Bistro des Chenapans

Tucked in a quiet residential area of Osaka, Bistro des Chenapans is the kind of suburban eatery you stumbled upon for a lazy Saturday brunch or Friday night with the girls. The food here is the quintessential French comfort food: straightforward and humble – something you might find cooked in a kitchen in Provence. The two-level, hole-in-the-wall bistro greets you with an open bar with a dark oak countertop right by the entrance. The vibe is eclectic but charming. Piles of clean plateware tower above the counter as staff chat with newcomers about the latest wine finds and highlights on the chalkboard menu. Depending on the time of day, the beer tap and espresso machine buzz with activity. There’s a constant hum of activities that glide with ease over the hubbub of diners. But forget the decor; at Bistro des Chenapans, people come for their famed steak frites. Chef-owner Kawata, a native of Shiga Prefecture, selects premium Omi beef for the steaks, which are only grilled and seasoned with salt and pepper and accompanied by thick-cut potato wedges. That’s not to say the eatery doesn’t have other standout dishes, though. Their pork belly petit sale (salted pork belly and lentils) and Omi beef hamburger are each hidden stars in their own right. Portions are generous, so come with a healthy appetite and thirst for natural wines, although there’s no escaping a food coma following a meal here.