Supeimbaru BANDAGuranfurontohosaka

Successful restaurants operating outside the main city centre always dream of making it big in the throbbing heart of town, so this new outpost is hardly a surprise, even though this mini-chain of Fukushima-based restaurants had very limited success (to put it mildly) with their first such foray; Bo...hemian Bohemian in Kitashinchi. More importantly, can the group that delighted my tummy and tortured my liver in equal measure with Tres Bebe's, Banda, and Greens in Fukushima, pull it off in Umeda? Well yes actually (just about). Noticeably lacking for the drunken gourmand is the delectable happy hour, but they mainly make up for that with a service lunch plus ¥300 drinks until 15:00. Late enough even for my tardy timekeeping. The main menus seem to have recently been standardised group-wide, which in my opinion is not a bad thing. Ordering an old favourite in one outlet only to find they do it differently in another was always less fun than it sounds, even if one is up for new tastes and experiences. While the cuisine is dependable as ever, the portions seem to have shrunk and a few of the prices raised, not to miniscule sizes or dizzying heights, but it is noticeable. With the rents in this area factored in however, it is still exceptionally good bang for buck. However, I do miss the specials blackboard in the original Banda on which you might find such delights as; stewed venison, rabbit in chocolate sauce, or a carpaccio of locally sourced sea bream. The plastic menus here are obviously intended as crowd-pleasers, as opposed to the aforementioned blackboard which could pique the interest of many a seasoned gourmet. The seating is comfortable, the high ceiling and glass front giving the joint an airy atmosphere of, if not quite luxury, at least less of a sense one is dining in the corner of a kitchen. Which, for better or worse, is what the Fukushima Banda dining experience is. Here you can sit right by the window, or outside, to be seen; alternatively you can hide yourself in woody nooks and crannies if not. The service is still friendly and polite, the staff even seem to have something close to a uniform, the location is as central as it gets, the food reliable, and the prices keen for the area, what's not to like? (Well, the wine list could still use a little tender loving care)

Visited September 2020