Japan times - part 8: Yakiton in Namba, Osaka

Earlier this year I spent two-and-a-half weeks in Japan, eating and drinking my way through a destination I've wanted to visit for more than a decade. This is the eighth of several posts of food, booze and sights in Japan.

Emon(?) Yakiton restaurant in back street of Namba, Osaka, Japan

You've probably heard of yakitori grilled chicken bits on a stick, but what about when it's exclusively pork? It's then called yakiton, translating to 'grilled pork'.

We discovered this one night in Namba, Osaka as we made a beeline for the busiest restaurant in the quaint back streets. Sitting at the restaurant's counter overlooking the narrow kitchen, we were told, "only pork".

Food menu

Perhaps we should have clued on to the whole manner of piggy items at the counter: toothpick holders, shichimi chilli powder shakers and the adorable, snout-branded wooden menu cover.

Drinks menu

Getting over our initial surprise as I'd not heard of yakiton previously, we loaded up on all manner of pork skewers and had a fabulous time at it, as everyone else seemed to be having too.

There was a slightly-difficult-to-read drinks menu rolled up in a makisu sushi mat, but I always feel that beer or a haibooru whiskey and soda are the best drinking partners for a session of grilled food.

Pickled cabbage

A bowl of lightly spicy, pickled cabbage came along first as if preparing us for an onslaught or porky goodness.

Grilled pork shoulder

We fumbled through the menu with some help from a chef who had a smidgen of English under his belt. We started with pork shoulder on the skewer; which was certainly some of the juiciest and tastiest pork I've ever had.

Grilled pork

I don't quite know what the next skewer was but the chef pointed to his own rib/ side/back area.

It apparently wasn't belly but had similar rows of alternating meat and fat in an insanely rich few mouthfuls that definitely needed booze to wash down.

Grilled shitake mushrooms

Vegetables were deemed necessary at this point although we never would have guessed that the most amazing shitake mushroom dish would be had here, in a yakiton pork temple.

Grilled for some serious colour, the mushrooms were basted in soy sauce and other secret ingredients as they cooked, resulting in amazing smoky, earthy and sweet flavours.

Grilled okra

While I'm increasingly liking okra, it had the unfortunate luck of following the amazing shitake mushrooms. Nonetheless, their seedy insides helped on the vegetable scale.

Grilled pork stomach

Back to the pork, I thought I had cleverly translated an item as pork belly - rather, I'd ordered two skewers of pork stomach which is common in Chinese cuisine.

Not overly thinking it, the stomach was fine with more of a soft crunch as a feature as opposed to any particular flavour.

Pork meatball with raw egg yolk

We'd encountered and loved tsukune chicken meatballs a few times already, so the pork version was an easy choice. Served traditionally with a raw egg yolk, it was an excellent rendition and not too unlike a chicken one.

Pork meatball with cheese

But amping it up was the cheese tsukune option. Served with a tomato sauce and melted cheese of sorts, the parmigiana style was a total winner - as you'd imagine pork on a stick with cheese would be.

Avocado on the grill

We kept an eye out on other diners' orders for inspiration and spotting the half avocado on the grill getting the baste treatment, it was another necessary notch on the vegetable count.

And not to mention the extreme curiosity around cooked avocado.

Grilled avocado with miso sauce

Caramelised at parts and served with a wedge of lemon and thick, miso-based sauce, the avocado was kind of what you'd think cooked avocado would be - warmed up avocado.

Finished skewers

Having amassed a fairly impressive collection of used skewers, the kitchen staff seemed very pleased that two Aussies were sitting, drinking beers and eating their yakiton. I'm not sure if there were dessert options on the menu, but we'd pigged out plenty enough for one night in Namba anyway.

Interior walls

More Japan posts to come. See more photos from my Japan trip on my Facebook page.

What's on Crown? Watts on Crown!

Voucher deals seem to have lost their sheen within a relatively short period of time. While I've had a few regretful purchases, on the whole they've been good for this consumer.

A little while back a voucher brought me to Watts on Crown in Surry Hills; a newcomer to the busy, ever-changing strip, boasting an ex Rockpool chef in a cosy neighbourhood bistro setting.

Sparkling wine at Watts on Crown, Crown Street, Surry Hills

Seated at a slightly awkward table in the front window, it was sparkling to start the three course meal as part of the deal.

In addition to some voucher guests, it was encouraging to see constant bunches of locals walk by, peer at the menu on the door and walk in, with more room and tables upstairs in the restaurant of refreshingly low-key fitout.

Grilled quail with chorizo, braised peppers and crisp basil

With plenty to tempt on the succinct menu, the quail entree took my fancy. Colourful with braised capsicums and crisp fried basil leaves, the small bird was well cooked though as always, required a bit of finger work to eat.

