Osaka certainly deserves a post of its own. It is revered as one of the top restaurants in Lima and indeed the world for its exotic and lavish expression of Japanese and Peruvian fusion, or Nikkei cuisine. And for good reason. While you can find Nikkei throughout Lima, at Osaka and Maido it is taken to the next level indeed. This is an experience to be had, to savor the combination of Japanese and Peruvian ingredients and cooking techniques in its highest form, presented in a casual yet elegant setting.

There is no shortage of reviews and articles on the Osaka story and dining experience. As an amateur blogger and self-indulgent world traveler, I will offer my personal take from my visit to Osaka in February 2022. I have visited countless restaurants in Lima by now, and for hitting all the points, Osaka is an adventure you should not pass up.  

Osaka has two locations in Lima, the more popular being in fashionable San Isidro. You can also find Osaka in Buenas Aires, Bogota, Quito, Sao Paolo, Santiago, and outside South America in Miami and London (coming in 2022 I believe). San Isidro is the largest of the bunch, with in addition to a main dining area, several sushi bars and cocktail bars, as well as an expansive terrace with cabanas and a variety of seating areas. Even your first steps present an intriguing juxtaposition. After entering what was at first a generic corporate office building, you descend a staircase into what becomes an oasis of dining tranquility. A sure sign that the experience offers more than just the food on your plate – you will indeed be teleported into a separate dining dimension.

And once you get inside Osaka World… It’s dark! It’s a very dark restaurant, and that’s very fashionable for high cuisine right now. The sleek and sophisticated ambience perfectly compliments the sleek and sophisticated cuisine. And because of this sleek darkness, I chose to sit outside on the terrace where I could see my food. This explains the slightly cool daylight look of the photos here. At one point on a visit to the facilities, I almost had to use the flashlight on my smartphone to find my way around!

Comparisons can be made between Osaka and nearby Maido, as both will deliver a near flawless execution of nikkei cuisine (as well as other dishes). As Maido occupies the number seven spot of the list of the worlds best restaurants, it involves quite a bit more hype and buzz. You’ll have a harder time getting a table at Maido and will additionally pay a premium over Osaka. I will say, going off the USD, you are having an almost unbeatable, world class dining experience for the price of a regular, average restaurant in the US. I had numerous different dishes – including wagyu beef nigiris, foie gras nigiris, a variety of tiraditos and other nigiris, one maki roll, duck gyozas, a cacao soufflé dessert, and four glasses of wine. My bill came to $123 for one person. The wine by the glass was not priced on the menu which I found off putting, since it was apparently the most expensive glass of chardonnay in all of Peru ($12). In fact the wine almost cost as much as the meal itself. Which for Osaka, just sounds wrong.

So, on to the food itself. The menu at Osaka is indeed something explore patiently. You will marvel and daydream about the potential of each dish. In fact, you will want to order everything. But on one dining experience, can you have it all? You may try, since many dishes are smaller and allow you to spread out your curiosity.

You can also choose from a single main course as well. There is a pachamanca style Peruvian beef dish served in a stone pot, with shortribs and sweet potatoes. Pachamanca is an ancient form of Peruvian cooking in the ground with a variety of meats and vegetables wrapped in banana leaves and cooked among hot rocks. You can also have Paicha, a river fish found in the Selva of Peru, or the Amazon jungle zone. I can tell you from experience this is also delicious. Additionally there are a variety of steak, pork and fish dishes that will certainly get the job done right.

Here is a rundown of what I ordered.

Tiradito (raw fish sliced thin along the lines of sashimi, but elevated with additional Peruvian ingredients.):

• Tuna Tataki: Aji amarillo sauce, Nippon chimichurri, chirimoya gel, cilantro.
• Tako Olivo: Torched octopus, black olive emulsion, avocado, nori crackers.

Nigiri:

• Tumbo sake: Salmon, tumbo honey, tenkatsu (sweet and savory) sauce, cilantro, aji limo.
• Wagyu: Torched wagyu beef, kaboyaki sauce, lime.
• Tuna foie: Tuna, foie gras, Nikkei teriyaki, Maldon salt.
• Ebi Mentaiko: Shrimp, roastesd rocoto sauce, sake, tobiko.

Other dishes:

• Inca Gyoza: Confited duck, caramelized onion, shiitake, ajii amarillo sauce.
• Nikkei Makimono: Avocado, crispy shrimp, white fish, ceviche sauce, furikake Osk.

Wine I ordered was a Tabali Vetas Blancas Chardonnay. It was unoaked, lively, a lot of distinct citrus and apple notes, and pure varietal expression. Went perfectly with everything, the acid cutting neatly through the fat from the some of the fish, as well as complimenting the heavier Peruvian condiments.

The wine list leans heavily on Argentina and Chile, though still offers an attractive variety of reds and whites from around the world. From South America you will see all the classic old world varietals from Argentina, a few single varietal Carmeneres and Chardonnays from Chile. Selections also from California, Australia, and South Africa. From the old world are several high end Riojas, a Brunello, two Burgundies (these were outliers in price of course, a German riesling, even a Hungarian Furmint. I wonder how many of those bottles get moved.

Afterwards I just wasn’t ready to leave, so I moved to the bar for a beer. The staff were exceptionally friendly, and English speaking. While chatting weith the bartender I mentioned my interest in piscos, and my rudimentary knowledge of the different grape varieties. Perhaps appreciating my interest in his country, he volunteered a sampling of three grape varieties – Quebranta, Italia, y Acholodo. And much like other distilled spirits or perhaps wine, there are subtle difference in aroma, nose, texture and palate. That is another whole world to explore, for another post! All in all, a wonderful dining experience at Osaka, Lima.