Title: "Osaka Touring in November 2022 Part 2: Nostalgic Atmosphere at Staff Cafeteria (Open to the Public)" For my final long-distance tour of the year, I headed to my beloved Osaka. I left my home in Kashiwa, Chiba at 4 am and had lunch at Ramen Yamaokayaten Oka Gamagori around 11:30 am. The journey was smooth until I hit heavy traffic in Nara and Osaka prefectures during the evening rush hour, especially in Ikaruga town. They are constructing a bypass called Ikarga Parkway, and I hope it opens soon! I arrived in Osaka's Shinsekai area at 5:20 pm. I quickly took the subway for some errands. After finishing my tasks, I walked around Minami area and it was time for dinner. I had three options: 1) Cheap udon/soba shop, 2) Ramen at a Jiro-style shop near Nipponbashi Electric Town, 3) A mysterious cafeteria recommended by my friend K-brother. Since I had recently eaten udon and ramen, I chose option 3. According to K-brother, there is a staff cafeteria deep inside Nankai Namba Station that is open to the public. I love staff cafeterias (the one in my hometown Kashiwa was not good and closed down), so I decided to give it a try. I wanted to go back to Shin-Imamiya where my accommodation was, so I bought a ticket and entered. You can borrow a pass from the station staff by asking at the window. I easily found my way to the cafeteria, and upon arrival at 7:16 pm, there were about 5 customers, including 2 in casual clothes. During my 20-minute stay, about 4 staff members and 2 more customers arrived. There were two staff members, an older lady and a man. They were starting to close up as the closing time was around 8 pm. I bought a meal ticket from the vending machine and ordered the daily special A set meal for the general public. I asked for extra rice, which was free. The food was served quickly, within a minute. Here's my rating: Rice: 7/10 - Not the best rice, but it had a nostalgic taste similar to the staff cafeteria meals I used to have. The pickles were good and complemented the rice well. Miso soup: 7/10 - A standard miso soup that you would find in popular eateries. It was comforting and well-made. Pickles: 7/10 - Self-serve pickles that paired well with the rice. Minced cutlet, cabbage, and pasta main dish: 8/10 - The minced cutlet had a light gravy sauce and tender texture. The pasta was a bit bland. Overall rating: 7/10 - The food may not be outstanding, but it captures the essence of a staff cafeteria. The menu is on the lower side of salt content, likely for health reasons. Overall, it was a pleasant experience enjoying the simple and nostalgic flavors of the staff cafeteria.

The vending machine was divided into two sections, and I went to the regular one. The morning set meal increased from ¥420 to ¥500! This time, I decided to try the new order of grilled mackerel instead of the usual two pieces of grilled fish. I felt a bit excited as I headed there, but was a bit disappointed when the water was poured over my meal, leaving me with mixed feelings. To lift my spirits, I thought of going to a nearby ramen shop for a second round, but the lackluster atmosphere around the store made me change my mind and head back home. Despite the price hitting ¥500, I wondered if it was worth it in terms of cost performance. However, I must admit that the price was more reasonable compared to other breakfast places I have visited.

One Coin Lunch 30 Match Showdown PART3 Episode 11 This place is Nankai Namba Station, and in the back is "Namba Kyushokuba" (Osaka, Namba), a cafeteria for Nankai Electric Railway employees that is also open to the public. It seems more well-known than "Nankai Wakayama Employee Cafeteria". I ordered the A set meal for 470 yen, with a choice of one small side dish. On this day, I chose Chicken Saute with Demi-Glace sauce, available from 10:00 to 20:00.

After visiting Yamato and Nishi-Otani temples, I felt like going to Tennoji. The menu at the restaurant was two servings of Inari sushi. Since it's the cafeteria for Nankai employees, they should not be closed during Obon, but I've experienced other year-round shops closing during the New Year holidays, so I'm cautious during long holidays. After eating, I walked through the underground shopping area. There were many supporters lined up in front of the department store waiting for it to open. I passed by them and wondered if they needed supporters even in the department store.

Ramen 30 Match Part 1 - Number 21 Here is Nankai Namba Station. Behind here is "Namba Kyushokujo" (Osaka, Namba). It is a Nankai Electric Railway employee cafeteria that is open to the public, but it is more popular than the "Nankai Wakayama Employee Cafeteria." I ordered the ramen, which is available from 10:00 to 20:00, for 280 yen.

