7 days in Japan- 10/20/2023-10/26/2023

Day 7- Osaka-10/26/2023

Dinner at Hortensia Bistro, Osaka

Hortensia bistro is a French restaurant offering high quality authentic French cuisine in a casual style.  The restaurant is located from walking distance from the Higashi-Mikuni subway station on the Midosuji Line.  I found this restaurant while searching for a Bib Gourmand on the Michelin website.  The chef does not speak English but when he found out we spoke French he was so happy and started telling us about his training in France with Troisgras and many others and came back to Japan to open his own restaurant.  He also told us that he picked the name Hortensia (hydrangea flower) for his restaurant because he wants to reflect the desire to approach cooking with versatility just like the hydrangea that changed its color depending on the the soil conditions.

The restaurant is fairly small and have 20 seating capacity.  The main dining room is cozy and very low key.

Hoa catching up with Kristie and Kevin.  The restaurant offers many prix-fixed dinner option and we picked the one that was recommended by the chef.

The chef recommended the Chateau Margaux from his private collection.  This bottle was not listed in his menu but he told us that because we are having good food we should give this bottle a try and it turned to be really good.

Tonight we are also celebrating Kevin's belated 30th birthday.

Cheers to Kristie and Kevin.  We are so happy to be able to meet with them in Osaka.

French Jam with marinated olives.

Basic but the ham was really tasty.

Homemade pate de campagne with Foie gras served with grainy mustard, picked vegetables and a simple salad.

The pate de campagne was amazing and we all really enjoyed savoring it.

Guinea fowl on a bed of mixed salad.

Roasted monk fish topped with salmon egg on a bed of roasted cabbage.

Beautiful presentation and it was also delicious.

Civet de canard on a bed of lentils

Crispy skin with the flesh that melted in our mouth.  So delectable!

Soupe au potiron (squash soup) with croutons. 

Roasted loin of rabbit with heart of palm in the center served with an assortment of vegetable.  This is the restaurant signature dish and it did not disappoint.

The meat was moist, tasty, and simply to die for.  The chef is also known for his use of 7 to 8 types of vegetables for each dish.

Roasted rack of lamb served with a red wine sauce and assorted vegetable.

The lamb was cooked perfectly and Kevin really like it.

Steak, salmon, Black truffles, and roasted assorted vegetable.

Beautiful presentation

The restaurant interpretation of surf and turf.

The steak was cooked to Hoa's liking and he really enjoyed this dish.

Assortment of Mignardise: sponge cake with whipped cream,. marinated try plums, and canneles

The canneles were amazing, crispy on the outside and custardy on the inside.  The cake was also very good.

Closer view of the mignardises.

Brownie, crumble cake, strawberry couli, whipped cream, and Vanilla ice cream

Ending our meal with a wonderful dessert.

Once the meal was over, the chef (on the left) and his assistant bid us goodbye and escorted us out of the restaurant.

The chef told me his name but I simply cannot remember it.  He is a very talented chef and his food were better than what we all expected. 

If you are in Osaka, make sure to give this restaurant a try

Next....Getting to the Mutianyu Great wall, Beijing