Baltika 7, which opened on July 31st and is located right by the JR Osaka Station West Exit ticket gate, has 03 stores on the 2nd to 5th floors. Looking at the list of stores, you can see that it is filled with bars from the Kansai region, from popular and long-established stores with constant lines to hidden gems. This means that bar hopping, which normally requires time and travel, can now be completed in one building! It is perfect for tourists as well as Kansai residents. This time, we visited three stores that have a particularly wide selection of sake and delicious food.

Enjoy sake freely with a variety of dishes [Wasurenagusa Bettei Sakedokoro Suzume]

The queue is always long. The best time to come here is right after it opens.

First, let's start with the much talked about restaurant, Wasurenagusa Bettei Sakadokoro Suzume. This popular restaurant has been known since it was a standing bar in Higobashi. You can enjoy a wide range of dishes, from fresh fish, oden, and kushikatsu to game and loach.
The most recommended dish is sashimi. You can enjoy it in a wide variety of ways, from single items to assorted platters and individual pieces of sushi. This time, I chose the "Assortment of 1 kinds of sashimi" (3 yen).

Not only is it fresh, but the garnish is also rich in ingredients such as Japanese ginger and Japanese mustard spinach. "It's boring to have just radish," says the chef, showing his hospitality. The counter is right in front of the kitchen, so you can enjoy watching the knife work while you eat.

As the delicious looking dishes are prepared right before your eyes, you can't help but order more and more.

You can enjoy sake by the glass, and all are reasonably priced. Among the Wasurenagusa chain, the Baltika 1 store is known for its selection of domestic whiskey. However, they also have a wide selection of sake. There are many brands that are not listed on the menu, and if you ask them about your favorite flavor, they will recommend a drink to you.
This is what I ordered for the first and second drinks.

Left: Mimurosugi from Imanishi Brewery in Nara (490 yen), Right: Hourin from Gekkeikan in Kyoto (490 yen)

Oden is popular throughout the year. We have the classic daikon radish and the highly acclaimed chicken meatballs. It is topped with shaved yuzu peel, which gives it a clean taste that is not only comforting but also delicious.
The sake we had with it was "Kuroushi" from Miyagi's Master Brewery. It was mellow and went well with the food. It matched the gentle flavor of the dashi and was a perfect match for the lingering aroma of yuzu.

The thickness of the daikon radish, the fluffy texture of the meatballs, and the deliciousness of each ingredient are all memorable.

What's interesting about this restaurant is that they offer wild game, loach, and whale. The "whale lean meat" has a rich flavor and freshness that is unique to fresh whale, and has a clean aftertaste that goes well with the aroma of sake.
Apparently, the potato salad, which seems like a standard dish, also has boiled wild boar meat in it. They also serve boiled wild boar and deer. Even when they throw a pitch other than a straight one, it's still delicious, which is to be expected from a famous restaurant with such a good reputation.

Whale lean meat 690 yen *The photo shows a smaller portion than usual.

One dish that was surprisingly delicious when enjoyed with sake was the "Today's Fish Cutlet Sandwich," one of the restaurant's specialties.
The type of fish you can choose changes daily, and on the day of the interview, it was sea bream, yellowtail, and salmon. I ordered it because I rarely see blue fish, not white fish, but yellowtail. Washing down the mellow tartar sauce and the savory fat without a grassy smell with sake, I felt like I had discovered a new way to drink sake.
Not only does the contrast of textures between the soft fried meat and the crunchy batter surrounding it create a fun dish, but the bread used is cut quite thin, so it's lighter than it looks.

Half size is 490 yen. Full size is 790 yen. It uses a generous amount of sashimi-grade fish.

Because the Wasurenagusa chain is a famous chain, many people have probably been to the existing stores. However, Wasurenagusa Bettei Sakadokoro Suzume offers new flavors and experiences while maintaining the good balance between a relaxed atmosphere and a casual feel. Above all, it is a place where you can get energy from delicious food. It's easy to see why there are long lines.

Wasurenagusa Annex Sake Place Suzume
Forget-me-nots, Sparrows
Address: 3-2-123 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Innogate Osaka, Baltika 03, 5F
TEL：06-6136-8299
Time: 11: 00 to 23: 00
Closed: Same as facility closing days

Enjoy delicious dried fish and sake from all 47 prefectures [Himono Yaro]

There are only table seats, so you can relax and enjoy your meal.

As the name suggests, Himono Yaro is a bar that mainly serves dried fish. It is an expansion of a popular bar in the Osaka Station Building. Set meals are also served, so there are various ways to use the bar, such as those who just eat, those who add beer to their set meal, and those who sip on sake and dried fish.
The shop sells sake from all 47 prefectures in Japan, and behind the large noren curtain is a map of Japan painted on the wall, with signs bearing the names of sake from each prefecture hanging from the ceiling.

Apparently there are many other types of alcohol in the fridge that are not listed here.

On this day, I chose the great-value tasting set. There are three types, and you can enjoy different types of sake depending on the stock of the day.

"Junmai sake" tasting set: 1390 yen.

This time, the three brands were:
・Aichi Yamachu Honke Brewery Gikyo
It is a crisp, dry drink, but also has a rich flavor and is powerfully drinkable.
・Hokkaido Kamikawa Daisetsu Sake Brewery Tokachi
It has a clean, satisfying taste. Its mellow yet sharp flavor goes well with the oily taste of fish.
・Yamanashi Sasaichi Sake Brewery
A well-balanced, refreshing sake with a slight acidity and a fresh, savory flavor.

The most popular item is the "Torosaba" (899 yen) dried over Kishu Binchotan charcoal.

