Cinco de Mayo Celebration in Japan?

04/30/2018/in Holidays, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food and Beverages /by Osaka Japanese Bistro

cinco de mayo banner with Mexican dancer illustration

Cinco de Mayo Celebrated in Tokyo, Japan

Cinco de Mayo is one of a handful of Western festivals that are celebrated in Japan. It seems an odd choice for Japanese to recognize, but that’s mostly due to local promotion as a fun, multicultural appreciation of Mexican and other Western cuisine and a chance for music and fun. Of course, although it’s not widely celebrated in Mexico, the May 5 festival is based on a Mexican story. On this day in 1862 at the Battle of the Puebla, a small ragtag Mexican fighting force defeated the massive French army during the Franco-Mexican war. It was popularized in America and exported to other countries, including Japan.

The holiday was first celebrated in Japan only in 2013 and consists mostly of a large festival in Tokyo. Attendees enthusiastically celebrate the cultures and cuisines of Central and South America with food, drink and song. They enjoy a huge selection of dishes from places like Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile and even Jamaica. Of course, party goers also enjoy exotic cocktails like margaritas, pina coladas and mojitos. Music offerings reflect North and South American genres like salsa, samba, jazz and rock. The celebration goes on all weekend.

While Cinco de Mayo is mostly a day celebrated in Tokyo and hasn’t quite made it to every town and village in Japan, the enthusiasm for a spring weekend celebration listening to great foreign music and munching on delicious exotic dishes is spreading in popularity in Japan.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo in Vegas

Lovers of the Japanese culture and those who wish to check out Cinco de Mayo do not have to travel to Tokyo. Holiday celebrations are also held in Las Vegas which, of course, delivers entertainment as only Vegas can. The Fremont Street Experience features music and entertainers, and most bars and casinos have Cinco de Mayo specials. Of course, once you’ve celebrated, you’ll be hungry enough for Japanese food at Osaka Japanese Bistro, the original Japanese Restaurant in Las Vegas. We welcome all the partygoers, whether for a sumptuous dinner or for late-night snack.

Osaka provides three distinct experiences for its patrons. We feature a top-quality fresh sushi bar with the town’s best and freshest selection of award-winning sushi. And, we are a steakhouse where our expert chef will prepare your meal before your eyes at the teppanyaki grill experience. We also offer a huge menu of authentic Japanese dishes, something for every taste and appetite. Check out our extensive menu.

Teppanyaki, Sushi and More at Osaka Japanese Bistro

Osaka Las Vegas el pollo loco sushi roll on a plate

El Pollo Loco Roll

Osaka serves fabulous sushi like the el pollo loco roll at our busy sushi bar. Or enjoy your own private party with tatami-style dining for an authentic Japanese dining experience. Stop in or book your space ahead of time for Cinco de Mayo or any night at Osaka Japanese Bistro on Sahara just off the Las Vegas Strip and on Eastern Ave in Green Valley.

Best Japanese Food in Henderson at Osaka Japanese Bistro

04/25/2018/in Blog, Japanese Cuisine, Las Vegas Sushi /by Osaka Japanese Bistro

Osaka Japanese Bistro has provided one of the finest dining experiences in Las Vegas since 1967. Thousands of tourists and locals know they can get the freshest and best selection of sushi in town at Osaka, along with a huge selection of great, authentic Japanese food in a great, classic Vegas setting and location. But a lot of locals don’t realize we also now have a Henderson restaurant, and it’s definitely got its own vibe and atmosphere that Osaka fans should not miss.

Authentic Japanese Cuisine Selections at Osaka Japanese Restaurant

Located on Eastern and Sunridge Heights Pkwy in Sunridge Village Plaza, the Henderson Osaka Japanese restaurant has a spacious and contemporary style. The suburban location means you’ll find easy access and ample space for parking. Inside, there’s a trendy and modern space, with a generously-sized sushi bar and plenty of table seating, as well as multiple teppan grill tables for your own exciting live action food preparation experience. And of course, the restaurant also features traditional private tatami room dining. Osaka Henderson serves the same great menu as the original location, along with a wonderful side of live piano and jazz on weekend evenings for your enjoyment. What could be nicer?