The slices of quality grilled chorizo added saltiness and substance to the small plate.

Chicken liver parfait with red onion marmalade and toast

The generous serve of chicken liver parfait, topped with a deep red jelly, arrived on a wooden board with cornichons, bread and marmalade, completely dwarfing the quail.

The gorgeous Sonoma white sourdough, toasted, made the perfect raft for the thick, pink and creamy parfait, of which there was plenty for extra bread even.

I didn't love the marmalade, which was fine as cornichons are my accompaniment of choice with livery parfaits.

Pan fried gurnard with bouillabaisse sauce

For mains I chose a seafood extravaganza in the pan fried gurnard fillet with bouillabaisse. The fish was perfection in its crisp skin, propped up by cubes of potatoes.

The mussels and small, head-on prawns were also well cooked in the tasty bouillabaisse sauce, with more bread on hand to mop up the juices.

Grilled rump steak with Cafe de Paris butter and watercress

The rump steak was an easy pick for the protein-hungry, and it was classic bistro fare served with the complex Cafe de Paris butter melting all over, a watercress salad and fat chips on the side.

Perfectly medium-rare, the thick piece of meat was mostly tender and completely indulgent with the buttery sauce.

Chips and caramelised Brussels sprouts

The fat chips were great - utterly fluffy within but crunchy on the outside - but I was smitten with the whole Brussels sprouts, flecked with almonds flakes sticking to their sweet, caramelised and grilled surfaces.

Mandarin creme brulee

There almost wasn't room for dessert, but as part of the deal, I persevered. The creme brûlée was a complete delight, served with a piece of shortbread.

Cracking through the toffee roof, the just-sweet-enough custard featured whole, fresh segments of mandarin - the citrus zing refreshing and unusual all at once.

Chocolate fondant with vanilia bean ice cream

The chocolate option was hard to beat though, with a well formed fondant outer revealing a gooey, hot river of chocolate lava which was completely decadent with the vanilla ice cream and nut brittle.

Completely stuffed, the rest of the room and upstairs were still going strong, with the open kitchen looking quite peacefully organised. Who would have thought Crown Street needed a classic bistro, but judging by the weeknight crowd and easy, pleasant menu, Watts on Crown seems to be just what the strip needed.

Crave-ing a Sugar Hit: Azuma dessert bento box

Crave Sydney International Food Festival officially kicked off yesterday (following the lavish launch at Flying Fish last Thursday night with live marron on display being my highlight).

I often reach eating capacity before I get to dessert, but the opportunity to preview Azuma's Sugar Hit for this year's event meant dessert before dinner and none of the normal capacity issues.

East meets West Dessert Bento Box at Azuma, Chifley Square, Sydney
for Crave Sydney International Food Festival

Presented in classy, almost kaiseki manner with separate little components, Azuma's dessert bento box offering has to be one of the better value-for-money Sugar Hit options.

In addition to, essentially four mini desserts, diners get a choice of a glass of Brown Brothers dessert wine or green tea, as well as a small serve of sake. The nigori cloudy white sake was my pick over the plum or yuzu nigoriflavoured sake.

Home-made yuzu sorbet

It's a good idea to start with the scoop of yuzu sorbet. It is a perfect balance of sweet and citrussy tart, with the added whimsical pleasure of pop rocks that tingle, sparkle and pop on the tongue.

Kawaii panna cotta

The Japanese style panna cotta is made with both soy and cow's milk. It is made spectacular - not by the cutesy fruit face or soba buckwheat noodles fried crisp and sweet - but by the toffee-caramelly brown sugar jelly at the bottom of the martini glass.

The jelly is made from an Okinawan sugar and syrup which is an Azuma family recipe, and it's pretty special.

Gateaux chocolat (front), Marble Gateaux Cookies (back, right) and nigori yuzu sake

The marble gateaux cookies were short and sweet, while my favourite had to be the slice of gateaux chocolate, topped classically with berries and fresh cream.

Again, Azuma turns the normal into something special with an addition of candied violet 'pebbles'. The sweet floral fragrance from these purple bits amazed me - and I only wished there was more.

It was also impressively light in flavour and texture, as Azuma strives to use techniques that use less sugar, cream and other fats.

Crave Sugar Hit at Azuma

The Brown Brothers Cienna Rosso dessert wine is apparently a new variety. Served chilled, it's sweet with berry notes and best paired with the chocolate desserts.

Another year, another Crave - let the month of eating and drinking begin.

Food, booze and shoes previewed the Sugar Hit as a guest of Azuma.

Note: Azuma announced his three Regent Place, George Street outlets - Kushiyaki, Azuma Patisserie and Ton Ton - will close during October. New, nearby locations are planned in the near-term. Their Crave Sydney International Food Festival events will all be taking place at Azuma in Chifley Square.