Hinotori

The head chef at this Chinese restaurant studied Japanese, Chinese, and Western cooking throughout his years as an apprentice. It was a chance encounter with a historically-themed cookbook which set his heart upon specializing in the classical cooking of old China. After mastering this art, he opens his own restaurant to showcase everything he learned, much to the delight of the gourmets of Osaka. The cuisine served here is that of Imperial China, with its roots in historic Beijing. It looks to the ingredients, techniques, and recipes of that age for inspiration. Sometimes looking backwards in history can be just as innovative as forwards, as proven by dishes such as dim sum buns with wild Japanese moon bear. Although the menu undergoes several changes throughout the year, other offerings might include pickled crab and traditional desserts at the end of the course menus, such as almond tofu. When you walk out of a meal at Hinotori, after dining on food invented for the lords and ladies of China, you’re bound to feel like royalty yourself.