Saturday, September 08, 2007

Kansai Udon from Dotombori

Kama Age Udon

The Kansai region apparently has its own version of udon, so we stopped by a random shop on Dotombori today to give it a try. When I asked for a recommendation, I was suggested the 680 Yen (US$6) kama-age. I had no idea what it was, but was glad to see that it was a bit different with its separate dipping sauce featuring a raw (quail?) egg in the middle. And unlike cold zaru soba or tsukemen, the plain noodles were kept warm on the side.

Anyway, the noodles themselves were thinner and sleeker than the fat ones that we are used to seeing overseas. This particular shop also had a glass window at the counter where you could see right into the kitchen, so it was very interesting to see how they took the noodles out of hot water and dipped them in cold water before putting them back in the hot water, all the while being very careful to keep the noodles from bunching up.

Man, am I going to miss Osaka. This has got to be one of the few places in the world where the main food district actually has a gastronomy information center to help people navigate the zillions of restaurants packed into this one street. One could seriously stay on this street alone for months and still never get through them all.

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