Mahoroba Irori Shinsaibashi

Before teppanyaki cooked on iron plates, before yakiniku seared on electric gas griddles and before any other barbecue in Japan that’s ever received city-wide hysteria, there was the irori — traditional sunken hearths found in Japanese homes, filled with ashes and fired with charcoal, used for warming the space, providing lights and cooking food. And somewhere along one of Osaka’s busiest shopping stretches, in southeast Shinsaibashi, is a statement venue making a grand revival of the ancient cooking method of irori. With its devotion to crafting stellar yakiniku over gentle charcoal-fueled flames, Maharoba Irori Shinsaibashi invites diners to spend an exquisite meal and gather around a traditional hearth — an experience rarely seen in urban areas, setting a new benchmark for “rustic” fine dining in Osaka. Stately, traditional Japanese storehouses were the inspiration for the restaurant’s extraordinary dining space. All tables are pitted with rectangular sunken hearths and piled with Kishu Binchotan charcoal. Warm wood and natural materials play a theme: tables are crafted from smooth, dark wood, and walls are punctuated with beautiful wood grains and stones. If you can tear your gaze away from the rustic hearths, take heed of the course menu. The restaurant offers a selection of pristine cuts of brand-name beef from all over Japan, with meticulous attention to beef breeds and direct visits to farmers. The Awaji beef, known to be the “base” beef for Japan’s signature wagyu such as Kobe, Matsusaka and Omi, is grilled over a naked fire fueled by Kishu binchotan charcoal and becomes a true show-stopping star. The charcoal allows the meat to cook without burning and preserves its flavor without masking it with sauce. As ever, expect to see other indulgent dishes: Japanese spiny lobsters, unagi (freshwater eel) and beef fillets. Meanwhile, there’s a dedicated collection of sake, ready to be warmed in rustic, rust-resistant Nambu iron teapots — one degree at a time, to perfection.