Kushikatsu Daruma Dotonbori

During my first night in Osaka I enjoyed the city’s famous street food snack of takoyaki and now it was time to try another iconic dish. I stopped by Kushikatsu Daruma on Dotonburi to enjoy kushikatsu or kushiage – deep-fried skewers of meat, seafood, and vegetables.

There was a small line when I stepped inside. Everybody was given a menu to look over while they waited. It only took around 10 minutes for me to be seated at the long counter.

In Japanese, kushi means “skewer” and katsu means “fried”. The deep-fried skewers of food are dipped in a thin sauce. The sauce is shared between customers. It’s important to follow the one golden rule – no double dipping!

Once I sat down, I ordered a ginger ale. Most people were enjoying the deep-fried items with a beer. The menu offered combos that come with a side dish of your choice. Your also given a bowl of cabbage pieces to use for scooping more sauce onto your kushikatsu or to consume for a fresh crunchy bite between skewers.

For my side, I went with the doteyaki – simmered beef tendon with miso and mirin topped with green onions.

I ordered the Dotonbori Combo which comes with 9 skewers for around $13. Items included beef, asparagus, rice cake, quail egg, pork, chicken meatball, and a fish cake with cheese.

It didn’t take long for the first round of skewers to come out.

The dipping sauce is in a large stainless steel container.

The items were served fairly hot. The breading was thin and crispy. My first bite was the asparagus. The dipping sauce is like a light savory soy sauce. After eating the item, you put your skewer in a nearby cup.

The next round came out and included sausage, chicken meatball, and the fish cake with cheese. Interesting.

I enjoyed my kushikatsu lunch. Another item checked off my must-try list! The deep-fried items were good, filling, and a great value.

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Kushikatsu Daruma Dotonbori
1-6-4 Dotombori
Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-0071, Osaka Prefecture
+81 6-6213-8101
Website