Sakliev (Turkish)

1-2 Nishiyama-cho, Ashiya/0797-22-8519/Lunch 11:30-14:30/, Dinner17:30-22:00(L.O21:30)/Closed on Mon, Tue, Wed/3000yen/5.5 pickles/¥

This restaurant offers good cheap tasty treats.

We went here for dinner and enjoyed their Doner Kebab course (2,000 yen per course) which came with soup, rice dish, salad, pita bread, 2 dishes, Turkish chai and dessert. With our food, we had 2 beers, 1 glass wine and 1 tea and the tab was about 6,500 yen. For your reference, they also have a Shish Kebab course (2,700 yen), too. Here, unlike ordinary doner kebab places, they do not refill your plate with more meat. What you get is more like a Turkish food sampler, but the volume is quite ample. The meat was bit dry but still tasty. They have a la carte as well but for us, their courses looked more attractive. Needless to say, the food goes well with beers -- Turkish or Asahi draft. I tried a Turkish red wine as well. It goes well with the food but you probably ought to stick to beer.

The owner/chef, Mr. Konuk, got a Japanese old house and changed it into a restaurant. Probably only up to 20 people can be seated in this tiny restaurant but when this place is full, customers' happy loud voice will be heard outside of the restaurant very easily.

No English menu but there's one Japanese friendly staff who speaks English to assist you. Mr. Konuk does not speak English, we think. (He spoke to us in Japanese.) The menu choice is limited so you don't need to worry about the language problem at all.

Anyway, where else can you get a good doner kebab & beer dinner in Kansai?

Food: 5.5 Service: 5.5 Ambience: 5 Total: 5.5 pickles

How to get there: A five minute walk down the shopping arcade from Hankyu Ashiya, on your left. 20 meters before Saigon Saigon. It says "サクルエブ" on the front.

Saigon Paris Garden (Vietnamese)

5-13 Omasu-cho, Ashiya / 0797-38-8351 / 11:45～13:30(L.O)/17:30～22:00(L.O)/Yen 4000 / 6.5 pickels / ¥

Fiery food under Ashiya's 2nd yellow star

Saigon Paris Garden is the younger sibling of Saigon Saigon in Nishiyama-cho, one of the rising stars of Ashiya's restaurant scene. From the outside it looks more like a makeshift Vietnamese army barrack than a restaurant. When you enter, that feeling doesn't entirely disappear, but once you look into the many happy faces in this usually crowded restaurant, you know that you have come to the right place.

The biggest advantage of Saigon Paris Garden is that, since the restaurant is only 3 months old, you still may be able to get a table even on a short notice. Saigon Saigon is already so popular that you need to make a reservation probably a week in advance. And although we haven't yet succeeded to dine at Saigon Saigon, we are confident enough to say that the younger sibling has grown fast and must already have reached the level of Saigon Saigon.

We can happily confirm that nothing here is Japanized. This is the real thing. Just order the oyster & squid sauté in spicy sauce and you will see. It's the ultimate conversation killer. And although this dish is so spicy that it sets your mouth ablaze, your chopsticks are curiously drawn to the plate again and again, adding more fuel to the fire. A little less spicy, but still with a tickle, is the morning glory in spicy sauce. For the fainthearted there are plenty of options too, like the catfish in lemongrass and chili, or the chicken in lemon sauce.

Paris has been added to the name of the restaurant since they have a few French dishes on the menu too, which we haven't yet tasted. The drink list includes a small, but adequate choice of wines, the infamous Vietnamese liquor Nep Moi, and Vietnamese beer (among others). The service is quick, efficient and eager to please.

English menu available, English spoken.

Food: 7 Service: 6 Ambience: 4 Total: 6.5 pickels

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the north exit of Hanshin Ashiya Station, cross the street and walk to the north. At the junction turn right and walk until you reach the next big junction. Saigon Paris Garden is across the street on the left. By car from Kobe: on Route 2 cross Ashiya river. After about 200m turn right at the next big junction. Drive down this road until you reach the next traffic light. Saigon Paris Garden is on this junction on the left.

