A true culinary experience at Osaka Hibachi Ramen Thai in Watertown

Midwesterners can’t help but get excited for the launch of Top Chef Season 21. Previous seasons had us craving tastes from restaurants in Los Angeles, Miami, Charleston, London, Seattle, and more. What culinary experience will season 21 feature? WISCONSIN! The state will showcase some of the most diverse (and delicious) food you can find anywhere in the world. In the spirit of great food, we’re going to take you on a tasting journey at one of Watertown’s newest, and culturally diverse restaurants: Osaka Hibachi Ramen Thai.

Food

Osaka’s impressive variety of options, left our group of novices deliberating over the menu for a while. Eager to venture beyond our culinary comfort zones, two of us opted for ramen, two for hibachi, two for curry, and one for fried rice.

I opted for the shrimp tempura ramen, described as spicy with a creamy pork broth, ajitama, mushrooms, scallions, hot oil, bamboo shoots, and nori, with shrimp tempura on the side. The flavors were sensational, particularly the unexpected flavor of the hardboiled egg. While the dish offered a hint of spice, it wasn’t overwhelmingly hot for my palate. The portion was generous, allowing me to save a good sized portion for later. Admittedly, I couldn’t stop thinking about finishing my leftovers, and they were gone within hours of getting home.

My mother-in-law began with crab Rangoon, praising its flavors and relishing the accompanying dipping sauce, which we identified as a homemade sweet and sour sauce.

For her main course, she chose the Bonito Juzu ramen, similar to mine but not spicy and featuring pork chasu.

It was my father-in-law’s birthday, so his opinion of the meal mattered the most. We did well with our restaurant choice for the celebration, because he thoroughly enjoyed the Massaman Curry – his first venture into curry territory. My husband opted for the Panang Curry, and it was a hit. Both curries came as a bowl of thick broth, with a generous portion of rice to add to the dish. Both diners agreed this was a dish to remember.

Our sons both selected chicken teriyaki, served with rice and fresh vegetables. My oldest son was so enamored that he declared Osaka as Watertown’s new hotspot, eagerly anticipating our next visit.

My nephew savored the pineapple fried rice, deeming it “amazing.” As we savored our meals, we agreed we’d struggle even more with the menu on our next visit. We had a new problem. Should we reorder our new favorites or try something new? It’s a good problem to have.

Service

Service was exceptional. Our server was well-versed in the menu and graciously guided us through it. Soup and salad arrived promptly, followed immediately by our main courses. The bill was presented at the table, and payment was made at the front of the house.

Overall, our first experience at Osaka Hibachi Ramen Thai left a lasting impression, and we’re eagerly anticipating our next flavor-filled adventure.