On September 20, 2019, the main building of Daimaru Shinsaibashi store opened. The food floor has two layers, basement 1 and basement 2, which is a great feature. There are attractive sweets shops on basement 1, including Kami Soso. The traditional "Tokuyou Shio Konbu" has been discontinued, and a new "Home Use Shio Konbu" (230g, 1080 yen) is now available for sale. It is a blend of natural Konbu from Hokkaido and cultured Konbu from Hokkaido. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm looking forward to tasting it.

I received a set of salted kombu and shredded yuzu pepper. These are luxury items that I wouldn't normally buy for myself. When it comes to buying salted kombu, I usually just get the Fujicco brand from the supermarket (lol). I love shredded yuzu pepper, so I'm really happy to have received it ❤️ It's so delicious when you put it on hot rice, right? I took a picture of it, but I can't seem to find it... I used the salted kombu as a filling for onigiri or ate it with ochazuke. It's been a while since I had diced salted kombu, but if I had to choose, I think I prefer the thinly shredded kind.

I love the salted kelp from Kamisou. The thick-cut kelp simmered in soy sauce has a rich flavor, and the subtle scent of sansho pepper is also nice. I like that it's not too salty. It goes well with white rice, ochazuke, and makes the rice go down smoothly. I bought the economical salted kelp 260g (1080 yen) at the Kamisou store on the B1F of Daimaru Shinsaibashi. A single pack of salted kelp costs 864 yen for 100g, so it's quite a good deal. There may be differences depending on the day, but there is usually a line. There is also a limit of 3 pieces per person.

On July 22, 2013, I received a souvenir from a visitor. I thought it was pronounced "jinsou," but it seems to be pronounced "kansou." I didn't know about it, but the establishment dates back to 1781 and has been operating in Osaka ever since. I received the boiled scallops for 1050 yen, which comes in a similar package to salted kelp, shredded dried pepper, salmon kelp, and bonito flakes. There are five varieties in total. According to their website, it is a simmered scallop made from Hokkaido Sarufutsu scallops raised in the rich blessings of the Okhotsk Sea, cooked sweet and salty using their unique processing method to bring out the flavor of the scallops. I received it, but it was quite ordinary. I wondered if it had the original shape of a scallop, but it was finely chopped, and the texture was not quite there. However, the seasoning itself was delicious and went well with rice. If I have the chance, I would like to try other varieties. Thank you for the meal.

When it comes to famous kombu (kelp) shops in Osaka, I think of Koguraya and Shinso. In my mind, Koguraya is more traditional while Shinso is unexpectedly innovative. I admire how Shinso seems to have everything calculated, from the packaging to the product. They understand well how to create products that appeal to department stores. The flavor is perfect for Osaka residents who love sweet things, and it pairs excellently with rice. It is also a great choice for gifts, representing the delicious food of Osaka.

For gifts, it's best to have them in a box for a nice presentation and a decent amount. It seems like everyone thinks the same way when it comes to giving or receiving gifts. Along with Kokurayama Villa, our go-to gift item at home is (*^o^*) But when buying for home consumption, we opt for the value pack in a plastic bag. The boxed version is more elegant in terms of quantity. My favorite is tororo kombu, but regular salted kombu is also thick and full of the flavor of kombu, a taste that only a long-established company can achieve. In a gift set I received before, there was a mini-sized simmering sauce in a paper pack, and I thought it was soy sauce when I dipped sashimi in it, but it was a big mistake (laughs). It's a bit sweet and thick, how should I use it? Is it good for simmered dishes? I'm very curious about the soft serve ice cream made with simmering sauce, which seems to be available at the Yodoyabashi store.

In Osaka, there are many kombu (kelp) shops. Among them, the famous ones are Kanso and Oguraya. Kanso's main store is located in Yodoyabashi, but they are closed on weekends. In such cases, the department store basement is convenient. The kombu furikake for tamago kake gohan (rice with raw egg) was rare and delicious.

Delicious salted kombu, line up from 9:30.