully. Service was flawless, with staff taking the time to explain each course in detail. Most surprising of all was the fact that Chef Fujiwara personally came by to talk to us at the end of the service to ask us about our experience. For us, Fujiwara 1935 represents a must-try for those in the Osaka area. Unlike many establishments of this calibre, we found the experience to be warm and inviting offering a personal connection between the food and the...