Set in a restored traditional Japanese house in a quiet part of Osaka, Ayamedo is an affordable Bib Gourmand restaurant in the city. Its retro interior, coupled with a calming inner garden, is made for long meals – and you’ll want to linger over a few choice delicacies off the short but well-curated menu.
Soba (from ¥1,000) is the speciality here, with varieties ranging from cold dipping soba to belly-warming soup soba. As for the noodles, the restaurant makes them two ways. The hosogiri (thin-cut) soba is made purely from hulled buckwheat flour; it’s smooth and has a delicate sweetness. The arabiki (course-ground) soba, on the other hand, has a rustic appearance and a richer, nuttier mouthfeel, thanks to the buckwheat that is ground whole with chaff.
There’s also a varied list of classic and seasonal home-cooked dishes to complement your noodles, including miso-cured tofu, salt-grilled duck, Japanese rolled omelette, chicken liver simmered in ginger, and firefly squid salad (seasonal), just to name a few. Pair them with any of the sake options on the menu and you’ll have one of the most satisfying quintessential Japanese meals in Osaka.