Dining Tabi is an elegant addition to the chic Hiranomachi culinary scene, having opened its doors in 2014. It has a large selection of Sake which is perfectly matched with its superb Japanese inspired French dishes, masterminded by chef Tanaka since 2015.
In French they call it a Mariage, a great combination of selected Sake and French dishes which has been attracting customers by the dozen. The restaurant is located in an eye catching alley called Senba Rojino, which has a row of restaurants lined up side by side, evocative of Ishibei Koji, a scenic street of historical Kyoto.
While Senba Rojino is nestled amongst modern office buildings, it blends with the city scape. Once you have found it, you would fall in love and want to keep it as your own secret spot. Dining Tabi is the third shop from the main street. Chef Tanaka is also a licensed sommelier who trained at a popular restaurant. Consistent with the theme of Dining Tabi, he adopts the essence of “Makanai Ryori” – meals which are provided for cooks while they are working in the restaurant kitchen, using existing ingredients left over from the meal preparation for the guests. He offers an inimitable cuisine with using seasonal ingredients and the best matching Sake.
The first floor is dedicated to counter seating, while large communal tables are a feature of the second floor, so it is suitable for couples or friends as well as for small groups, like a company gathering. He has also hand picked forty varieties of sake, and is more than happy to pair the most suitable sake with the French dishes on the menu.
Besides sake, they also have a wide range of wine, fruit wine (like ume shu or plum wine), beers and sours. If you ask for the “all-you-can-drink dinner set”, you can be delighted by many different liquors.
The signature dish here is the Crab and Shrimp Cream Croquette. Once you take a bite, you will be enveloped by the wonder of the all-consuming crustacean extract taking over your palette. It is luxurious and a must eat item for crab and shrimp enthusiasts. One dish that rarely appears on other restaurant menus is the Honey Mousse. It is one of the most impressive dishes I’ve encountered when I first visited Tabi. Honey Mousse can be eaten with thinly sliced apples and a baguette. The extremely soft texture of mousse is slightly sweet and you will be addicted once you try it. I would highly recommend you visit Dining Tabi when you come to Osaka.
