Mobile Osaka-Ya Exists!

People in Christchurch talk about the "new normality" and what I think they mean is how we all seem to have adapted to forget to need a whole lot of the things we previously orbited around - shops owned by friends, cafes, bars, parks, streets, the Arts Centre, Cathedral Square, for a while there surfing out front at New Brighton.

For city-dwellers such as Team Deflux, we've spent eleven years in the central city plying our trade. We've created brands for friends who've created stories that helped bring our inner city to life. We've finished a deadline to run to Poplar Lanes for a celebratory pint at The Twisted Hop. We've wandered down High Street to see what James had in at Embassy or Stencil, or finished a Friday to find ourselves at Goodbye Blue Monday along with, it seems, half of Christchurch.

No more.

But there is some normality, and even some progress. Cassels & Sons have just opened a new venue in Christchurch, just 150 days post the Feb quake. Our favourites Pomeroy's are still serving the best range of craft beer in the South Island. We've also found our way into C4 Coffee's C4HQ2, so we're but 10 metres away from a 60 ton Probat roaster and 15 metres away from a Slayer coffee machine pumping out the best coffee you could ever find (yes, even if you're from Wellington).

And then, yesterday, you couldn't keep the smile off my face. I'd heard the rumours, even seen a photo of Mobile Osaka. If you've never been to Osaka, you're missing out. "Cheap But Yummy", Deflux were regulars at Osaka, dining out on Japanese goodies - and especially their okonomiyaki - at ridiculously good prices. Sometimes the owner Antonio would drop by and chat, other times he'd play piano which has to be seen to be believed.

Osaka is on Gloucester Street so definitely no-go. There's no place else like it in Christchurch and I can't make okonomikayi to save my life. So when we jumped out of the car on Papanui road to be greeted by a limited menu but that unbeatable taste of "cheap but yummy", I felt that little bit happier to be living in Christchurch.

So we encourage everyone to get out there and show these businesses we appreciate them. Go to Mobile Osaka. Check out Cassels. Support those getting out there and trying to bring not the new normality but the real normality back to Christchurch.