The title may sound suspicious, but rest assured it is completely legal. "Don't worry, I'm wearing!" This time, we will attack the employee cafeteria "Namba Kyushokujo" of Nankai Electric Railway! It is located inside Namba Station and can be used by the general public as well. I didn't know about it, but it has been featured on TV information programs and YouTube. It is not directly managed by "Nankai Electric Railway" but is outsourced to "Daio Food Service" for operation. I informed the staff at the 2nd floor central ticket gate that I wanted to use the cafeteria and received an "entrance pass" to enter. Walk straight ahead to the right side of "Nankai Soba" Namba 2nd floor store. It is the south exit connecting passage. As you go further back, you will see the entrance on the left side. It says "No entry for cafeteria users and related parties only." I nervously pushed open the fire door and entered. There was a menu right at the entrance. For reference, here is the menu for July. Turn left at the end and then turn right... you will find the entrance. The passage has a crank. There is a ticket machine. The left side is for employees, and the green buttons on the right side are for the general public. I chose the "General Daily Special A" (470 yen). The general public is generally set 20 yen higher. (The "Ramen Set" is 30 yen higher) It comes with a small side dish. I wanted to have a mini salad, but it was sold out, so I chose "Hiyayakko" instead. It also comes with miso soup and rice. I ordered a regular portion of rice, but it was still a generous amount. The main dish of the day was "Spicy Stir-Fried Beef." It was indeed spicy and delicious! Thank you for the meal. "Mickey's Daily Life": http://mickeyjapan.blog.fc2.com/

I arrived at the nearest station... Huh? Oh sorry, I made a mistake. This is my first blunder since last year's Labor Thanksgiving Day, I apologize. It was a good thing that I came here though. I was wondering if they were open on public holidays, but they were open to the general public. By the way, during the year-end and New Year holidays, they are open until 1:00 PM and only for employees, so please remember that for about six months.笑

One coin lunch and over 1000 yen lunch, I will do a set. One coin lunch 30 match PART2 The theme of the day before was "Nankai Wakayama Employee Cafeteria" (Wakayama) http://kazuuun.blog79.fc2.com/blog-entry-24819.html. Today, here is Nankai Namba Station. Behind here is "Namba Kyushokujo" (Osaka, Namba). It is a Nankai Electric Railway employee cafeteria that can also be used by the general public, but it is more popular than "Nankai Wakayama Employee Cafeteria". I ordered the daily special A set meal for 470 yen. On this day, it was pork Chinese tempura.

I went to a standing restaurant in Tennoji, then took the JR line to Namba. But walking from JR to Nankai is quite a distance! It's more than one station away, isn't it? Last time, it was crowded with employees at a faster time, but this time it was more relaxed. Even though I just ate udon earlier, I reflexively ordered rice. I asked for a large serving! It's a light rice like the ones in company or school cafeterias, so I ate it all. You can't miss it when you come to Namba!

When I always go to the restaurant, I take the first train from the nearest station at around 5 am. I arrive at the 24-hour ramen shop, and after some hesitation, I take the train to the restaurant. It has been a while since I had school lunch, so I decided to try it out. The restaurant opened at 6:30 am, and I was greeted by a wave of staff members. Even though I'm not a company employee, the tradition is to prioritize the employees of the company. Since I was just there to have fun, they kindly let me order. I ordered two pieces of yakisoba and extra rice. After a recent incident on the train during a visit, now the water cooler was broken. There were no other options but to drink hot tea. Despite feeling hesitant, I drank it and found it surprisingly refreshing. The energetic staff members were chatting away, and I quickly finished my meal and left for work. The tension in the workplace among the staff members was unique and I could feel it. I left the restaurant with a full stomach, feeling the lively atmosphere of the place.

The store that was supposed to be open all day was unexpectedly closed, so I decided to take a walk to Namba. I walked through the shuttered streets until Namba Station, where I had a delicious morning set meal. The hot miso soup really hit the spot. It was a heartwarming experience. There were many employees having quick meals like morning sets or udon. I ordered at the counter where the station staff were. They lent me a ticket to enter the station without having to buy one at the machine. But don't forget to return the ticket when you leave. There's a hidden passage between 551 Horai and Nankai Soba 2F store, with a black iron door. If you're curious and brave, check it out. Just be aware that they are closed on the first and third Saturdays. Enjoy!

It is located at the back of the central ticket gate on the 2nd floor of Nankai Namba Station. Inside, there are five 4-seater table seats. It operates on a food ticket system, where you purchase a B set meal ticket and hand it to the staff. They will bring the completed meal to your seat. The B set meal includes a daily side dish, rice, and miso soup. I chose the large rice portion. On this day, the side dish was a soup simmered with pork and glass noodles. It contained pork, egg, wood ear mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, carrots, shimeji mushrooms, green onions, and glass noodles. It had a light flavor and paired well with rice. You can add chili pepper for a spicy kick. I would like to try other side dishes as well. Thank you for the meal.

Nankai Namba Station has an employee cafeteria that is also open to the public. To get there, you can ask for an entry pass at the manned ticket gate by saying "I want to go to the cafeteria." Head down to the second floor by the South Exit side of the platform, go past the stairs to crossings 3 and 4, and you'll find a black door with "Cafeteria in operation" written on it. Despite the sign saying "No entry for non-cafeteria users or related parties," you can enter as a cafeteria user. Inside, you'll find a menu with two lunch and dinner set options, as well as other choices like ramen, curry, and breakfast sets. Prices are slightly different for employees and non-employees, with separate ticket machines and trays. I tried the Keema Curry, which came with a soft-boiled egg and miso soup with seaweed. You can also choose one side dish from the counter. The total cost for non-employees was 470 yen (450 yen for employees), which I found to be quite affordable. When leaving, return the entry pass at the manned gate.

