French Kushiage BEIGNET

With a modern outlook on Osaka’s iconic kushiage, or battered, deep-fried meat or vegetable on a stick, French Kushiage BEIGNET is introducing “Japanese skewered food, brought by a French chef.” Breathing new life into kushiage, the restaurant's kushiage mixes the familiarity of street food with modern flourishes. For one thing, the vegetable and meat morsels are coated with light, fluffy beignet dough — the same dough used at another venerable kushiage store in Osaka, BEIGNET Umeshiba. The result? Skewers that are noticeably paler, with a soft, golden-yellow hue, departing from the usual golden-brown color. The kushiage is often served in a pool of sauce rather than the traditional iron mesh, embracing a more Gallic approach. Even the rotational skewer plays with unorthodox ingredients, often pairing meat with fruits, vegetables with creams, or fish with plums. They all come together in perfect harmony. Expect dishes that show its reputation for innovation: Saroma black beef resting on beetroot sauce, grouper paired with vermouth and deep-fried abalone matched with green laver and butter for an unforgettable finish. The fusion of Japanese and French influences is evident from the very start, especially in the special Haco appetizer. This platter features six items that change seasonally. In the past, it has included persimmon dressed in yogurt, foie gras paired with Tamba black soybeans, pumpkin with fresh cream and oysters with white wine. The closing dish is typically seabream rice, fragrant with dashi stock and ginger, cooked in a pot and served as chazuke (available for dinner). Leftovers can be taken home as a souvenir, although there’s something else to carry with you: there's comfort and familiarity to be found even in dishes that may seem uncannily French.