May
2, 2002 — A
stunning Japanese garden greets you as you pull into the parking
lot behind Osaka Japanese Restaurant. Half a block past Yeager's
Sporting Goods on Northwest Avenue, this tranquil haven is a
surprising sight just a few steps from the heavily trafficked
street.
A simple wooden bridge arches over a small pond, filled at one
end by two waterfalls over a wall of rocks. Sand, rock, wood,
bamboo, vegetation, statues and murals decorate the expansive
space. It's an impressive welcome as you park in the restaurant's
lot and make your way inside.
The décor inside is simple, light and welcoming. Light wood
wainscoting wraps around the C-shaped dining room. Green plants
and touches of bamboo peek from various spots and grids of light
wood decorate the many windows.
Full of intriguing options, the menu is vast: sushi, teriyaki,
katsu, yakisoba, tempura, donburi, rice bowls and more. We settled
on a couple of appetizers and two entrees, and enjoyed sips of
Sapporo while waiting for our starters.
Arriving almost immediately after we placed our orders, two
cups of miso soup and two wide, shallow bowls held a tasty cold
salad of noodles, several small shrimp, sesame seeds, cucumber and
a tangy rice vinegar dressing.
My husband declared the miso soup fantastic, and I had to
agree. It's one of my favorite Japanese dishes, and the flavor was
especially fine at Osaka.
Another favorite Japanese appetizer is gyozo, or potstickers:
four wontons filled with a savory mixture of pork, cabbage,
garlic, ginger and green onion, and sprinkled ever so lightly with
tiny sesame seeds. Served on a delicate rectangular plate with a
salty soy sauce on the side, each soft dumpling was browned on one
half, adding to its pleasing texture.
We also tried the katsu appetizer; two small skewers of breaded
and fried bite-size pork filets, dotted with a slightly sweet,
thick sauce.
Our server was exceptional. Water glasses remained filled and
she anticipated any questions we might have. If you've not
experienced Japanese cuisine, you'll feel at ease at Osaka.
I ordered an entree of chicken sukiyaki, chicken, noodles, soft
rectangles of tofu and vegetables stewed in sukiyaki sauce and
served with a fresh raw egg. Long stalks of celery, sliced
carrots, onions, shitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, thin slices of
white fish, noodles and chicken pieces rounded out this complex
dish.
The sukiyaki arrived in a scorching-hot cast iron bowl rested
atop a wood plank with a raw, uncracked egg in a separate shallow
bowl on the side.
Our server explained how the egg should be added before I even
had a moment of anxiety about the unknown. First she mentioned the
traditional way: cracking the egg into the accompanying side bowl
and dipping bites of soup in it. Then she suggested how most do
it, cracking the egg into the hot soup and stirring to cook it
through. The heat of the cast iron kept my soup's temperature
soaring, which was helpful, since my husband's entree was mammoth
and he needed time to tackle it.
He ordered the bento house specialty, which began with a
starter of two flavorful pieces of fresh sushi. The massive
lacquered bento box was separated into several compartments, each
filled to overflowing with Japanese treats including prawn and
vegetable tempura, chicken teriyaki, beef teriyaki, three sizeable
California rolls, noodles with mushrooms, pickled ginger and
bamboo shoots, all served with traditional tempura sauce on the
side.
He did his best, but he just couldn't finish it all. I sampled
a bit of everything, and while all was satisfying, the beef
teriyaki stood out as my favorite. I kept picking away at it until
my husband shot me a possessive glare. I'll soon be back to try an
entree-sized portion of my own.
My husband declared himself overstuffed and we called it a
night, taking a few minutes to wander through the serene and
striking Japanese garden outside.
We had popped in on a Monday night and over the course of our
early dinner, the restaurant grew crowded. People were entering
via the front and back entrances, many calling out happily in
familiar tones to the employees of the restaurant.
Several people cozied up to the sushi bar, while the tatami
room's two tables filled up quickly. By the time we left, the
place was hopping with happy diners.