“Wanna Manna” bills itself as the “first compound breakfast specialty store in Japan,” where you can enjoy a variety of breakfast menus popular in Taiwan all day long (that is until last order at 5pm!) Emphasis on VARIETY, when you see the amount of menu items they have you’ll soon know what I mean!
Created in 2021 they’re located in Osaka’s Minamimorimachi (right at the entrance to the Tenjinbashisuji Shotengai.) They’re known for their freshly squeezed homemade soy milk which is used to make savory soy milk soup as well as Taiwan-style rice balls and a very delicious Taiwan castella (reminded me of Osaka’s famous Rikuro Ojisan’s in terms of flavor and texture.)
Other menu items include charcoal-grilled toast made right in front of you and a Taiwan-style bakery where homemade bread is baked on-site. Wanna Manna aims to bring Taiwan’s breakfast culture to Japan and it seems to have worked because they opened up a second store in Tokyo in 2023!
In terms of the location it’s a little out of the way -certainly not where you’d expect a top class Taiwanese breakfast place to be. But this is part of the charm!
Table of Contents
Fresh soy milk
As a fan of soy milk I was astounded to see it’s made fresh on site. Here in the ad copy they claim that it’s a more smooth and refreshing taste than standard Japanese soy milk. It’s offered in black tea and kokuto (black sugar) flavor as well. Since this homemade drink is also used to make the savory soup -you can sip it out of the soup bowl as well.
Tea
Another exciting thing about Wanna Manna is the set menu has a revolving selection of drinks. On the counter near the cash register are two self-serve decanters, one filled with tea and one with soy milk. The flavor is always changing so it could be regular soy milk or black tea depending on the day -there’s quite the selection.
Besides that their daily offering may also include coffee, milk tea, and even mango juice (I wonder if it’s Taiwan mango?) Some of the best mango I ever had was from Taiwan, it’s available in Japan during the summer! I was impressed to see Taiwanese oolong tea on the menu as well(bottom left) -it has a delicate and flowery flavor profile compared to the “standard” oolong tea (eg: Suntory’s bottled tea.)
Taiwanese onigiri
What goes better with a fruity drink than a savory onigiri? But there are Taiwanese onigiri which are quite different from Japanese style. The first thing I noticed was the shape was like a small football. Cutting it in half reveals lots of little fillings, many more than you might find in the ones from 711.
Some have pork, egg, and even some fried bread (found in many things other things on the menu.) From my perspective it’s really quite unique and there’s also a delicious sweet sauce inside. To call it an onigiri doesn’t do it justice because it couldn’t be more different from what we’re used to eating in Japan!
Soy milk soup
Visiting Wanna Manna was my first time trying the xian dou jiang savory soy milk soup that had little pieces of fried bread in it too. The slightly sour taste is due to using vinegar to curdle the soy milk and it’s somewhere in between tofu and soup. The oily bread balances out the acid and it’s refreshing and unique tasting. Those of us in the West may not be used to eating soup for breakfast but give it a shot!
Taiwanese Crepe – Dan bing
Dan Bing is another item that may offer confusion: a savory crepe? Many of us when we hear “crepe” are used to a strawberry and banana flavor with chocolate topping. The Taiwanese style “dan bing” has ingredients such as bacon, corn, cheese etc. Eating a savory crepe for breakfast is an interesting experience indeed -but they offer it any time of day if you want to eat it later. The big standout for me trying this was the chewy “mochi” texture of the dough. You could almost call it a wrap but the sweet sauce drizzled on top was another interesting point of difference! Other fillings offered include duck, tuna, hashed browns, and pork and egg -plenty to choose from!
Taiwanese crispy sandwich
Taiwanese crispy sandwich is my favorite thing at Wanna Manna. A lot of that has to do with the flavorful toasted bread. I don’t know if it’s because it’s made in house or the fact that it’s thinly sliced and charcoal cooked in a way that gets a crunchy texture -or those mountains of sesame seeds -but this was incredible. Just the bread alone is a winner, and then you add the fillings and that’s just a bonus. The offerings include: fried bread, vegetables, and pork and egg.
The first thing a non-Taiwanese may be thinking is: “a sandwich with fried bread? that’s odd.” Now, I won’t say whether it’s odd or not but I will say that the outer and inner bread is made in SUCH a different way that you may as well consider them two different ingredients! The one I tried, however, was the pork and egg. As an Okinawan Spam musubi fan (which uses similar ingredients Spam and egg) I love this combination. As with the crepe the sweet sauce brought it all together.
And don’t forget that when you buy a combo set you get that free soy milk and tea to wash it down. The saltiness of the food and the creaminess of the soy milk and refreshing tea are a genius combination! There are free refills too (we Americans love those!)
