Osaka Ohsho: The goddess of gyozas

MANILA, Philippines - Its curvy, wispy shape and smooth, supple skin make the gyoza a goddess to behold. You can say it’s heaven-sent. And if there’s one place on earth where they make the most divine gyozas, it’s Osaka Ohsho, the world’s No. 1 restaurant specializing in these Japanese-style dumplings. Trust Osaka Ohsho who’s been doing gyozas since 1969 when Shinzo Fumino opened his first ever store in Osaka on a narrow alley near the Kyobashi train station. It was a humble little store with no tables, just counters. There, Shinzo sold his precious handmade gyoza for 50 yen each, together with some ramen and fried rice. To advertise his store, he gave out free gyoza coupons to students in the area who helped him spread the news about his store to their friends and families. By word of mouth (contented mouths, I’m sure), Osaka Ohsho soon became a household name. Barely a year after Shinzo opened his first resto, his friends partnered with him to expand his business. Together with the investors, he established the Osaka Ohsho Foods Co. Ltd. with a capital of two million Japanese yen. One hundred stores later, in 1982, new items were introduced on the menu. But of course, the gyoza still reigned supreme, with 6,000 pieces sold daily in one store alone. In 1985, Shinzo Fumino passed the torch to his son Naoki Fumino, who was named CEO of the company at age 25.  Full of drive and dreams, this young visionary CEO was able to expand Osaka Ohsho’s presence in Japan and around the region. In 2004, Osaka Ohsho opened its first international store on Times Square in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. In 2012, it opened in the famed Gangnam district of Seoul, Korea. In the same year, it opened in Bangkok and then in Shanghai and Singapore.

And now, Osaka Ohsho has come to the Philippines. It now has 370 stores — and counting — all over the region. Needless to say, its recent opening at the third level of SM Megamall’s new Fashion Hall, was very warmly received — with open arms and open mouths, including mine.

Seated inside the sparkling new resto, I couldn’t wait to get my hands — and palate — on the freshly cooked gyozas. But first, I unravel the secret to making great gyoza — it’s in the temperature of the griller.  It’s no mean feat, the chef has to adjust the heat of the machine by adding just the right amount of steaming water. It’s a skill acquired over years of experience particularly because you can’t open the lid of the griller while you’re cooking the gyoza, you can only play it by ear — quite literally — by listening intently to the grilling sound.

Hear this: At Osaka Ohsho, only chefs who have undergone extensive training under gyoza master chefs are allowed to handle the gyoza to ensure consistency (using only the right meat, held together by the supple skin) and uniformity, and only the most sumptuous and most beautifully shaped gyoza.

(As a highlight of this lunch, some volunteers are later challenged to make the most beautiful gyoza with their hands, as coached by Osaka Ohsho’s Japanese gyoza master chef.)

Did I hear Linfred Yap, one of the dynamic young partners behind Osaka Ohsho’s Philippine franchise, say that the resto has three kinds of gyoza?  Hai! Linfred enumerates the gyoza variants served at Osaka Ohsho: nori (seaweed) gyoza, cheese (mixed with pork) gyoza, and the original gyoza (meat, ginger, cabbage, and garlic).

“Our gyoza is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, each one is a burst of flavors,” says Linfred. “Only imported Japanese flour is used for the dough and the stuffing is a customized blend that’s exclusive to Osaka Ohsho.” It’s a trade secret that Linfred guards with his life.

For the dip, you have three choices: miso sauce, chili oil, and the original (soy sauce/vinegar). Or you can have fun combining sauces and finding out what suits your taste buds.

It may have taken the chefs a lot of time to cook the gyozas, but I must confess it must have taken just a few minutes for me to chow down six assorted gyozas with a little help from a tall cold glass of fresh mango yakult drink.

In Japan today, gyoza is better eaten in restaurants than prepared at home. Osaka Ohsho lets you enjoy your gyoza at home, too — simply order take-out cooked or frozen gyoza that comes in six or 12 pieces priced at P175 and up.

Oh, but Osaka Ohsho is not just about the gyoza. Also very popular is the Fuwatoro Tenshin Han, Japanese Koshihikari rice deliciously wrapped in the fluffiest omelette and bathed generously in velvety gravy. FYI: Koshihikari rice (from the coastal province of Koshi) is Japan’s super premium rice that’s sweet, nutty, slightly sticky and, best of all, low in glycemic index. You can choose from some Koshihikari sets (like the salmon teriyaki or black vinegar chicken set), each set is complete with three pieces of gyoza, miso soup, a fruit plate, and unlimited steamed Koshihikari rice.

The Koshihikari sets are not only delightful to the taste buds, they’re also good to one’s budget, as prices start as low as P270 and each set comes with unlimited Koshihikari rice milled only in Japan.

There are also the chahan (Japanese fried rice) sets. You can upgrade to black chahan (rice using black vinegar) by adding P10 to the set price. As Linfred swears: Once you go black, you’ll never go back.

Then there are the Fuwatoro sets that are good for two persons, like the Fuwatoro Tenshin Han Gyoza Set (P650) that’s got a serving of Fuwatoro Tenshin Han, 12 pieces of gyoza, two servings of miso, and two fruit servings. For those who like it hot (spicy), there are the Japanese curry sets.

At Osaka Ohsho, which is poised to be a favorite family dining destination, kids are very special. They’ve got their own kiddie sets (for kids  10 years old or younger) which come complete with a main dish (like chicken karaage at P185 or teriyaki and prawn tempura at P260), rice, miso soup, and a fruit plate,

And here’s the beef: Osaka Ohsho’s finest quality, marvelously marbled Kitayama wagyu from Japanese cattle that grazes in the lush pastures of Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon.

Osaka Ohsho also thrills with its grilled delights: chicken, salmon, gindara, mackerel.

With the gyoza plus a lot more, dining at Osaka Ohsho promises to be a most glorious experience. You can bet your bottom yen on that!

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