Okonomiyaki- Japanese pancakes, are something everyone should try while in Japan. There’s many types and kinds, but the main idea is the same- grill all the things you like. Actually, that’s exactly what the name means.

Okonomiyaki restaurants are almost everywhere. What kept me away from them for a long time was a strange belief that it would be hard to order. So, finally, after three months I went to the restaurant closest to my dorm, only to be surprised with how easy the whole process was! Yes, there were tables with grills on them (called teppan), but I didn’t have to do any cooking on them!

Okonomiyaki restaurant in Esola (Ikebukuro)

The table greeted me with a wave of hot air, since it was already turned on. After a few minutes it got a little too hot for my liking, but soon I got used to it and it stopped bothering me. Additional bonus- this was the very first place where I was given a wet towel to clean my hands, instead of this one-use thin pieces of cloth. On the griddle there was already a big spatula meant for picking up, turning and cutting (I hope) the food. There were also our plates (obviously) which were quite heavy, and smaller spatulas and chopsticks for the actual eating.

Teppan (table with a griddle) and our plates and spatulas

Ordering was easy since there was English menu. All I had to do was find the one that had the best ingredients. There was so many combinations available! The first one I’ve tried was pork, asparagus, spinach, rice cake and cheese. There were also things like octopus, squid, shrimp, fried noodles, devil’s tongue and many others. The food was prepared and delivered to the table. Than the okonomiyaki was placed on the teppan which was keeping the food hot the whole time. The waitress made a show of putting a mayonnaise on top (splashing it from the height of at least 50 cm) and then making a nice simple design out of it.

Pork, asparagus, spinach, rice cake and cheese okonomiyaki

The griddle was keeping the pancake hot, so I had to cut it into small pieces and left them to cool down on my plate a little before actually eating them. It also made the last pieces a little harder to cut, since they were very well fried on the bottom. There were some additional taste improving things to add. First of them is the secret to the okonomiyaki’s delicious taste- otafuku sauce. I just love it! It’s the same colour as the soy sauce, but much thicker and sweeter. It’s a perfect combination with the pancake! Another one is Japanese seasoning: aonori (dried seaweeds) which didn’t add much in my opinion. The last one is bonito flakes which I really don’t like- it changes consistence fast when meet with heat and becomes a little like chewing gum. Some people like it, I’m not one of them.

Okonomiyaki with bonito flakes

All in all, okonomiyaki is delicious and after the first one I had to try another. I really recommend it for everyone to try out if they have the opportunity. The dough is good, the filling is crispy and tasty and the wonderful otafuku ties it all into perfection!

Coming soon: Homemade okonomiyaki recipe