The laid-back, family-friendly neighbourhood of Tanimachi-Rokuchome has seen an influx of stylish new shops and eateries in recent years. Among the tastiest of them is this pan-Asian restaurant, opened in 2018 by the team behind the popular Stand Sonoda nearby.
Focusing on flavours from countries along the Pacific typhoon belt, Taifu Hanten (‘Typhoon Restaurant’) mixes and matches with Thai, Vietnamese, Taiwanese and Okinawan influences. Popular dishes include ji pai (Taiwanese fried chicken), lu rou fan (braised pork over rice), pad thai, and ‘Taiwanese tacos’, and the lengthy selection of colourful, fruit-flavoured drinks is also well worth exploring.
Taifu Hanten’s dishes aren’t intended to be orthodox, but the joint’s interior wouldn’t seem out of place in Bangkok or Manila, and the atmosphere is heightened by a groovy soundtrack mixed by the owner, who moonlights as a DJ. We also like their funky T-shirts and other original merchandise, which serve nicely as offbeat Osaka souvenirs.