Ginpei Dotonboriten — Restaurant in Osaka

It was my last dinner in Japan before flying back home. I was looking for a quiet, cozy place to find some reprieve from the bustling Dotonbori streets. I had a quick look on Google Maps and this place had excellent reviews, so I tried to show up even if I had no reservation. I got lucky!

The waiter warned me that the menu wasn't available in english... but I thought I could manage using Google Translate; after all, it had served me well during the whole trip! Alas, I was so wrong 😂 the menu was beautifully handwritten and little could do a phone camera to unlock its secrets.

I was about to give up and admit defeat, but the waiter saved the day (and my dinner) helping me choose!

...the food was outstanding. Spectacular presentation, amazing taste, and I had the joy to be able to see the chef at work!

It was a great way to close my trip to Japan. I hope to come back sooner or later, but by then I better learn some...

We left USJ to head back to Dotombori in search of dinner and fish for dinner. Behold, we had inadvertently ordered 5 fish dishes! Yes, 5! Apparently there is no English menu and the translated image of the menu do not accurately tells you the actual info. The waiter has to use Google translator but still the order was too much… haha.

But I was glad to try the entire fish selections (I think) on the menu for this restaurant. Grilled, soup and fish mixed in rice… yummy, definitely fresh and umami. I ate every part of the fish including the eyeball and it was just gooey and soft exactly how I like it. If you add the sashimi, it would have been 6 fish dishes.

There were kneeling, standard and counter seating where available, so you are spoilt for choice.

Thanks for...

I visited this restaurant for the first time in 13 years. I used to frequent this restaurant when I was working in Osaka last time. I had the impression that they served fresh seafood caught in Wakayama, delicious, reasonably priced, and beautifully presented. When I opened the door this time, I was relieved to see that the atmosphere inside the restaurant was the same as before. I ordered 5-6 of my usual dishes, including their signature dish, sea bream rice. The sashimi platter was more beautiful than ever. The cod stew was well cooked and soaked in broth, soft and crumbled in the mouth, and very delicious. And the sea bream rice was very elegant, with a slight sea bream flavor. The taste and atmosphere have inherited the tradition, but it seems even...