The recommended staple is "Toro Saba". Kishu Binchotan charcoal drying is a method of absorbing excess moisture from the meat into Kishu Binchotan charcoal, suppressing oxidation while maximizing the flavor. Thanks to this, the plump and thick meat is packed with flavor.
Another dish to cleanse your palate and enjoy as a snack is the unusual "Kinzanji Miso and Cream Cheese" (1 yen). Kinzanji Miso is made by pickling various vegetables and a variety of koji. It is a Wakayama specialty that goes well with rice, characterized by its complex umami and sweetness. It is a hidden gem of a Kansai specialty that has a strong local flavor, and can be eaten as a snack with sake. It is a menu that we would like you to know about, especially since the location attracts many tourists from outside the prefecture.

I often see snacks that combine cream cheese and fermented foods, but this is the first time I've seen Kinzanji miso.

Of course, in addition to dried fish and other dishes, there are also a variety of other dishes such as grilled vegetables and fried foods. Whether it's a lunch set or just a drink, I hope to stop by for a variety of occasions and one day complete my pilgrimage to all 47 prefectures.

Himono Yaro Baltika 03 Ekiue Store
Himono yarou
Address: 3-2-123 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Innogate Osaka, Baltika 03, 4F
TEL: 080-4098-2511
Time: 11:00 – 23:00 (Last Order 22:30
Closed: Same as facility closing days
URL: https://himonoyaro.com

Sakafune: An oasis for sake fans, featuring rare brands and original Japanese cuisine

Sakafune is run by Yamanaka Sakano Mise, a local sake and Japanese sake specialty store in Daikokucho, Osaka. There are always around 60 to 80 types of sake in stock, and staff with extensive sake knowledge will help you choose the best one. Sake lovers can enjoy creative Japanese cuisine and rare brands of sake in an open space, making this a must-visit place.

When I asked him for a recommendation, he showed me "Oroku" from Oroku Sake Brewery in Torine, saying, "I don't think there are many stores that stock all of these brands." This is because he has a good relationship with many breweries. On this day, they happened to have this brand, but it's fun to see what rare ones you can find at different times.

From left, Oroku 80, Johkei, Chooroku, and Kei.

We started with the "Kei". It has a mellow sweetness, but gradually becomes sharper and finishes off with a refreshing taste. Perhaps because it has a delicate flavor, the taste changes gradually with the temperature, allowing you to enjoy it for a long time.
The dish is paired with fresh fish, which the chef is proud of. He says they often buy their fish directly from fishermen, so I ordered grunt, which was the recommendation of the day.

It was a dish with a firm texture and a fresh taste. The variety and freshness of the condiments complemented the aroma of the sake, which was enjoyable.

The aroma of the warm soup stock and the chawanmushi served as an appetizer made me feel like I could drink as much as I wanted. When I told the staff that I was happy that this was a luxurious appetizer, they replied, "We all drink alcohol, so we often say that it would be nice if we had something like this." It's no wonder that there are so many people there who are knowledgeable about alcohol.

They bring the large portions straight from the steamer to your table, piping hot.

The next sake we had was "Yuho no Aka" from Mizo Sake Brewery in Ishikawa Prefecture.
It can be enjoyed both hot and cold. When it is cold, it has a sharp, slightly sour taste, but when it is warmed, it becomes fragrant and blossoms. As the temperature gradually drops, the mellowness becomes more pronounced. It's hard to miss the way it changes with each passing moment.

The dish is paired with "Winter Melon with Yuba Sauce" (780 yen). You'll want to mix the dashi flavor with sake.

Sakafune is located a little further back in [Baltika 03], giving it a feeling of being a "detached" place where you can relax and enjoy yourself a little away from the hustle and bustle of the building. Even so, the bar was full as soon as it opened. The clientele ranged from groups to couples to single people, and each seemed to be enjoying their drink in the spacious space.
Not only were there sake bottles lined up everywhere, including in the refrigerated cases at the back of the store, but the names of the brands flying around were all unfamiliar to me, which I felt was something unique to this store, which stocks sake even from small-scale breweries. It was a place where you could have a fun sake experience, whether you were looking, drinking, or eating.

Fine sake, easy sake boat, Baltica 03
Kashushi Rakusa Kafune
Address: 3-2-123 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Innogate Osaka, Baltika 03, 4F
TEL：06-6456-7006
時間：11:30〜14:00 (ラストオーダー13:30)、17:30〜23:00（ラストオーダー22:00）※今後変更の可能性あり、SNSにて確認
Closed: Irregular holidays *May change in the future, check SNS
URL:https://yamanaka-sake.jp/sakafune-barchica03/
SNS:https://www.instagram.com/sakafune_barchica03?igsh=emw2dGpncGhxYzN4

A gathering of famous Kansai restaurants, enjoyable for any occasion

Baltika 3 is a gathering of restaurants that will make locals say, "That restaurant?!", including the three introduced in this article. It's no wonder that people of all ages and genders gather here every day, not just the "old man" concept of the restaurant. It's a spot where you can enjoy the flavors of the Kansai region in a location that's not too far from the station and won't get wet in the rain, and we recommend it to everyone, not just tourists.

Writer Hitomi Hashio
Born in Tokyo, lives in Osaka. As a writer, she writes corporate interviews, business columns, and articles related to life, alcohol, and food. At the same time, she also supports the company's human resources and public relations.
He lives in a deep bar area, and his hobbies are drinking, picnicking, and cooking. Her characteristic is that she immediately says, ``I want to drink beer.'' Her favorite sakes are ``Kamikigen'' and ``Maibijin SanQ.''
Instagram: @hashiohitomi

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