At ease at Osaka

Japanese sushi chef Yong Ho Kim prepares a plate of sushi at Osaka Japanese Restaurant. PHILIP DWYER HERALD PHOTO

New restaurant excels in Japanese cuisine

Stacee Sledge

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.

Osaka Japanese Restaurant

Location:
3207 Northwest Ave.

Phone: 676-6268

Serving: Traditional Japanese cuisine in a soothing sanctuary of Eastern-influenced décor.

Menu items sampled:
Gyoza $3.50

Katsu $3.95
Bento $13.95
Chicken Sukiyaki $9.95
Sapporo $3.25

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.

The Fine Print: I dine on my own dime. The opinions herein are mine alone, not the Bellingham Herald's. Agree? Disagree? Please drop me a line at StaceeSledge@hotmail.com.

 

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