KAHALA
Osaka, Japan
⭐2 Stars
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
KAHALA opened the year after the 1970 Osaka Expo. Owner-chef Yoshifumi Mori was one of the first to discover and popularise ingredients used by many of today’s chefs. His hobby is lacquerware, and serves cuisine with a philosophical bent, delicious flavours harbouring a personal attitude to life, on lacquerware he made himself. With his elite team, he creates a small but top-notch dining emporium. The cooks toiling silently in the kitchen at the back, the dishwashing crew and the service staff all deserve a round of applause.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
Here are three unique and unconventional aspects of the Michelin-starred restaurant KAHALA in Osaka:
1. Fusion of Kaiseki with Global Influences
KAHALA creatively reinvents the traditional Japanese kaiseki multi-course format by blending it with flavors and techniques from France, India, and Italy. Signature dishes include curry bread infused with coffee oil, caciocavallo cheese with hints of nori (seaweed), and a wagyu beef mille-feuille, showcasing a bold departure from strict Japanese tradition while maintaining respect for it.
2. Intimate Setting with Only Eight Counter Seats
The restaurant offers an exclusive and intimate dining experience with just eight counter seats. This small scale allows Chef Yoshifumi Mori, a self-taught innovator, to personally greet guests and ensure meticulous attention to detail in both the food and service, creating a highly personalized and immersive culinary experience.
3. Use of Luxurious and Rare Ingredients with Artistic Presentation
KAHALA is noted for its use of luxurious ingredients such as shark fin, caviar, truffles, and the unique meat mille-feuille. The dishes are served on lacquerware crafted by Chef Mori himself, reflecting his hobby and philosophical approach to cuisine, where the presentation and choice of tableware are integral to the dining experience.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred restaurant KAHALA in Osaka include:
Ebi-imo (shrimp-shaped taro): This unique taro variety is a key ingredient in a signature dish where it is combined with mascarpone cheese and spinach sauce, creating an elegant and artistic presentation enhanced by luxurious caviar.
Mascarpone cheese: Used in the same signature dish with ebi-imo, it adds a creamy texture and richness that contrasts with the earthy taro and fresh spinach sauce.
Spinach sauce: Provides a vibrant, fresh, and slightly vegetal element that complements the ebi-imo and mascarpone, balancing the dish’s flavors and adding color.
Luxurious caviar: Used as a garnish in the ebi-imo dish, it adds a touch of luxury and a burst of briny flavor, elevating the dish’s sophistication.
Wagyu beef: Featured in the wagyu beef mille-feuille, this premium Japanese beef is prized for its marbling and tenderness, showcasing KAHALA’s blend of Japanese tradition with international influences.
These ingredients illustrate KAHALA’s approach of combining traditional Japanese elements with innovative techniques and international flavors, resulting in creative and visually stunning dishes that have earned the restaurant its Michelin stars.