Photograph By Katherine Bish
By Alexi Zentner
Photograph by Katherine Bish
Seven years ago, I suggested that my future sister-in-law download the city guide to her Palm Pilot; that way, if she were out and about and wanted to find something like, say, the nearest sushi restaurant, she wouldn't need to tote the phonebook with her. She stared at me for several seconds, as if I had ants coming out of my nose, then said, "I know where all three of the sushi restaurants in St. Louis are." She may have been overstating the case at the time, but a wave of sushi restaurants has hit St. Louis since then—including one of the latest, Osaka Japan Bistro.
Osaka? You saka! Osaka occupies the prime intersection of Olive and 141, making it an easy place for anybody west of the city to meet. The space is clean and pleasant, if a bit unremarkable; it should, however, get kudos for mostly avoiding the kitsch that many ethnic restaurants call decorating.
Fish: Given our lack of proximity to the ocean, local sushi joints can best separate themselves from the competition with their rolls. The eponymous Osaka Roll is worthy of recognition. It features deliciously crunchy deep-fried shrimp, rolled with mango and finished with, green tobiko—a decorative topping made from flying-fish roe. The colors make the roll pretty to look at, but the true pleasure comes from stuffing it in your mouth. The mango has a cooling effect that contrasts with the lush shrimp. The rest of the sushi on the extensive menu holds its own quite nicely.
Dish: Not interested in sushi? Osaka offers a full range of traditional dishes as well. The tempura—a crowd favorite—is light and crisp, lightly breaded in panko (Japanese breadcrumbs). If you want fish but prefer it cooked, try one of the grilled selections, such as Hokkaido salmon with sake, soy and butter sauce. Una-jyu, grilled freshwater eel served on a bed of rice, is deep and complex, with a sweetened soy sauce that complements the savory eel. You can also choose from three udon specials, as well as teriyaki, steak and grilled lamb.
13419 Olive, 314-439-9919. Hours: lunch, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mon-Fri; dinner, 4:30-10 p.m. Mon-Thu, 4:30-10:30 p.m. Fri-Sat, 5-9 p.m. Sun.
