Osaka - Santiago

Lima-based Osaka has been quite successful bringing Peru's Japanese-fusion cuisine, called Nikkei, to two of Latin America's largest and most cosmopolitan cities, Buenos Aires and Santiago, Chile. The Santiago restaurant is located in a prime location on Nueva Costanera in the affluent neighborhood of Vitacura, nestled in among more than a dozen of the city's upscale restaurants.

Although there are dozens of restaurants serving various variants of Nikkei cuisine in Santiago, none quite does it with the panache exhibited at Osaka.

The restaurant encompasses multiple floors, with a bar area and multiple beautiful garden terrazas with fountains and tropical plants. Warm tones make for a comfortable dining experience. Service matches the sultry décor. Everything is top-notch.

But as you might expect, all this decadence comes at a high price. With appetizers, nigiri and sashimi often exceeding US$15 for very small portions and main courses exceeding US$40 for some items Osaka is by no means a destination for those with shallow pockets. If these dishes were utilizing exotic and expensive ingredients the high prices would possibly be justified. But a stewed short rib on rice shouldn't be priced at US$43 in this restaurant.

Accordingly, a restaurant that could easily have garnered a rating of 4.7 stars based on the execution of the menu and the ambiance alone finds itself struggling to earn a 4.5 star rating due to a comparatively low rating for value. Of course, for many diners, laying out US$100 per person for meal is chump change. But for the rest of us, a visit to Osaka might be out of range.