Osaka, Japan｜Kogaryu Takoyaki

"When life gives you Tayoyaki balls... you go to the edge of the Orient in search for the best..." - Eric-san I've been to Japan three times in this lifetime, but never to Osaka, so when my Japan bestie invited me to join her on a Kansai-chihō tour I jumped at the chance. We already spent quality time in Kyōtō, therefore we already knew each other's eating habits, but Osaka street food scene is next level! First stop? Osaka たこ焼き Tayoyaki! J-bestie met me at the train station and after dropping off my bags she literally dragged me lol straight to Amerikamura in the hippest part of town. Neon lights, edgy street fashion, a scene from Bladerunner... ah & off we go to Kougaryu in the heart of it all. Hey I dig it! To her surprise there was no line, but being on a Monday mid-day was probably it. No complaints, as she tells me to grab a communal area to sit and just wait. Okay Sensei lol! Within minutes she returns with piping hot Tayoyaki to eat! It's not only hot, but at Kougaryu they only use Sashimi grade Tako! The dashi stock contains kelp, even the mayonnaise is made in-house, and has a less tangy flavor than commercial counterparts - all the better to complement the house-made brown sauce. This is Michelin starred! Oh my! Our first bites were met with "mmmmm" "mmm" "mmmmmmm". It was that delicious! Get this... I am not the biggest fan of Tako having had a bad experience in my past, but this experience just blew me out of the pacific! 'Twas that amazing! In the end, a stop in Osaka must include Tayoyaki! Kougaryu is humble in appearance, but oh my! The best are made right here! No arguments from visitors, be it foreign Gaijin or natives, all agree Tayoyaki or bust! Kougaryu was a nice surprise for me and a hello to the dynamic city of 愛Osaka! Arigatō Seiko-san...

Way better then Yamachan or any other overhyped takoyaki spot. Go grab some! I especially recommend the takoyaki sauce and green onions, very generous with the green onions! Great vibe to eat it at the park in front of the store.

This shop is located in the center of "America Mura", which is famous and popular spots for Japanese teenagers because there are a lot of fashionable places. This Takoyaki shop doesn`t have eat-in space. Everybody eats it in a park near here. This TAKOYAKI has much chopped green onion, which affect good accent. I`m addicted this kind of this texture. I would recommend this place if you visit OSAKA, NAMBA.