Taiwanese toast
The next thing that caught my attention was described in the menu as “Taiwanese toast.” It appears to be a sandwich using what they describe here in Japan as “shoku pan” style bread. It is obviously different from the thin and oily type used in the crispy sandwich and has all the same fillings available. So when you are choosing between the two the bread seems to be the differing factor. But it’s no question for me, that thin sesame bread is unlike any I’ve ever had before, I would definitely recommend ordering that. If you feel like a more standard faire, then you can you order this.
Taiwanese green onion pancake
The final menu item is a Taiwanese green onion pancake which also has the same fillings available. Of course when you say pancake to a Westerner we say “oh great! I’ll take that with some maple syrup and jam!” But this is not that kind of pancake. I was actually first introduced to this at Gyomu Super (a world foods market) but they don’t have the number of flavors as Wanna Manna does! While visually this may appear similar to the crepe we discussed previously, the texture is much different! While the previous is a chewier bite, the pancake has an added crunch to it on the outside.
Original bakery
And as if that weren’t enough, they also have an original bakery! As it states above, they have tried to recreate it in the Taiwan local style with a bit of sweetness to it! I first something like this at 85 °C Bakery Cafe in Los Angeles, CA. I was so happy to be able to get my fill of these again here in Osaka, Japan!
Taiwanese meat pie
Right under the bread they listed this Taiwanese meat pie. While not technically “bread” it has that amazing sesame outer layer that I’m so in love with! And the meat inside is filled with traditional Taiwanese spices and green onion so it’s unlike any Western meat pie you’ve ever had! Also, in this version of the pie the filling is pork.
Taiwanese donuts
I was so shocked when I checked the website and saw Wanna Manna was offering Taiwanese style donuts! When I visited I didn’t see these but they are constantly introducing new items so I figured this was one of them. In the very small print on the bottom however it states they’re currently unavailable (supply chain issue?) Darn! I look forward to trying them next time. The description states that these are a mainstay of the Taiwanese night markets and have a fried coating that gives them a crunch (starting to notice a “crispy” theme here!)
The set menu ordering system
I wanted to explain the set menu ordering system because it may get a little confusing. I added a little translation above (in red) so you can see what I mean. There are 4 options to choose from when ordering a combo.
As you can see above, the previous menu items I listed in this article are included in different sets (soup, onigiri, crispy sandwich etc.) So the first thing you can do is choose which item you want to make a set out of. Next you can choose a drink from the list I mentioned earlier. Also included is the daily tea/soy milks with free refills. Just remember that if you order a single item this is not included, it only comes with the set menu. And last but not least you must choose a small item or a sweet.
Personally, I would recommend the castella for your dessert add on. In this case you get a “mini” version. It was one of the best things I tried in the store!
Outside the store
Leaving the Wanna Manna there are lots of interesting stores along the avenue leading back to the entrance to Tenjinbashi Suji. Near by are cafes, restaurants, etc. One of these was a Taiwanese sweets shop called Banka.
If you head towards the shotengai it’s on the left. If you haven’t had dessert at Wanna Manna or just want to bring something home for later this is the perfect place for you.
The interesting thing about this place is they also sell a castella but since they don’t have an eat-in space their arrangement with Wanna Manna is you can eat it in their restaurant area!
The great thing about this place is they don’t just sell the standard Taiwanese pineapple cake, they have many interesting fillings such as passion fruit, cranberry walnut, etc. (If you want to try a sample just ask the store clerk!)
And what better to go with cake than a Taiwanese tea! In addition to two different types of oolong, they have a peach flavor as well. (You can sample the drinks in the store also.)
Looking around Banka you’re sure to find some other interesting variations on the main offerings including a “cream” version of the castella (seen above in the cup.) On the bottom right is a lemon flavored castella too.
Another interesting offering was the nougat cake. According to the website it’s a mixture of marshmallow, dry fruits and crackers and is cooked at a low heat to get a crumbly consistency. I tried a few in the store and they were delicious! -there’s something to appeal to every taste!
Going forward
Wanna Manna continues to have new offerings all the time, make sure to check their Instagram to keep up to date! For example on the page they’ve announced a collaboration with Taiwanese cafe and brunch chain 麥味登 Maiweidan (aka: My Warm Day) who made their debut in Japan in collaboration with Wanna Manna at the end of last year!
There are a lot of burger-looking items that perk my curiosity. Once I’ve exhausted the whole Wanna Manna menu I look forward to trying some authentic Taiwanese deluxe fast food!
I’ll continue to search for more Taiwanese food around Osaka and check back with you when I do! But until then, enjoy Wanna Manna!
