Located in the bowels of Osaka Station City, Tashinami only has room for about eight diners at its horseshoe-shaped counter. All that separates you from the surrounding shops in the basement food hall is a see-through beaded curtain, meaning you, as well as what you eat, are on show. Furthermore, owing to the lack of walls, you are also subjected to a flood of trite generic and grating pop music. However, don't be disheartened, Tashinami is a great spot for a quick bite, a quick drink and perchance conversation.

Owing to its size, Tashinami has a take-it-or-leave-it menu: there's just one Japanese-themed offering, which changes seasonally. On a recent lunch visit, a giant plate was served containing colorful hors d'oeuvres, including steamed rice with shiitake mushrooms, two succulent bites of duck breast, steamed spinach and pickled taro. For desert, mochi rice cake is hidden inside the folds of a bamboo leaf. Despite a paucity of ingredients, the simple suimono (soup) served at the end of the meal, was evocative of the sea, but thankfully, much less salty.

The other thing to note about Tashinami is its excellent but concise selection of sake. Each month a new brewery or region is selected. On my visit, sake from the Daishinchi brewery in Fukushima Prefecture was the flavor of the month. I ended up tasting two varieties, thanks to a generous neighbor. Tashinami is that kind of place.