BaliLax THE GARDEN (SE Asian)

Gendaiorange Bld 3F, 1-9-1, Minamihorie, Nishi-ku, Osaka / 06-6538-4402 / Mon-Thu 17:00-24:00 / Fri 17:00-5:00 / Sat 12:00-5:00 / Before Holiday 17:00-5:00 / Sun & Holiday 12:00-24:00 / Yen 5000 / 6.5 pickels / ¥¥

Resort-like dining experience in an exotic Balinese ambience

You don't have to take the airplane to enjoy a dinner in a Balinese atmosphere. Just take the elevator to the 3rd floor of the Gendaiorange Bld in Minamihorie and enter the world of BaliLax. The interior decoration is just stunning. Places like that are hard to be found, not only in Osaka. A relaxing and exotic ambience with lush greenery, dimmed lights, wooden carved screens and Indonesian furniture sets the tone.

BaliLax offers several dining areas. The best spot for alfresco dining is by the poolside on the open terrace transferring you to a Balinese resort - a must dining experience especially during summer time. Inside, apart from the usual table dining you can chose cozy booths where you sit on the floor with comfortable cushions, each area separated by white transparent curtains.

But of course, it is not only the interior that makes this place worth going. The menu offers different kinds of Southeast Asian dishes between Yen 500 and Yen 1300. For starters we tried some rice paper spring rolls with prawns, tuna avocado salad, as well as some Indonesian dishes with a modern touch like warm gado gado salad and ostriches sate. In the mille-feuille with fish and asparagus the tomato sauce was a bit too dominant. And although there was nothing wrong with the mee goreng and chop chee, we weren't too excited either.

The desserts are recommendable and offer something from east and west. The banana brownie with caramelized nuts and vanilla ice cream as well as the parfait "The Garden" and the Mont Blanc cake were a pleasure. Finnish off with a cup of Balinese coffee.

No English menu.

Food: 5.5 Service: 5.5 Ambience: 9 Total: 6.5 Pickels

HOW TO GET THERE: By car - On Hanshin Expressway Nr. 3 (Kobe Line) take exit Awaza. Go to the left following Chuo-dori till you reach the junction Naniwa-suji. Make a right turn and go down Naniwa-suji. After crossing Nagahori-dori turn left to Orange Road, which is probably the seventh street on your left. The Gendaiorange Bld is at the end of Orange Road on the left.

Website: http://balilax.com/horie/

Saigon Saigon (Vietnamese)

2-4 Nishiyama-cho, Ashiya/090-52600475/18:00～24:00(L.O23:30)/Closed on Monday (if Mon is holiday, open & close next day)/3000-4000yen/6.5 pickels

Genuine Vietnamese in Ashiya.

Thirty years after chasing out the Americans, Ho Chi Minh's revolution has happily spread to the banks of the Ashiya-gawa in the form of the anachronistically named, "Saigon Saigon," a tiny room of lurid vermilion emblazoned with the big yellow star of the people of Vietnam. But what food!! Saigon Saigon is always overflowing with noisy enthusiasts of Vietnamese food the likes of which are almost impossible to find in Japan, let alone in Ashiya. There are no Japanized dishes here - the chili sauce could destabilize the entire region. For those who seek authentic cuisine in its savage state, Saigon Saigon is the sizzling Heart of Darkness in lemon grass. Everything we tried was good; but you may need to ask the owner, who is reputed to speak some english, for recommendations. For the adventurous, we suggest a glass of NepMoi, a strong cinammon accented liquor made from jasmine rice that matches the food much better than you think. Saigon Saigon is not for the dainty, and the service is fast and furious; but the food is heavenly. Best of all, its cheap! Atmosphere 4, service 6, food 7 pickles.

How to Get There: a five minute walk down the shopping arcade from Hankyu Ashiya, on your left.

Tapas (Mediterranean)

Roseo B1, 10-45 Kudegaya-cho, Nishjinomiya / 0798-73-4455 / 11:00-23:00 (Sat - 01:00) / Yen 4000 / 6 pickels / ¥

Tapas - Culinary delights in mini size at mini price in Shukugawa

The name of the restaurant is borrowed from Spanish 'Tapas'. A Tapas Bar in Spain is a place that you visit before dinner where you are served drinks plus dozens of small dishes.

Tapas has taken this concept to another level. The cuisine is Spanish inspired, but features many unique creations that one may call 'new Mediterranean'. The menu consists of appetizers, salads, meat, fish, pasta, pizza and desserts, around 30 dishes altogether. They are all available in 'Tapas' size and regular size, with prices between Yen 500 - Yen 650 for the small size. We usually manage to eat 8 - 10 Tapas sized dishes.