Fine Japanese Dining on your Doorstep

Osaka has always been known for serving the freshest, most authentic sushi in town, along with a huge menu of authentic, expertly prepared Japanese dishes. From slightly exotic appetizers, like tako wasabi (baby octopus in wasabi and sweet wine), to filling entrees, like shabu shabu (Japanese hot pot) and indulgent desserts, like tempura banana, our menu has something for every taste and appetite. We have so many choices we put them on five different menus:

Sushi – our famous, award-winning sushi, nigiri and sashimi selections, including seasonal and rare items, fresh daily with the the best cuts of native fish from Japan. Come in for some Osaka original creations like the Rock & Roll (tuna, salmon, yellowtail,crab in cucumber) or the Kamikaze (eel, spicy tuna and avocado).
Teppan Grill – our teppan master chefs will wow you by preparing your delicious hot meal before your eyes. Choose filet mignon, New York or rib steak, or enjoy grilled chicken. Our special selections include WAGYU beef, the very best Grade 5 beef from Japan, and tender Iberico pork from Spain. Enjoy your teppan grill meal with appetizer, soup, salad, fresh grilled vegetable and steamed rice. Reserve a teppan table for a memorable birthday or anniversary event, or just a fun evening out with friends or family.
Lunch Menu – just coming off the golf course, on a lunch break from work or heading out for a lazy afternoon paddling on Lake Las Vegas? Then stop by our Henderson restaurant for a delicious lunch that will fill you up and not weigh you down. Start with a sushi roll of your choice, then pick from a selection of bento box lunches that showcase our wide range of authentic Japanese dishes prepared fresh for you. Or enjoy a dish of tasty noodles or a filling bowl of ramen and be on your way.

Kitchen Menu – our kitchen menu is everything but the kitchen sink. Find everything your mom cooked for you (if you’re from Japan) or try something new. This is our biggest menu with old favorites, like oyako don (egg and chicken over rice) and, the new, including 14 flavors (who knew?) of yakitori, or chicken skewers.
Late Nite Menu – looking for a late night snack on your way home, or in between parties? Find appetizers, sushi and seafood dishes, as well as fried rice and yakitori specials. We have plenty of light meal choices at tempting prices during our late evening hours (after 10 pm).

Live Jazz in Henderson?

One of the best kept secrets in Henderson, our live jazz evenings add a musical spark to your dinner outing. Our owner Gene Nakanishi’s great love of classical and jazz orchestral music is showcased in our specially designed Henderson restaurant. The jazz corner is a cozy space for our live musicians to play their hearts out for your pleasure. Enjoy live piano and jazz performances every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, accompanied, of course, by great dining and friendly service. Check out recordings some of our piano and jazz performances.

Convenient Location for Henderson and Las Vegas

Whether you’re already an Osaka Japanese Bistro fan, a Henderson local or a true-blue Las Vegan, what could be better than great food, good music and a lovely ambience? For those visiting Henderson area casinos such as the M Resort Spa Casino, the South Point Hotel Casino and Spa or the Green Valley Ranch Resort, or if you are on your way out to Lake Las Vegas, taking the Hoover Dam tour, or on a golf outing at one of our fine local golf courses, Osaka’s Henderson restaurant is conveniently located on your way, not far from the 215 Beltway. Make your way to Osaka Japanese Bistro in Henderson and taste a bit of old Japan in style.

Learn About Sashimi, the Fresh Japanese Delicacy

04/16/2018/in Japanese Cuisine, Las Vegas Sushi, Sushi 101 /by Osaka Japanese Bistro

Have you run across sashimi fans who tell you how much they love eating raw fish on a plate and wondered what was so special about it? If you’re a sushi fan, chances are you’ve encountered sashimi at a sushi bar. But what do you know about this distinctly Japanese and very special delicacy? We’d like to share some facts about sashimi so you’ll be able to really appreciate it next chance you get to sample it at your favorite Japanese sushi restaurant.

Sashimi is a traditional Japanese dish of carefully selected and sliced raw food. It is mostly served as thinly sliced fresh fish. However, other meats such as beef can also be served as sashimi, although this is rare in authentic Japanese restaurants. Some people confuse sashimi and sushi even though the difference is a simple one: sashimi is a piece of raw fish while sushi is sashimi (raw fish) accompanied by vinegared rice.

