Iwaki
Osaka, Japan
⭐1 Star
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
Curiosity drives the creative spirit that powers this restaurant. There are no standard menu items: the direction is always forwards, never looking back on past dishes. Technique honed at a ryotei overlays creativity learned at an old-school Osaka kappo. Hamo is deboned, producing a texture of luxuriant plumpness. New techniques create new taste sensations, so eel are salt-grilled, not dipped in sauce. Ingenuity is everywhere, yet the ingredients are always the star.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
Unconventional Menu Items in Traditional Kappo Style: Iwaki offers some unusual dishes not commonly found in Japanese restaurants, such as lamb and freshwater eel cooked in basil sauce, blending traditional kappo cuisine with unexpected elements.
Exclusive Seating and Chef Interaction: The restaurant has only eight counter seats where diners can watch the chef prepare their meals live, creating an intimate and engaging dining experience that emphasizes craftsmanship and presentation.
Use of Locally Sourced Wild Fish in Kaiseki Cuisine: Iwaki specializes in kaiseki cuisine using high-quality natural ingredients and wild fish produced locally in Osaka, showcasing the chef’s skill in highlighting the true taste of regional ingredients at a reasonable price.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred restaurant Iwaki in Osaka are:
Wild fish produced locally in Osaka: These high-quality natural ingredients are central to Iwaki's kaiseki cuisine, allowing guests to experience the true taste of the sea with freshness and authenticity.
Seasonal natural ingredients: Iwaki emphasizes the use of seasonal and natural produce, which is a hallmark of kaiseki cuisine, highlighting the changing flavors and aesthetics of each season.
Rice paired with vinegars (red and white vinegar rice): While not specific to Iwaki alone, the use of different vinegars with rice to complement various seafood like tuna, bluefish, shrimp, and white-fleshed fish is a noted technique in Osaka Michelin-starred restaurants, reflecting the region's culinary style.
In Iwaki's signature dishes, these ingredients are prepared with exquisite cooking skills to provide an incomparable feast of taste, focusing on the purity and natural flavors of the ingredients, especially the wild fish from Osaka waters. The kaiseki style involves multiple courses that showcase these ingredients in delicate, artful presentations.
Menu & Pricing
Current Offerings & Prices
Omakase Kaiseki Course
- Lunch: €119.70 - €179.55
- Dinner: €119.70 - €179.55
A La Carte
- Soba Shubo Fukumaru: Lunch: €29.92-35.91, Dinner: €29.92-35.91
- Minokichi Shinsaibashi Midosuji: Lunch: €77.80-113.72, Dinner: €77.80-113.72
- Kitashinchi Okurano: Lunch: €29.92-59.85, Dinner: €149.63-179.55
- Shoroku: Lunch: €29.92-35.91, Dinner: €47.88-59.85
Omakase Kaiseki
- This chef’s choice course is a seasonal celebration of the finest local ingredients, featuring fresh fish and Wagyu beef prepared with masterful Japanese technique.