I want to avoid becoming too crowded and getting a "no general public allowed" rule, like the Oasis at Osaka Airport that disappeared during the recent renovation. This particular employee cafeteria is quite famous locally and open to the general public. I want to use it while respecting the manners and ensuring that it doesn't affect the employees' meals during work. The taste is just like any other employee cafeteria, and the service and interior are also similar. It would be unfair to say it's just an employee cafeteria. Moreover, some of the "general public allowed" cafeterias that have become tourist spots charge exorbitant prices, but this one is affordable even for the general public! Truly Osaka-like♡♡ After arriving at Kansai Airport from Narita and before meeting people in Hankyu Umeda, I purposely transferred at Namba to have a late breakfast here. In that sense, am I contributing to the Nankai Electric Railway???

The serial from March to April is the One-Coin Lunch 20 Match Part 1. All 20 restaurants featured this time offer meals for 500 yen or less, including tax. I want to do an open topic on Ale, so this time I will feature these 20 restaurants in the series, and then after Golden Week, I will do Part 2. One-Coin Lunch 20 Match Part 1, Number 5. Yesterday's topic was "Nankai Wakayama Employee Cafeteria" (Wakayama). Continuing from there, today's feature is... "Namba Kyushokujo" (Osaka, Namba). It is a cafeteria for Nankai Electric Railway employees, but it is more well-known than "Nankai Wakayama Employee Cafeteria." I ordered the fried chicken set for 470 yen.

At 6 pm on a Friday, I stumbled upon a ramen shop that was unexpectedly open. Feeling a bit unsatisfied, I ended up at a random place in the underground mall near the station. I wasn't sure if I should just go home. I ordered a single bowl of ramen, opting for the pork bone flavor. It seemed like there were more employees from Nankai Railway than usual. As I ate, I casually thought about the restaurants I would be visiting tomorrow.

I had always been curious about a hidden gem spot at Nankai Namba Station. Although it has been a while since I visited, I don't often travel on the Nankai train, so I had been waiting for an opportunity. The rumored employee cafeteria is located on the second floor of Nankai Namba Station (closest to the Koya Line platform, with Nankai Soba as a landmark). Even if you don't purchase a ticket, you can inform the staff at the manned ticket gate that you want to use the cafeteria and receive an entry pass to use. Just return it after your meal before leaving. There is a door that you would never stop at if you didn't know about it. As you nervously proceed, you will be guided to the cafeteria, where station staff and train crews have priority. Surprisingly, it seems that office workers and the general public also use the cafeteria, which is somewhat reassuring. Daily set meal menus are posted, and at the ticket machine, be sure to purchase a regular ticket instead of the one for staff or crew members. The prices may have changed, but the meals are still very affordable. On this day, I had pork cutlet curry and miso ramen. The miso ramen was packed with seaweed, naruto fish cake, chashu pork, bamboo shoots, and green onions. The pork cutlet curry was also very filling. It brought back a nostalgic feeling of school or office cafeteria curry. Namba Kyushokujo offers a variety of menu items at reasonable prices. There used to be an employee cafeteria at Sakai Station as well, but unfortunately, it seems that the general public can no longer use it. However, if you are curious, I recommend stopping by and trying it out.

Located right near Nankai Namba Station Central Exit. The place seems to be quite well-known, as many people enter from the ticket gate, eat in silence, and then leave quickly. It's not a place to relax, but if you want to eat quickly and fill up your stomach, the cost performance is excellent. If you eat for 1000 yen, you'll be completely satisfied.

Here is another day of exploring the underground shopping arcade, thinking about getting a "fried chicken set meal" and casually looking at the menu on the door. I spotted an A set meal with "teriyaki chicken" and I couldn't resist, so I bought a meal ticket at the counter. Even though the chicken was cold and tough, my heart felt lighter and I felt like I could fly. I enjoyed my meal at a table in the back. Then, a group of three high school girls came in. The staff from Nankai Railway told them to relax and enjoy, which made me smile. In this age of advanced social media, information is everywhere and everyone sees it. The sense of rarity that I used to feel in the cafeteria has disappeared. This experience pushed me to search for new "hidden gems" and I was grateful for it.

At another store, I arrived just before 7 p.m. and was warmly welcomed by the female staff. Normally, I come in the early morning and always order the "2-piece morning set" from the male staff whom I know. This time, I was impressed by the lively atmosphere, with both the special seating for regular customers and the regular seats almost full. Despite it being unexpected, I decided to try the "tonkatsu set meal" for the first time. As more and more customers arrived for dinner, I quickly finished my meal and left the dining area, feeling like the wall clock was urging me to give up my seat to others.

In Nankai Namba Station, there is a staff cafeteria called "Namba Kyushokujo" run by Nankai Electric Railway employees. This place is open to the general public as well. You can get an entry pass at the ticket gate, so you don't need to buy a ticket to enter. Use the ticket machine to select the morning set meal (420 yen). It includes grilled mackerel, cold tofu with a side dish, seasoned seaweed, rice, and miso soup. I was surprised to find natto in the side dish. Next time, I'll come to try the ramen (280 yen) available from 10 o'clock.