Origin of Sashimi

The eating of sashimi can be traced to the 14th century. The term means “pierced body.” (The more accurate term would have been Kirimi (“cut body”) but the Japanese avoided it so as not to use the word ‘Kiri,” meaning “cut” which is considered a bad word.) Sashimi eating became popular in the Tokyo region in the 17th century as fishing techniques became more advanced and the arrival of the use of soy sauce helped enhance its flavor and popularize it more widely. To properly prepare and enjoy sashimi, the fish must be completely fresh in order to retain its delicate flavor and for food safety.

How to eat Sashimi

Most Japanese people are introduced to sashimi at a very young age. Foreigners may, however, take a while to get accustomed to the taste and texture of raw fish. Because it can be an acquired taste, condiments are a common accompaniment to sashimi, even in Japan, enhancing the overall taste experience and reducing the fish taste to only its best and most delicate flavors.

Spearing the fish in the head and tail is a traditional way of identifying the fish that will be served.

A common garnish is called tsuma, which consists of pieces of perilla leaves, seaweed, and daikon radish. They are usually cut into pretty shapes though they are always eaten together with the sashimi. Other edible wild plants, vegetables, and flowers are also used as garnishes.

Some types of the sashimi are eaten with a bit if horseradish (wasabi) or ground ginger, plums and mustard paste (karashi). The dish is often seasoned with soy sauce in which the diner dips a piece of the meat before eating. It is good practice to take only as much sauce as needed as the flavor may overwhelm the taste of the fish.

Popular types of sashimi

The sashimi served in most Japanese restaurants is purely seafood. Meaning, it is either from fish, roe or other sea animals such as octopus, shrimp, and jellyfish. Some popular types of this delicious Japanese dish are:

Maguro

Maguro is sashimi prepared from tuna. It is on the menu of nearly all restaurants that serve sashimi. The whole fish is edible, but the price of the sashimi dish varies depending on the fat content of each part. The lean, firm, and fleshy red flanks or akami are the cheapest. The most expensive part is the meat from tuna’s fatty belly, toro. It is available in two grades based on the fat content, chutoro, which is the medium grade and otoro, the premium grade.

Sake or shake

Shake is salmon-based sashimi and is common in many Japanese restaurants. The delicious bright orange fatty belly is also called salmon toro in many menus.

Tai Sashimi

Sea bream or tai, is the best white-fleshed fish in Japan. In sashimi cuisine, tai is often served during celebrations such as New Year’s and weddings. To the Japanese, it is symbolic of new beginnings.

Other Popular Types of Sashimi

Other fish that are served as sashimi include mackerel (saba), skipjack tuna or bonito (katsuo), and amberjack (kanpachi). Sashimi is also prepared form squid (ika), shrimp (amaebi), and octopus (tako). The highly prized jellyfish, kurage. is also served as sashimi.

Another option is caviar or salmon roe (ikura).

Uni Sashimi: A Rare Delicacy

The most expensive roe-based sashimi is the uni (sea urchin roe). It has a creamy, buttery texture and a sweet, briny flavor. Uni is the edible part of the sea urchin and has to be carefully harvested as the meat tends to fall apart. It is also a seasonal item and so is only available for part of the year, generally late fall and winter.

Osaka Japanese Bistro in Las Vegas for Authentic Japanese Sashimi

With our award-winning staff and authentic, traditional recipes and preparation method, Osaka Japanese Bistro offers the best fresh sashimi outside Japan. As the oldest Japanese restaurant in Las Vegas, we specialize in offering a broad menu as well as carefully selected and hard to find fresh fish from Japan to create authentic tastes and textures hard to find anywhere else. We even offer uni sashimi when it is in season and of the high quality we demand. Our sushi is enjoyed not only in our restaurants, but is the preferred catered sushi at many top Las Vegas casino buffets and restaurants who we supply daily with top quality fresh sushi, as well as sashimi and nigiri selections. For the very best in Japanese cuisine, stop in next time you’re in Las Vegas for a plate of fresh sashimi or nigiri and delicious sushi rolls.

Archive for month: April, 2018