EDMONTON -- Japanese street food has hit Edmonton and if you haven’t stepped into a Dorinku, you’re missing out.
Dorinku Osaka on Jasper Ave MIGHT be the coolest-looking restaurant that our Josh Eats Edmonton tour has taken us to.
Even the plastic food in the glass display case in the foyer looks great! (Seriously, go take a look and tell me that doesn’t look real.)
Step in from the foyer and you’re greeted with two choices: go left and you’re in a more pub-like atmosphere. Go right and you have more of a diner-style feel with small tables that lead to the sushi bar.
Venture further, past the manga wall and you find a hallway that leads to the Ramen Room. Wander back here and you’ll be convinced Jasper Ave. ISN’T just 40-feet away. Choose from one of three ramen bowls, grab a stool and dig in.
Dorinku Osaka’s head chef Iwai whipped up a delicious plate of Okonomiyaki. That’s a Japanese savoury pancake covered with ground beef, sautéed yakisoba noodles, an omelet and cheese smothered in mayo and demi-gravy. Now, I’m gonna be honest: there’s no way that list of ingredients should go together and taste as good as it does.
But…that’s why I’m not a chef. Iwai calls it Japanese comfort food and IT. WAS. INCREDIBLE.
Dive into that menu, take a risk and chances are…you won’t be disappointed.
If you’re a whiskey lover, you know that Japanese whiskey has been making its mark on the world in recent years. Dorinku Osaka features what HAS to be the largest selection of Japanese whiskey, including some really rare bottles. And…what better place to enjoy a dram or some sake than in a private VIP room? There’s a phone booth in the restaurant that isn’t a phone booth. Book the room and they’ll give you a code. Enter the code on the phone and the door opens to a room with plush couches, video games, your own private karaoke machine and more.
