Kyoto Sushi and Osaka Sushi & Hibachi bring the tasty cuisine of their namesake cities to the Minnesota suburbs
By Eleanor Ostman — Food Critic
Osaka. Kyoto. Are we in Japan?
No, we’re in Roseville, where Osaka Sushi & Hibachi near Lunds & Byerlys and Kyoto Sushi in HarMar Mall are just a mile apart along Snelling Avenue.
It’s been decades since I’ve been to those Japanese cities. Serene Kyoto, adorned with classic Asian architecture, was the nation’s capital for a thousand years until Emperor Meiji moved to Tokyo in 1868. Osaka is a major port city. I don’t remember what I ate except for one elaborate, elegant kaiseki, or traditional multi-course dinner, an experience where eating with the eyes is as important as the mouth.
I do recall a palace in Kyoto where the floors chirped like a flock of birds should an assassin creep in during the dark of night. From a lofty window in our Osaka hotel, I saw a cluster of modern homes, like a mini-suburb, built inside a former baseball stadium, bleachers intact. Land is precious in Japan.
Back to our local tastes of Osaka and Kyoto. Both Roseville establishments are meccas for sushi lovers, which include my son and grandsons. We go to Osaka often because it’s just two minutes from my house. They indulge in artful constructions of ultra-fresh seafood and molded rice. I go for the tempura.
Kyoto’s website has an insightful collection of sushi trivia. One question asked, “What is the unhealthiest thing to order in a Japanese restaurant?” Answer: tempura. I don’t care. I like it. Not that I don’t occasionally order sushi, but panko crumb-coated sizable shrimp (my favorite protein) and vegetables such as sweet potato, all deep-fried, make my mouth happy.
When I order at Osaka, I sometimes get the shrimp tempura appetizer for $12.99 —enough to satisfy my craving. Really hungry? Get the full dinner version for $19.95.
If I were doing a scientific tasting, I would have eaten side-by-side tempura offerings from the two restaurants, but I had to rely on memories of Osaka’s when I visited Kyoto Sushi for the first time, in the company of my Friday dining group. At the latter, I had only one coated and fried tempura shrimp as a garnish to my Dragon Roll sushi. Though it wasn’t a fair comparison, I would give only the slightest nod to Osaka’s tempura, but both are excellent.
Sushi was my focus at Kyoto. As mentioned, I chose Dragon Roll, because I was born in the Year of the Dragon. For $13.99, I got an artistic arrangement of crab, salmon, avocado and cucumbers with the crowning touch of the aforementioned tempura shrimp. Loved it.
Back to Kyoto’s Q&A, the query was, “What is the most often-ordered sushi?” Answer: California Roll, non-intimidating for novices who are wary of raw seafood. It unites crab, avocado and cucumber, much like the Dragon version. Nothing scary. Someone at the table chose Sexy Girl, a spicy pairing of tuna and crabmeat. Didn’t try it because there was no offer to share, so it must have been good. The Japanese adhere to “The 80% Rule.” Translation: Stop ordering and eating when your stomach tells you it is almost full. So I quit there.
Diners with heartier appetites than mine are lured by Kyoto’s AYCE option: All You Can Eat, and they mean it. AYCE is available for lunch for $19.99 Monday through Friday and for $24.99 on weekends. Dinner AYCE is $33.99. Either is a huge bargain, considering the price of just one sushi selection. I will surely bring my son and grandkids there.
Osaka lures customers with its Hibachi grill where dining and entertainment blend. It’s a noisy affair, which, although in a separate space, can be heard in the main dining room. A lot of chopping, flipping, pounding, drumming and laughing goes on as the dextrous chef swings his knives and tosses food on the grill. The price elevates up to the $50 range for two, depending on meat diners order, from less expensive chicken to pricier fish, lobster and beef fillet. Soup and salad are included. It’s a great way to celebrate a birthday when fun is the objective.
Both Osaka and Kyoto have a handful of sister restaurants scattered throughout the metro area. They’re not chains, rather collections, often owned by several family members.
Osaka is at 1675 W County Road C West, in the strip mall across the Midway Ford. It is closed Mondays.
Kyoto is at the north end of HarMar, 2100 Snelling Ave.
