Fall in love with boiled octopus straight from the kettle.
Takoyaki" is a cultural tradition in Osaka. It is righteous to eat takoyaki hot with plenty of sauce.
--There is a restaurant that gently turns this common sense on its head.
Marukou Suisan is located on Petit Road Hirokoji, not far from Fuse Station.
The main dish here is "puripuri" octopus, which is fresh octopus boiled in a cauldron and then iced.
There are not many takoyaki restaurants that serve the best unglazed octopus.
There are days when you just want to drop by this place where the taste and the people are so warm and inviting.
| Address | 1-17-7 Ashidai, Higashiosaka-shi, OsakaGoogleMap |
|---|---|
| Phone number | 06-6721-2006 |
| Business Hours | 11:30-19:00 |
| regular closing day | Thursday |
Takoyaki goes back to “plain”.
Petit Road Hirokoji stretches south from Fuse Station.
As you stroll along the shopping street in the late afternoon, you are drawn to the aroma of dashi (Japanese soup stock).
The red curtain with the name “Marukou Suisan” written on it. The unpretentious appearance of the restaurant makes you stop in your tracks.
When it comes to takoyaki, sauce mayo is the norm. The “soy sauce (unglazed)” here gently betrays such an imprint.
No sauce or mayo is poured over the takoyaki.
The savory aroma of the grill marks, the sweetness of the flour, and the flavor of the octopus are all that is needed to compete.
A woman who takes out the takoyaki, saying, “I like this,” holds a plastic bag with seven takoyaki in it.
It makes me happy to hear that the takoyaki are also chosen as gifts for people visiting a sick loved one or for babies who have just started eating baby food.
I can hear the sound of octopus being boiled.
The star of the show here is octopus. Not frozen, but fresh. The octopus is boiled in a kettle in the back of the restaurant and then iced.
The octopus is cooked in a kettle in the back of the restaurant and then iced.
The octopus is plump, but not hard. Only the octopus is “alive” in the takoyaki.
I think this is the reason why it works even without sauce or mayo.
In addition, the “Negi-kake Takoyaki” is filled with Kyoto’s Kujo green onions.
The crispy texture and sweet aroma spread to the palate.
It was the first time I learned that a single plate of takoyaki has such a rich background of ingredients.
I am going to meet the owner!
The man behind Marukou Suisan is the owner, Mr. Terada.
He is a genuine “Fusekko” who has been doing business in this town since his grandparents’ generation.
Regulars who visit the shop in the afternoon or early evening often stop by just to chat with him.
His voice saying, “Welcome home,” loosens the time of the town a bit.
Young, old, and small children drop by for a visit.
The tempo of conversation, laughter, and the savory smell of takoyaki. All of these things blend together to make this small store like a “living room in an alley.
Unchanged, but a little different from day to day.
The hand that cooks the takoyaki and the sound of the griddle are almost the same as they were yesterday.
However, each day seems to be a little different because it depends on the person you are talking to, the temperature of the day, and the condition of the octopus.
Today, it’s soy sauce. And, Terada-san, how are you doing lately?”
A place that is suited to such an exchange might not appear on any tourist map.
But it is usually places like this that make me want to return again and again.
On an afternoon sharing takoyaki with someone
You go there not so much for the takoyaki, but for the people.
Marukou Suisan is a restaurant with that kind of atmosphere.
It is good to compare takoyaki flavors you are interested in.
However, I would like you to try the “plain” takoyaki without sauce.
It is filled with the honest feelings of the creator and his commitment to the ingredients.
And if possible, leave a little room in your stomach.
The few minutes you spend talking with Mr. Terada is also a “taste” of this restaurant.
