Osaka – the home of Kushikatsu. I’ve been to several famous stores throughout the years, but today, I’m craving for something a little bit more unique – a DIY Kushikatsu Buffet.
So, what even is a Kushikatsu buffet? What are their menu items? And is it worth a visit? Let’s get to it. How Good is Kushiya Monogatari Actually?
–Buffet Pricing–
–Buffet Lineup–
–Preparing your Kushikatsu–
–Frying your Kushikatsu–
–Taste Observations & Tips–
–Serving Options–
–Desserts–
–Verdict–
–Getting There–
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📋 Buffet Pricing 📋
Like with a lot of buffets in Japan, Kushiya has several different prices depending on when you dine-in:
Weekdays
11 A.M. to 3 P.M. – ¥2,000 (90 mins)
4 P.M. to 8 P.M. – ¥2,900 (90 mins)
Weekends
11 A.M. to 3 P.M. – ¥2,100 (70 mins)
4 P.M. to 8 P.M. – ¥3,100 (90 mins)
And for an additional ¥330, you can enjoy unlimited soft drinks.
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🥩 Buffet Lineup 🥩
A Kushikatsu buffet is only as strong as its kushikatsu selection – and there’s definitely no shortage of options here! Here are some of what they have to offer:
🥩 Classics 🥩
Beef
Pork
🍤 Seafood 🍤
Shrimp
Scallops
Oysters
🍖 Other Meat Items 🍖
Arabiki Sausage
Hamburg Bites
Cheese Chikuwa
Tsukune Meatballs
🥦 Vegetables 🥦
Potato
Pumpkin
Mushrooms
Broccoli
Lotus Root
🍢 Wildcards 🍢
Siu Mai
Chicken Nuggets
Takoyaki
Churros
and more!
You can find the batter, fresh panko breadcrumbs, and sauce stations here as well.
There’s also a good range of non-Kushikatsu items, featuring a selection of rice & noodles, curries, soups, a salad bar, drinks station, and a desserts area.
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🥩 Preparing your Kushikatsu 🥩
To get started, head on over to the buffet line and grab as many Kushikatsu skewers as you like.
Don’t forget the batter & sauces!
Once you’re all prepped, it’s time to begin the cooking experience.
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🥩 Frying your Kushikatsu 🥩
Kushikatsu – at its core – is some food on a stick, battered, breaded, and then deep-fried. So if you enjoy cooking, you know exactly what to do here.
But in any case, here’s a quick run-down of what to do to make your Kushikatsu.
First, grab your Kushikatsu and dip it in the flour batter.
Let the excess drip off, and toss it into some Panko breadcrumbs.
Kushikatsu tends to be quite light on the Panko, so you can just apply a light coat before heading to the fryer. But for a more Tonkatsu-like experience, try pressing the breadcrumbs firmly on to the skewer instead. (and see which one you like!)
With your Kushikatsu all prepped, head over to the oil and place it into the fryer basket. Cooking times will vary depending on the skewer, but here’s a quick rundown.
🌟 1-2 Minutes 🌟
Mushroom, Eggplant, Churros
🌟 2-3 Minutes 🌟
Meats, Seafood, Meatballs, most other items.
🌟 3+ Minutes 🌟
Pumpkin, Potato
Or you could just eyeball the doneness yourself. With how thin the pieces are, as long as the exterior is golden brown, the interior should be fully cooked!
Side Note: Place your Kushikatsu by the fryer grates to drain some of the excess oil off (and maybe consider absorbing some more with napkins, as some get quite oily).
And don’t forget to use the metal cover if you’re worried about any oil splatter!
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🥩 Taste Observations & Tips 🥩
Overall, the Kushikatsu itself was pretty good! The portion sizes were a bit too small for my liking, but as a casual meal – it’ll do the job.
For some other frying techniques, here is a couple that I also recommend you trying out:
“Tempura” Style
Frying with just the batter. Try it out with the stuff you typically see in Tempura: Shrimp, Potato, Okra, Pumpkin, etc. (Or anything else you fancy)
“No Batter” Style
Frying without any batter/breadcrumbs. You’re supposed to do this with the Churros, Nuggets, Siu Mai, etc. But do try them with Pork, Beef, Hamburg, Arabiki Sausage, and Pumpkin for a different type of crispy exterior.
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🍚 Serving Options 🍚
In addition to just eating your Kushikatsu by itself or with some sauce, here’s where your creativity can shine.
Fry your Kushikatsu as normal, and remove the skewer. Serve it on some rice for a Katsu Donburi, on curry for some Curry Rice, or on some Yakisoba for some additional protein!
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🍰 Desserts 🍰
On the buffet line, you’ll find several desserts to choose from – Cakes, Jellies, Eclairs, and a Soft-Serve machine.
But as a Kushikatsu store, it’s only fitting that they also have a Kushikatsu-like dessert: a fondue station (Chocolate, White Chocolate, Strawberry.)
You’ll find some marshmallows, eclairs, and skewers by the station, to grab some and go wild – bonus points if you serve it up with some ice cream.
Is it anything special? Nah… But it’s quite fun to play around with!
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⭐VERDICT⭐
So how good is Kushiya Monogatari actually? If you’ve been to an a-la-carte Kushikatsu store, you know it gets expensive real fast, so any Kushikatsu place where you pay a flat fee is instantly a great selling point.
What about the flavors here? It’s no Kushikatsu specialty store, so it’s unfair to expect it to compete with the top restaurants. With that in mind, the flavors weren’t too bad at all! Nothing special, but it being fried food, it’s pretty hard to get it tasting below ‘Good.’ The sides, sauces, and desserts also help round out the experience into one complete meal.
But this isn’t even factoring the uniqueness of it all – the experience. The main draw of this place really is their DIY aspect. And I must say, it surprisingly delivers on exactly that! For solo diners, I’d probably recommend an a-la-carte place. But as a group, the experience alone is mad fun, and I’d highly recommend you give this place a go.
So if you’re travelling with some friends and want a fun, DIY Kushikatsu meal, the definitely check out Kushiya Monogatari!
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🚗 GETTING THERE 🚗
To get to Kushiya Monogatari’s Namba Parks Store, take the subway to Namba Station (Midosuji Line) and exit via Exit 5. Head over to Namba Parks mall (5 minute walk) and you’ll find Kushiya at the 6th Floor.
You can also find several Kushiya Monogatari stores across Japan, including Tokyo, Fukuoka, Okinawa, Hiroshima, and more.
Kushiya Monogatari (Namba Parks Store)
🌏 Location
Japan, 〒556-0011 Osaka, Naniwa Ward, Nanbanaka, 2 Chome−10−70 なんばパークス 6F
🗺 Map 🗺
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ahLanNemJtPr3WSB8
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
11 A.M. – 11 P.M. (Last Order 10:30 P.M.)
💻 Website 💻
https://nambaparks.kushi-ya.com/
🏠 List of Stores 🏠
https://www.fujiofood.com/shop_search/kushiya/
📖 Online Menu (Japanese) 📖
https://nambaparks.kushi-ya.com/menu/
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💬 Final Words 💬
Initially, I thought this place was just pretty average. But as I began writing this review, I began to realize that this place was actually quite the fun experience!
It’s still not a place to find the best Kushikatsu out there, but as a fun meal with friends and family… I’d most likely give it a go again. (And I hope you consider a visit here as well! And let me know what you thought about it!)