Grill Lamptei

The other afternoon, while walking through the Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street, I suddenly felt a pang of hunger and thought, “I’m kind of hungry…” Just then, I happened to spot a Western-style restaurant called Grill Lamptei, so I decided to go in. I had a hunch just from looking at the exterior: this restaurant is part of RON Co., Ltd., which operates several Western-style restaurants in Umeda. That means I could enjoy the same high-quality Western cuisine as at Grill Ron, Budoutei, and Grill Oufuken—all of which are already highly rated as popular spots in Umeda. While I’m usually a bit nervous when trying a new place, I was able to walk in with 100% confidence thanks to that. So…

Grill Lamptei: A 15-Year-Old Restaurant in the Tenjinbashisuji Shopping District, Known for Its Many Bargain Shops

Grill Lamptei, the focus of this article, opened in May 2012 and is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. While the surrounding area is full of restaurants that pride themselves on rock-bottom prices, it’s impressive that this one has managed to stay in business for 15 years. The atmosphere inside is just as cozy and welcoming as the other Western-style restaurants in the chain, so it’s perfectly fine whether you’re a solo diner like me or someone with small children. And in these times, the fact that they’re open all day is actually a nice touch…

I did a quick visual count, and Grill Lamptei has a total of 25 seats, including 9 at the counter. I walked in just before 4:00 PM—a bit of an odd time—but about half the seats were already filled. It turns out there are quite a few people besides me who get hungry during the off-peak hours. Given the current state of the world, it’s understandable, but I really wish more restaurants would stay open all day like this one…

It’s more filling than it looks… Grill Lamptei’s limited-time menu item, Osaka Turkish Rice—what was it really like?

So, let me introduce the limited-time Osaka Turkish Rice that I ordered at Grill Lamptei that day. After waiting just under 10 minutes from the time I ordered, this is what the Osaka Turkish Rice looked like when it arrived…

This is a creative arrangement of three Western-style dishes on a single plate: Napolitan spaghetti and pilaf are placed on either side of a flat plate, with a grilled pork cutlet sitting atop them. This freedom to customize is one of the joys of Japanese Western-style cuisine that the world admires.

Well then, let’s dig right in… This pilaf is fluffy like fried rice, yet it’s richly infused with butter, giving it a deep, savory flavor even on its own. Topped with a sweet, rich demi-glace sauce, the umami from this first bite is top-notch. The pilaf itself is more than a full bowl’s worth, so eating just the pilaf alone is deeply satisfying.

And then there’s the Napolitan spaghetti and pork cutlet on top… it really feels like a bonus round. I felt all warm and fuzzy eating the classic Napolitan spaghetti, and the tonkatsu filled my stomach even more… Oh, and this cutlet isn’t thin like the ones at Pine rice, the soul food of Kyoto residents. Such a hearty, luxurious Western-style meal for just 1,100 yen, tax included. I felt like there was absolutely no reason not to eat this, especially for guys with big appetites!

Other Menu Items at Grill Lamptei (Prices include tax)

Get even better deals with the RON app… Grill Lamptei is just a 1-minute walk from Ogimachi Station on the Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line, the nearest station.

Inside Grill Lamptei, I spotted a sign promoting this smartphone app…

The RON Co., Ltd. app… It works at other restaurants in the chain, and by collecting stamps for each visit, you can earn great coupons. Plus, it seems the more you use it, the better the perks get. Since there are apparently 10 restaurants under RON Co., Ltd. in Osaka City, I think it’s definitely worth installing if you’re active in the Umeda area…

Now, here are the restaurant details…

P.S. If you are looking for delicious Western style dishes in Osaka, please stop by this article below…