Right now, Namaste Taj Mahal restaurants throughout the Kansai region offer all-you-can-eat nan with lunch for an additional ¥340 yen! The total cost for lunch is under ¥1000!

The meal comes with curry, salad, nan and drink.

The menu features:

The price for the dinner is ¥5775.

Call (075) 351-0111 for more information.

Pomme Cafe is located along the Dainisosui in north eastern Kyoto. To get there, you can take a bus, taxi or walk from Demachiyanagi Keihan station.

For more information contact the owners who speak both Japanese and English or just look for this unique cafe on your next hike along the philosopher’s trail.

144 Shimominamida-cho
Jodoji Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8404

Phone: 075-771-9692

Yesterday, there were so many shoppers, the streets leading to the store were backed up for blocks. Inside the store was so packed with people, it was difficult maneuvering carts. Shoppers were literally elbow to elbow on both sides of the cart.

Whatever the reason, whether it is from the large number of shoppers or the economy, prices at Costco in some areas have dropped.

Sausages, cheese, and coffees are down, while meats are up. Wine and other alcoholic beverages have stayed the same.

Thete were so many shoppers pushing their carts into me from behind one after another, today the backs of my heels are sore!

Suryodaya opened their doors to the public in May this year. They are located 5 to 10 minutes from the station, depending on how fast you walk and if you stop along the way window-shopping. The walk is easy and there are only a few turns along the way so it is not confusing. Some places I’ve visited are like walking through a maze. So rest assured, you won’t get lost going there or returning to the station, something you need to think about especially if you drink a lot of alcohol.

Suryodaya has two floors with an upstairs area that seats about 10 to 15 people; great for parties and privacy. Downstairs seats between 30 to 40 people, but don’t quote me on that. The décor, like most Indian restaurants, is dark and colorful. But most people don’t go to an Indian restaurant for the décor. It’s all about the food!

I have eaten at the restaurant two times now. Each time, I ate upstairs where it was nice and quiet and away from other guests. I was able to lean back against the wall, Japanese style on a tatami, and enjoy my food and drink. On my second visit, I was blessed with two cute young college girls who ended up speaking to me in English the whole time. They were both majoring in English at university. One looked Japanese, but turned out to be from China.

The first time I visited the restaurant I had tandoori chicken and fish, mutton curry, garlic and herb nan, beer and a lassi to top it off. The tandoori chicken and fish were accompanied with grilled sliced vegetables cooked with Indian herbs and spices, very nice! The chicken was a whole leg and the fish was about the size of a piece of fillet mignon. The mutton curry was not the normal portion of curry most see at Indian restaurants. It was about the size of two curries in one and beautifully garnished. As for the nan, I can’t say enough about it. And while I’m raving about sizes, I might add that the nan is not the normal size either. It was quite large and cut into about 4 pieces, sprinkled with herbs and spices and very colorful. Delicious!

The second time I had a large portion of chicken masala garnished with herbs, tandoori chicken – you can never get too much tandoori chicken – keema nan, beer and a mango lassi for dessert.

If you want even more food, then go for their all-you-can-eat lunch or dinner. Both are very reasonably priced, in my opinion. I compare their all you can eat menu with most other restaurants and it’s about the same, if not cheaper. Much less than shabu shabu in downtown Umeda.

I highly recommend this restaurant. Go by yourself, take a friend or have a small party upstairs or downstairs. The staff and owners are very friendly, and they might even let you reserve the restaurant if you wanted to have a large party. The food is the best Indian I’ve had in the Kansai area and is very artistically arranged to boot. Go and you won’t be disappointed. It’s great all around!

Visit their website to see more menu items and a map!

Prices in comparison to other beer gardens are substantially lower and children can join in on the occasion, but of course cannot drink any beer. Advanced tickets for adults are 1500 yen and 2000 yen at the door. Chindren aged 13-19 are 1000 yen and 500 yen for children 6 to 12 years of age.

Snacks and other foods are available for and extra 300 yen.

If you wish to order the barbecue set, it is available for 5000 yen and serves 3 people.

For more information call (06) 6372-8662.

Admission is free.

For more information, call (06)6271-3185.

The seminar fee is 3990 yen.

Call Cross Cultural Center at (078) 646-7100 for more information.

If don’t get off work until late, don’t worry. You can still get some good shopping or a late night meal because shops don’t close until 9pm…and some stay open till even later, especially the restaurants. Many of the restaurants in NU Chayamachi stay open till midnight.

10-12 Chayamachi, Kita-ku, Osaka
Phone: (06) 6373-7371

NU Chayamachi
http://nu-chayamachi.com

A few well-known ones include Hariju Grill and Curry shop. The grill was founded over 80 years ago and patrons swear by the food served there…especially the beef. The Beef Stew is one of their best dishes and goes for around 1900 yen. For a little cheaper price, you can go to the Hariju Curry Shop and get a great Beef Bowl for around 700 yen.

Some good food you can find in Dotombori, or Dotonbori, depending on how you decide to spell it, include: okonomiyaki, crab (see the famous restaurant with the huge crab over the awning at the front of the store), blowfish (fugu), ramen, udon, shabu shabu, takoyaki (Osaka’s famous for this stuff), chahan (fried rice), gyudon, oyakodon and katsudon (rice dishes with either beef and onions, chicken and egg, or deep-fried pork cutlet, among other delicious foods.

If it is Japanese food you seek, you can most definitely find it in Dotombori, Osaka.