道頓堀イカ焼き at Dotonbori, Osaka

A Dotonbori riverside stall specialising in ika-yaki, Osaka's grilled squid-and-batter snack.

Doutonbori Ika-yaki - "Dotonbori Grilled Squid" - is a snack counter in the Riverside Building at the head of Dotonbori, devoted to ika-yaki. The dish is a distinctly Osaka street food: a squid-and-batter pancake grilled on a hot plate, dressed with a sweet-savoury sauce, distinct from the better-known takoyaki. As a single-dish specialist on a prime Dotonbori corner, the shop caters to walkers wanting a quick, authentic local bite rather than a sit-down meal. Its name leaves no ambiguity about what is on offer. For a taste of one of Osaka's quieter classic street foods - in the district most associated with them - Doutonbori Ika-yaki is a direct, no-frills stop.