The Cosmopolitans
Three months ago, another string
was added to the bow of Osaka’s international community, in
the form of The Cosmopolitans, a restaurant that truly lives up
to its name.
The Cosmopolitans fills an important niche for both the foreign
and local communities — a space for conversation and meeting
new people, in an atmosphere slightly less manic than the Sam and
Dave’s/Bar Isn’t It setting. The hope is that The Cosmopolitans
will become a haven for those who want to practice their English
and meet friendly, internationally-minded people. A mini-Casablanca
in Umeda, if you will. The décor is a East-meets-West kind
of vibe — the simplistic nature of both the European and Japanese
aspects of the restaurant’s focus work well together.
This point is emphasized by owner Sadamatsu Makoto’s
choice of wait and bar-staff — an eclectic staff of six from
places as diverse as Tanzania, Thailand and France. Makoto says
he hired his
staff from three continents to impress upon his customers that there
is more to internationalism than just the English-speaking world.
Makoto’s food is another reminder of the
ethos of the restaurant — a careful fusion of Asian and European
flavours — the daily seafood pasta (¥950) seemed to be
fairly standard Italian sea-food fare, but upon closer inspection
had some Japanese-styles to it — chunks of succulent octopus
lay in wait. The other dish we sampled took this a step further
— traditional Japanese kakuni (meat stewed in a sukiyaki-like
broth) with an Italian garnish. The kakuni also cost ¥950. The
portions, happily, err towards the international side of the fusion
— very generously sized considering the price, which ranges
from around ¥800 to ¥1,200 for a main course. Drinks are
all ¥500.
The cosmopolitans, in another welcome break from
the norm, are incredibly helpful when it comes to special requests
— the waiter made a point of asking about specific dietary
needs before reco-mmending any food. There is also a large array
of veggie options — over 10 (which is about 10 more than most
restaurants in Japan). Just ask and the staff willll help you out.
Although The Cosmopolitan aims to provide a place
for Japanese to practice their English — don’t think of
it as a magnet for slobbering drunken salarymen who want to show
off their questionable skills. It is very unobtrusive, and if you
don’t want to be engaged in conversation, it is easy enough
to avoid.
 Makoto
has also set up international parties every two weeks on the second
& fourth Sunday. The deal includes 7 dishes and one free drink.
It’s a good way to get to meet some new faces,
and the non-Japanese amongst us get a discount on the entry fee,
making it ¥1500. He also wants to welcome new people to Japan
with a 20% discount for two or more foreigners coming in together.
THE COSMOPOLITANS
Royal Bldg. 2F, Doyama-cho
3-15 Kita-ku, Osaka-shi
(in the Higashi-dori shotengai)
Nearest station: Umeda
Open: 18:00-01:00
Closed: Monday
Tel: 06-6363-7161
Text and Photos: Steffi Eckelmann
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