Maru

A great place for a cheap lunch or dinner while in Kita is the Shin-Umeda Shokudō-Gai which is located down the escalators and to the right of the main exit of Hankyū Umeda station (just past the McDonald's). There are heaps of good restaurants here that vie for the lunch-dinner custom with cheap set meals, many of which are displayed outside, making ordering easier. Our favourite spot here is a sashimi and grilled fish specialist called Maru station (on the Hankyū line), where the lunchtime sashimi set meal costs about ¥800. It also serves oden, the classic Japanese winter dish of meat, vegetables and tofu stewed in broth. To get there, exit Hankyu= station via the escalators, walk 10m past the McDonald's, take a left into the corridor and you will see it on the right after about 10m. Pictures of the set meals are on the wall and there's usually a young lady outside beckoning customers.