President Chibo OM Hotel Nikko

In comparison to Kanto, where Japan’s capital and colossal metropolitan area of Tokyo is, the Kansai area — home to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and other famous cities of Japan — is known to be more laid-back. Even the food is similarly so: while the emblematic food of Tokyo is the venerable Edomae sushi, each nigiri crafted meticulously by expert sushi chefs with years of experience, Kansai’s signature dish is probably okonomiyaki — a savory pancake filled with various ingredients cooked atop a teppan hotplate grill. Okonomiyaki is a street food with an unsophisticated image first and foremost, but President Chibo aims to change that. The President Chibo series of restaurants takes this humble, hearty food to the next level. For over 40 years, the President Chibo restaurants have been incorporating okonomiyaki into teppanyaki-style course menus, placing it alongside luxurious ingredients like live abalone, lobster, and scallops. Even the vaunted wagyu beef is served up on President Chibo’s grills, with certain menus even featuring the legendary A5-grade filet steak. Expert chefs grill all these up with aplomb right before guests’ eyes, further setting President Chibo apart from other okonomiyaki restaurants. Masterful technique is on full display at all 28 seats, where this Kansai favorite gets elevated through the use of natural hot spring water from Kagoshima, as well as an original blend of flour, mayonnaise and sauce. Even the pesticide-free cabbage is a point of pride for President Chibo. It’s only fitting that such a luxurious take on okonomiyaki would find its home in the basement of the OM Hotel Nikko, one of the premier hotels in Osaka’s Shinsaibashi district. A short five minutes from Namba Station, with a direct underground connection to Shinsaibashi Station, and a short 30-minute train ride from Universal Studios Japan, many visitors even find themselves heading for the Hotel Nikko Osaka’s basement just for this high-concept take on a traditional Kansai favorite. Luxuriate in the plush interior and watch time slip past.