If you're wondering what the hell I was thinking, it was mostly 'at least this'll make a good blog post'.
Kani Douraku, Osaka's famous chain of crab restaurants, has started selling crab ice cream at their main Dotonbori branch. This is the one right on Ebisubashi, opposite Starbucks and Taco Bell. Don't go to either of the other 2 branches further east down the Dotonbori by accident. Those don't have ice cream.
Now, you might be wondering why anyone releases a new ice cream in November. This probably wasn't the original plan. Kani Douraku worked on this crazy idea for over 2 years. If they'd perfected it sooner, things would be different.
The next most logical answer I can give you here is 'tourism'. At the time I wrote this post, Japan had started letting tourists back into the country about a month ago. Ebisubashi was busy, and all the restaurants in the area were doing a roaring trade.
There are more people making tourist-y trips around the country in general, and that only ever means one thing: a massive queue. You can see it right there.
The mini freezer had been hastily set up next to the cabinet of warm crab meat steamed buns. So, naturally, I had to join the queue for buns. The longest queue, and the one that didn't move for 20 minutes because the buns hadn't been steamed enough yet. At least I wasn't in a hurry.
Here, you can see where the crowd parted for just long enough that I could get a photo of the ice cream signs. Those light blue ones right in the middle. I should've just cut in at this point, but I didn't want to be that person. No, not the rude ignorant foreigner, the weirdo who's far too enthusiastic about crab desserts.
One single-serving tub of Kani Douraku crab ice cream costs 500 yen. I think you can get Okinawan Blue Seal ice cream for about that much. Did you know Okinawa is very nice at this time of year? Is my ploy to get some of the crowds to leave Osaka working yet?
No? Fine. I got my ice cream and went somewhere less crowded to eat it.
The tub design doesn't leave you wondering what awaits inside.
Yep.
Obviously crab isn't the only ingredient - the ice cream it's mixed into is a nice, non-threatening vanilla. It also contains salt sourced from Christmas Island. Why is that so great? Seeing as there's a Japanese website promoting Christmas Island salt but no English version, I'm going to assume it's a marketing tactic.
Most of the red crab meat was in the middle there, frozen solid. That hastily-placed mini freezer is putting the work in. I had to pick at the edges with my free wooden spoon while I waited for the crab to defrost.
There was definitely too much special Christmas Island salt in the mix for my liking. I don't mind salted caramel, salted lychee drinks and things like that, but this walked the very fine line between sweet and savoury. Still not sure which one won.
Once you get to the crab... you can taste it, but not the flavour. Only the texture. You know it's crab, but your tongue doesn't fully register it. Calling that an unusual experience is putting it mildly. One minute you're happily eating some soft ice cream, and then suddenly: that slimy sensation that can only be seafood!
I finished the tub. It wasn't the best or worst ice cream I've ever had in my life (go on, ask me how much I hate matcha). It was an experience, one I think anybody with less of a sweet tooth than me should try. Unless you're a huge fan of crab meat, in which case stick with the steamed buns to avoid disappointment.
Verdict: 5/10. Maybe I'd eat it again, but I'm not queuing up next time.