Tapas is one of our favorites, and everything we tasted there was good. The food is certainly creative and makes for some surprising culinary experiences. Also the more classic fare like risotto or pizza is recommendable. In terms of taste for the buck Tapas is unsurpassed. Where else can you get such a delightful dish like slightly charcoaled tuna in a coconut curry sauce with asparagus for as little as Yen 600?

The wine list is small, but offers inexpensive wines for casual drinking that go well with the food. The service is basic, but efficient and quick. The ambience is modern and simple, yet tasteful.

English menu available, some English spoken.

Food: 7 Service: 5 Ambience: 6 Total 6

HOW TO GET THERE: from Hankyu Kurakuen turn left and left again at the first big junction. After 300 m you will find Tapas on the right in the building with the big colorful 'Roseo' flags.

Brasiliano (Churrasco)

3F, Mosaic 1-6-1, Higashikawasaki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe / 078-360-2996 / Yen 3000 / 5.5 pickels / ¥

A carnivore's paradise - all you can eat for Yen 1980 at Mosaic/Harborland

Imagine you're a meat lover on a vegeterian diet. You've been dreaming about all sorts of meat, juicy, tasty and nicely barbecued. This is where your dream comes true!

Churrasco means that different kinds of meat, mainly beef, are BBQ'ed on a skewer. The skewer is brought to your table and the meat freshly sliced on to your plate. Brasiliano is all you can eat, and an unbelievable bargain at Yen 1980. On skewers they serve 3 different kinds of beef, pork, chicken, sausages and pineapple as a dessert. On top you have access to a buffet shared with their Chinese restaurant next door.

My recommendation is: start with some rice and the Brazilian feijoada bean stew, and then focus on what is really good there - the meat. It's tender, juicy, well seasoned and keeps coming, until you set the signal to red (look for the red/green rod on your table). Wash the food down with a beer or some Caipirinhas.

They have some Brazilians in the service who try to create a casual & fun atmosphere. The ambience is quite sterile. The best seats are on the terrace in summer.

English menu & English speaking staff available.

Food: 6 Service: 5 Ambience: 4 Total: 5.5

The House of Pacific (Ethnic)

1-5-10 Kitano-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe / 078-262-8180 / 18-23:00 / Yen 7000 / 7 pickels / ¥¥

Multicultural cuisine in a South Pacific setting in Kitano

The House of Pacific certainly has a southern feel to it. Warm colors, dimmed lights, wood. They call it South Pacific, some may call it SE-Asian. If you are wondering what exactly the ambience reminds you of, the menu will only add to your confusion. It's a 'wild' fusion of Western, SE-Asian and Japanese food.

You may order a la carte, but the course menus are a much better deal, starting from Yen 2500. We took the Yen 3500 course, which gives you a free choice of 2 appetizers, sushis or pastas, a main course and a dessert. The wine list is fairly large and includes rather decent ones by the glass too.

As confusing as the place may be, we were never disappointed. The food certainly is creative, also in presentation, and can be very good, though not always perfect. Add to this the great ambience and an attentative service, and you'll be amazed that you'll end up with a bill that keeps you wondering whether the waiter made a mistake.

English menu available. Some English spoken.

Food: 6.5 Service: 6.5 Ambience: 8 Total: 7 pickels

PS: This place is also a very popular wedding venue.

Ashoka (Indian)

Osaka Maru Biru B2F 1-9-20 Umeda Kita-ku Osaka/06-6346-0333/11:30-14:30,17:00-21:00(Sun -20:30)/Closed on 3rdMon/JPY5000/5.0 pickles

An unpromising basement room in the Maru building serves up some of the best Indian in Kansai.

There are a few stylish and elegant spots near Umeda (honest!); but I think we can all agree that the basement of the Maru building is not one of them. Not at least in many years. Yet, it is in this very spot that the venerable Ashoka serves up some of the tangiest Indian food to be found on our side of this mild and muggy island. Oh, the room is overflowing with the usual subcontinental knickknacks, and the service is ordinary to gruff, but the tandoori is great and the mutton sagwala is heavenly. It is well know that Indian food is essential to an urban diet; yet it is surprisingly hard to get good curry in Japan. Having dined at Ashoka, you'll never again want to eat at any of its many lesser look-alikes. It is no wonder that this humble room fills up so quickly in the evening.

Food: 6 Service: 5 Ambience: 5 Total: 5 pickles

English menu available & English speaking staff

HOW TO GET THERE: The 'marubiru' is the tall cylindrical building next to the Hilton in Umeda.