A Japanese restobar experience with a twist: Restaurant Utogaria (10. March 2020)
There are so many restaurants in Osaka, it’s really not easy to find one which stands out but the Utogaria seems to be a safe address for all tourists. When we got there, there were already other foreigners sitting at the long bar and eating their dinner. We went for “deep fried dumplings” (450 Yen) and “boiled edamame beans” (350 Yen). The dumplings were quite fried and, therefore, rather crispy (too much for my personal gusto) but the edamame beans were good and enjoyable.
The “deep fried rare tuna with mustard soy sauce (120gr)” (1’170 Yen) took quite some time to be produced but was worth the wait as the fish was good and the mustard soy sauce went quite well with it.
The “Karaage deep fried chicken” (500 Yen) which was next was good too – delicious in terms of seasoning and coating and quite some big chicken chunks (so you’d actually have meat to eat and not just a bunch of bones with a bit of meat).
The “Japanese pickles” (420 Yen) are interesting to try once. Not necessarily something I’ll probably grow very fond of but definitely interesting to try.
The “Sauce Yakisoba (which won the “Street Casual “B Kyu” Gourmet Award)” (750 Yen) were fried noodles with fish flakes on top which were absolutely tasty and a great ending to the savory part of the dinner.
The “Yuzu ice cream” (500 Yen) was refreshing and had a nice citrus flavor (as you’d expect). So, all in all, the dishes served in the Utogaria are definitely worth trying and a place I’d happily visit again.
I also liked the place because of the way it is decorated …
… the fact that you can watch the chef prepare the food right in front of you …
… and they mix all kinds of cultures to make the whole thing an experience.
Given the place is rather small (at least downstairs at the bar), it is highly recommended to book a table in advance (ideally via Facebook Messenger – at least that worked quite well for me).
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Utogaria
Nishi Ward, Edobori, 1 Chome−20, ４M1ビル
〒550-0002 Osaka (JP)
Tel.: +81 6 74 93 45 53
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
