Restaurant Osaka
You’ll find everything from Bul Go Ki to Tonkatsu Domburi…to Loco Mocos at Restaurant Osaka. I find myself coming here at least once a month for their homestyle cooking and maybe a beer or two from the lounge.
Osaka’s has two rooms: a lounge and a restaurant. Both rooms serve the same food, but one room is darker and has a more chill feel… sometimes it’s nice to eat in there. It is usually crowded with a full parking lot, and tonight was no exception.
Within a couple minutes we were served some miso soup. The waitress was very nice and friendly.
Very yummy with fresh crunchy green onions.
Since I ended up ordering a Korean dish, I was also served these sides.
The kim chi was good. Spicier and more flavorful than the average kim chi from other places. The pickled daikon was nice and crisp. On the right are strips of well cooked potatoes seasoned with sesame oil, it seemed - nice flavor.
I was originally going to order the Spicy Chicken, which I was told was really good by the waitress, but she said that she prefers the Spicy Pork since it’s more tender. So I ordered the Spicy Pork ($8.95).
The generous portion of Spicy Pork was served over a bed of vegetables on a hot metal plate shaped cutely like a cow. It smelled wonderful, and I love how it looked with the nice dark charred grill marks. The meat was very tender and juicy. The flavor of the meat was not too spicy, but I could taste that the marinade permeated through all the meat… it tasted great! The vegetables were nice to eat with the pork as well.
Also ordred was the one of the specials, Sweet Sour Spareribs (~$7).
These spareribs were very tender and tasted great. The bones were soft enough to eat. There was not too much vinegar either. It tasted just right. The mac salad was one of the better mac salads I’ve tried… it had great consistency and flavor… it tasted like half potato and half macaroni.
We were also served some hot tea later. 
The food was great on this visit, and they are pretty consistent with the food quality. Unfortunately, I have not yet tried their loco moco. Also, I don’t recommend the saimin from here. Everything else I’ve tried was great, though, and the service is very pleasant!
October 18th, 2005 at 6:59 pm
Oooooh! I remember that place too! I order tempura from there and remember it being really good! They gave sooo much, I couldn’t eat it all!! (^_^) The miso soup looks really yummy, btw! I love the green onions in the soup!! *stomach growls*
October 19th, 2005 at 3:10 pm
yeah i remember that
miso was good… but i think miyos get better miso soup, and better tempura, so i go take you miyos next time!
October 19th, 2005 at 4:40 pm
Whenever I go back to Hilo, I always go there for their oxtail soup on Wed. I guess I’ve got to try other things the next time round. And Miyo’s for miso soup and tempura. Thanks for the recommendations.
October 19th, 2005 at 8:24 pm
lance, they do have really good oxtail soup! i went with my dad and he always orders oxtail there, but it wasn’t wednesday.
October 20th, 2005 at 7:09 am
James, thanks for letting me know. Sure would save me a trip, going on a Wed. craving for oxtail and getting disappointed. Next time in Hilo, I’ll call first. BTW, Cafe 100 serves a pretty good oxtail soup as well. Little of the subject, but, I’ve read you and Reid writing about Itsu or Etsu (something like that). What is that place about?
October 21st, 2005 at 10:22 am
Hey lance, thanks for the cafe 100 suggestion! So far, my favorite oxtail soup i’ve tried in Hilo was at Dotty’s restaurant… i forget which day they have it, but they make it so good there.
Itsu’s is a little general store type of shop that also sells hot dogs, shave ice, and plate lunches… I never really got to eat there yet, so I will try it soon and report on here
October 21st, 2005 at 11:01 am
James,
Dotty’s yeh. Never been there. Sounds good!!! I’ve got to try it!!!! Is it in the shopping center that has KTA? Thanks.
Now that you mention that Itsu’s is a small general store. Is Itsu’s across the street from the Civic Auditorium? They carry fishing supplies as well. Always wondered about that place. Just up the street, there’s the Hilo Delicatessen? I think it’s called that. Good place. So much selections. What I really miss, that seems to be a Big Island/Hilo thing, is the spam covered with an egg batter. Haven’t seen that anywhere else. I don’t know why, but it seems to taste better with that thin egg batter. Maybe it’s just a nostalgic thing with me.
October 21st, 2005 at 2:43 pm
i think dotty’s moved to kuhio shopping center. they have the best cornbread ever! you have to try it!
osaka’s has really good nabe as well…perfect on a rainy day…and there are certainly many of those in hilo!
October 21st, 2005 at 3:25 pm
Thanks Monika. I’ve been to a place in Kuhio Shopping Center last year. Wonder if that was Dotty’s. I’ll have to check the next time around. I’ll remember to try their cornbread as well.
Nabe. Yes, good for the soul on a cold rainy day/night. Should have a lot of those with winter just around the corner. BTW, did you ever get to try the malasadas across of Pinky’s in Papaikou? Wonder if James tried?
October 24th, 2005 at 4:34 pm
i haven’t been to the big island in over a year. i do intend to make that malasadas place a priority on my next visit, though!
October 27th, 2005 at 8:16 am
Bad news
Dotty’s is or will be closing soon… so very sad. If they’re open I’ll try to go there before they close, hopefully on oxtail day. *sigh*
That malasada place I will go to soon, I hope!
October 27th, 2005 at 6:14 pm
::gasp!:: no! that’s really sad. do you know why?