Alarde

The maestro of this Spanish restaurant in Osaka, Yoshitsugu Yamamoto, has traveled around the world and made a name for himself in kitchens on three continents, traveling from his homeland of Japan to Argentina, then onwards to Spain. After satisfying his wanderlust, he returned home, opening Alarde in 2016. The Basque style stone grill is the centerpiece of the open kitchen here — specially commissioned by steel smiths from Osaka. Fish and meat are both charcoal and wood grilled according to traditional Basque methods, resulting in a style of grilled food unlike anything found elsewhere in Osaka. You simply haven’t lived until you’ve tried dry-aged wagyu roasted over a rustic wood fire. Other top dishes include a pork blood terrine, and a wooden box containing a quartet of appetizers which change monthly. No taste of the Basque region would be complete without Txakoli wine: a gently sparkling variety which is beloved in the region.