Osaka Steakhouse and Sushi Bar opened next to La Vista’s Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in March 2019. Originally from China, married restaurateurs Michael and Amy Chen dreamed of owning Japanese-style restaurants. While they’ve since put down roots in Omaha, their restaurant journey started in Illinois.
They opened their first restaurant in the small town of Galena, Ill. It was the first realization of their dream.
“We spent years learning, improving and pouring our hearts into creating a place where people could gather around the table and feel warmth, celebration and connection,” Amy said.
Osaka hibachi flames
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The Chens have two children, and as their family grew, they began thinking more seriously about where they wanted to build their lives. They wanted broader opportunities, more exposure and a city that would allow both the family and business to grow.
“Leaving Galena wasn’t easy,” Amy recalled. “It was where we started, struggled and where we proved to ourselves that we could succeed.”
A friend introduced them to Omaha. “The first time we visited, we felt something different,” Amy said. “We realized Omaha was not just a place to open a bigger restaurant, but a place to build a future.”
Jennifer and I sampled a good portion of the menu, starting with cocktails, appetizers and sushi rolls before taking in the full hibachi experience.
Japanese old fashioned
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Japanese Old Fashioned is made with Suntory Toki whiskey, Angostura bitters, cherry, orange and simple syrup. It’s a nice play on the traditional old fashioned: boozy, bitter and warming. The sweetness from the simple syrup balances it out nicely. The Japanese whiskey gives it a cleaner, lighter profile than a typical old fashioned while still respecting the cocktail’s roots.
Mai Tai
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Mai Tai is made with Cruzan Mango Rum, Myers Dark Rum, amaretto, orange, pineapple and grenadine. It’s an excellent tropical blend of juices that pair well with the rum. The amaretto adds a nutty almond flavor that blends well with the citrus and pineapple. The mango and dark rum work together to bring added tropical and spiced booziness.
Scorpion bowl
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The Scorpion Bowl for 2 is made with Cruzan Rum, amaretto, Roku Gin, apricot brandy, orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry, grenadine and 151-proof rum. This drink comes to the table in flames. Its flavor profile gently reminded me of ambrosia salad, with cherry notes from the amaretto and a blend of citrus and cranberry juices. It’s a dangerously tasty sipper and easy to forget there’s rum and gin mixed in. It’s also easy to forget you’re supposed to share it.
Garlic edamame
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Garlic edamame is sautéed in garlic and salted well. The edamame are perfectly cooked with a sweet, nutty flavor that rounds out the profile. Red pepper flakes add a welcome heat.
Tuna tataki
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Tuna tataki is seared pepper tuna, fried leek and scallion. This is a light, delicious appetizer. The tuna is sliced thin and absorbs the sauce well. The leek and scallion add a zesty punch of flavor. The sauce is sweet and rich in umami. It’s an appetizer that sets the rest of the meal on the right track.
Pork gyoza
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Pork gyoza are pan fried with a gyoza sauce. The fry is gentle, just enough to bring out charred flavor but not so much that it toughens the dumpling. Its soft, herbal notes accent the sweet pork flavor. They were, quite simply, scrumptious.
Jennifer and I tried three sushi rolls: the Beauty Roll, Out of Control Roll and Dragon Tale Roll.
Dragon tale roll, beauty roll and out of control roll
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The Dragon Tale Roll is made with shrimp tempura, cucumber and avocado, then topped with snow crab, eel, avocado, crispy potato and tobiko and served with eel sauce and sweet chili sauce. The crispy potato adds a welcome crunch, while the cucumber and avocado bring freshness and vibrancy. The seafood is delightfully fresh, while the eel sauce adds a sweet umami. The chili rounds out this roll with a punch of heat.
The Beauty Roll is made with snow crab, cream cheese and avocado wrapped in seaweed, then topped with lobster salad, shrimp tempura, avocado, jalapeño and fried leek, and served with eel sauce and sweet chili sauce. The crab pairs well with the cream cheese, especially with the succulent lobster salad on top. The fried leek and jalapeño add a mellow sweetness with a sharp, bright heat.
The Out of Control Roll combines tuna, salmon, yellowtail and asparagus wrapped in seaweed, then topped with seared tuna, salmon, jalapeño mayo, scallion and tobiko, served with spicy sauce and miso sauce. The jalapeño mayo is tangy and creamy, spicy and sweet, pairing refreshingly well with the seafood. Everything ties together for a satisfying roll.
Hibachi flaming stir fry
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Each hibachi comes with a salad in carrot dressing and a clear chicken broth soup. The broth is light and flavorful, with notes of mushroom and green onion. The salad is simply fresh lettuce with carrot dressing. But the dressing elevates the lettuce, pairing its crisp freshness with creamy sweetness from carrots and a tinge of heat from ginger. Seriously, if I could bottle it up and take it home, I would.
The hibachi also comes with fresh stir fry vegetables, fried rice and proteins of your choice. We chose the filet mignon, lobster, scallops, chicken breast and salmon.
Hibachi plate
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The filet mignon is grilled on the hibachi and sliced as it cooks, with garlic butter added along the way. It came off the hibachi buttery, garlicky and tender. One or two of the scallops were slightly overcooked, but these were smaller than the others. The larger scallops were perfect. The chicken breast was tender and juicy. It would be easy to overcook salmon here, but this wasn’t the case. It had a lovely grilled crust and was finished to a delicious medium rare.
The lobster is cooked meat side down and removed from the shell for the rest of the grilling. It’s then put back in the shell when served on the plate. It’s tender, juicy, sweet and buttery. The natural lobster flavor stands out on its own.
Osaka hibachi flames
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Part of hibachi is the experience, and showmanship is on full display here. From the open-mouth sake pour to catching a fried egg in your mouth, the whole thing is unabashedly fun. The flames will warm your face, and so will the hibachi chef’s good nature and humor.
Though the vegetables were obviously fresh, he joked, “Frozen vegetables from Wal-Mart!” Then expertly stir-fried them.
Osaka is a warm and friendly place, an environment the Chens have carefully created and maintained since they opened. They can often be seen going from table to table making sure everyone is enjoying their meals and having a good time. This level of hospitality moves from the top down, with every hibachi chef and server making sure guests feel well looked after.
Heat from the hibachi flames
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The Chens are bringing this experience to west Omaha with a 7,000 sq. ft., second Osaka location at 18118 Evans St. Interior buildout is underway, and doors are scheduled to open in late June.
I’m hesitant to admit this was my first Japanese hibachi experience. I’d seen it on TV where they toss food in your mouth and squirt sake your way – all things I thought would be intimidating. It was the opposite at Osaka.
It was an awesome experience and I’m glad no one told the hibachi chefs not to play with their food. I walked away without an ounce of sake spilled on my shirt and with a false sense of confidence after catching a fried egg tossed my way from the hibachi spatula. But that false sense of security isn’t why I’ll be back. It’s because of the Chens’ impeccable hospitality and the darned good food.
