Best Omurice in Japan: 5 Places You Have to Try
Japanese Omurice is a specialty dish that you must try when in Japan. Here are the top 5 places you must visit for Omurice in Japan.
Omurice is a yoshoku (western-influenced) dish. The rice is fried with ketchup and chicken pieces. Then, a fluffy omelet is made which is served on top of the fried rice or wrapped over the fried rice. It is usually topped with sauces before serving. Slightly different versions of this dish are served in restaurants. The dish is simple to prepare but its highlight is in the burst of flavors.
Top 5 Places for the Best Omurice in Japan
Even though Omurice is a simple dish to make, getting the texture and flavors right is key. And this is why some places that serve Omurice are more popular than the others. Here is a curated list of the 5 top places that serve this simple yet tasty dish.
Taimeiken, Tokyo
- Specialty – The fluffy omelet that opens like a dandelion flower when cut and the sweet taste of the ketchup.
- Price range – ¥1700 onwards
- Open hours – 11 AM to 9 PM (Mon – Sat) & 11 AM to 9:30 PM (Sun and holidays)
- Nearest station – Tokyo station
Taimeiken is a popular Yoshoku restaurant in Japan that was established around 88 years ago. It is one of the best places to taste authentic Omurice. On the first floor of this two-storied restaurant, the famous ‘Tampopo Omurice’ is served. The Japanese movie Tampopo was filmed on the premises of Taimeiken. The Omurice dish on the menu was inspired by this and that’s how it got its name.
Tampopo is the type of Omurice where the lightly cooked egg omelet is placed on top of the fried rice. When it is cut open, the egg spreads over the rice. Sauces are poured over the egg before eating. After cutting open the omelet, the insides look like soft scrambled eggs. The generous helping of the omelet on top of the rice makes this a filling dish. Here’s a video of Taimeiken’s Tampopo Omurice.
Tampopo means dandelion in Japanese. It is a fitting name for this Omurice because when cut open, the omelet opens up like a flower blooming!
Kichi Kichi, Kyoto
- Specialty – Excellent texture of the omelet and the very friendly chef.
- Price range – ¥2700 onwards
- Open hours – 5 PM to 9 PM (All days) & 12 noon to 2 PM (Weekends and holidays)
- Nearest station – Keihan Sanjo Station
Kichi Kichi has already become a social media sensation for the Omurice it serves. The chef, Yukimora Motokichi cooks this popular dish perfectly. An oval dome-shaped mound of chicken fried rice is topped with the perfect fluffy omelet. As the chef cuts the omelet in half, it beautifully cascades down on the rice. Here is a video of the chef making this famous dish. He even puts up quite a show too to entertain the audience!
Kichi Kichi serves the Omurice in two portion sizes. The smaller one is if you just want to get the taste of the cuisine. The larger one is for when you want to have a filling meal. Two different sizes of molds are used to shape the fried rice. Then, the egg omelet is placed on top of it. The chef cuts it in half and the half-cooked egg falls over the rice completely covering it. Demi-glace sauce is poured over it and it is garnished with chives.
Kichi Kichi is about ten minutes walking distance from the Keihan Sanjou (京阪三条駅) station. The best way to reach is by finding it using GPS. They also have helpful red signboards that make it easy to locate the restaurant. It is a cozy but small place, so a prior reservation is recommended. They have English menus, too.
Meijiken, Osaka
- Specialty – Flavorful rice is prepared with a paste of minced beef. You also have a choice of accompaniment.
- Price range – ¥680 onwards
- Open hours – 11 AM to 10 PM (Closed between 4 PM and 5 PM on weekdays)
- Nearest station – Shinsaibashi station
The Omurice served at Meijiken has a very distinct taste. Instead of making fried rice with chicken pieces and ketchup, they use white rice. The rice is tossed with minced beef, onion paste, and a special sauce. This gives the rice a beautiful color. The rice is then wrapped in a soft omelet. Every bite is packed with flavors
Patrons can choose an accompaniment with the Omurice. You can choose from a pork katsu, a chicken katsu, or even a croquette. The Omurice itself is drizzled with a tangy sauce. As a result, the dish has an almost magical taste.
Hokkyokusei, Osaka
- Specialty – A variety of Omurice served such as chicken, beef, mushroom, shrimp, and other seasonal ingredients. Also, the tomato sauce.
- Price range – ¥780 onwards
- Open hours – 11:30 AM to 10 PM (weekdays) & 11 AM to 10 PM (weekends)
- Nearest station – Shinsaibashi station
Hokkyokusei claims that they were the first restaurant to serve Omurice. It was established back in 1922. So, it’s quite possible! The Omurice here is made from a variety of meat and vegetable options. This makes for interesting and tasty variations of this simple dish. You can order regular chicken to be used in fried rice or choose from different kinds of seafood, meats, and vegetables.
There is a generous drizzle of sauce on the Omurice. This tomato sauce is made with chicken stock which gives it a full-bodied flavor. The Omurice served here also has a buttery flavor and fragrance which makes it simply irresistible. The omelet covering of the fried rice has a creamy quality to it which makes the dish delectable.
Rengatei, Tokyo
- Specialty – Fillings are mixed with the egg before cooking giving the omelet a unique taste.
- Price range – ¥1800 onwards
- Open hours – 11:15 AM to 3 PM and 4:40 PM to 9 PM (weekdays). Closes at 8:45 PM on Saturdays. Sundays closed.
- Nearest station – Ginza station
Some people believe that it was not Hokkyokusei, but Rengatei was the first restaurant to serve Omurice. However, one thing that everyone is sure of is that this place serves a very tasty version of the specialty dish.
Instead of an omelet that wraps fried rice, the Omurice served here has eggs mixed with the rice and the fillings and cooked together. The filling ingredients such as meat or veggies are cooked with the egg into the sumptuous omelet. As a result, this different preparation makes the dish stand out from the rest.
Rengatei is a very old establishment, opened over a century ago. Omurice has been one of the most popular dishes here. Even though the preparation differs, the choice of ingredients makes it a very tasty option that you must try. The place is usually packed with customers. So prior reservation is recommended. Or you should be prepared to wait for a table when you get here.
The savory and sweet taste of the sauce on the top and the eggs cooked with fillings and rice makes this a complete meal. Even though the portion size is less, the mound of perfectly cooked eggs mixed with rice and meat or vegetables is the perfect comfort food.
Related Questions
Can’t get enough of Omurice? Here’s more.
Can you make Omurice at home?
Yes! Omurice is a simple dish that can be easily made at home. You can choose the ingredients of your choice to go into fried rice. The only thing you need to get right is the omelet which needs to be cooked from the outside but a little undone from the inside. Here’s a simple recipe of Omurice.
How to get the Omurice presentation perfect?
The beauty of the Omurice preparation lies in the way the mound of rice and egg sit perfectly on the plate. There are molds available which you can use. Or, a simple trick is to use an oval bowl or small gravy dish that you have at home.
Conclusion
Omurice is a popular dish because it is a complete meal and very filling. Another reason is that it is a yoshoku dish, i.e., influenced by western culture. This makes it a popular choice for the young crowd in Japan, too. However, even the traditional Japanese and tourists can’t stay away from this delicacy. This popular comfort food also makes for a good lunchbox recipe. This article explains how this dish gained popularity in Japan.
Craving for something sweet after the savory Omurice? Try some delectable Mochi! Want to know where? Read here: Where to get the ultimate Mochi in Japan?
Eli Civil
A software engineer, entrepreneur, and Japanese culture enthusiast. I travel the world while working from my laptop and try to visit Japan as often as I can. About Eli Civil
