Blog : Okonomi-yummy!

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9387 posts
1/14/2008 4:56 am

Okonomi-yummy!

MunchkinMatron the foodie strikes again!!!

Saturday night, date night, drizzling light--and two hungry people wondering where to eat. We were thinking of going to this Greek restaurant called Cyma for its lamb paidakia and roka salata (looove this salad, made of romaine lettuce, candied walnuts, sundried tomatoes, tossed with their special vinaigrette, topped with shaved parmigiano) at the mall near our place, but the line to get into the parking lot was just too dang long. Disheartened, hubby and I racked our brains as to where we could have dinner.

I remembered my sister in law telling us about this okonomiyaki place at Little Tokyo, an enclave of Japanese restaurants located in Makati, Manila's financial district, and so I suggested to hubby that we head on over there. Trying out new places to eat is our favorite hobby, so off we went. We've been to Little Tokyo before, but this was the first time we would try Kagura, the restaurant which specializes in that particular dish.

To those unfamiliar with what an okonomiyaki is, it is usually described as a Japanese pizza, or Japanese pancake. Okonomi means "what you like" or "what you want", and yaki means "grilled" or "cooked" ; thus, the name of this dish means "cook what you like, the way you like".

The basic batter to make these pancakes or pizzas uses eggs, flour, water and cabbage, but a variety of other ingredients can be combined to suit your own preference. Then the whole thing is grilled on the teppan and then topped with okonomiyaki sauce, which tastes like a sweeter and richer worcestershire, as well as Japanese mayonnaise and bonito flakes.

We got to Little Tokyo and were surprised to find my sister in law and her husband there, but having dinner at this other restaurant serving yakitori, or Japanese barbecue. (Note to self: try that out next week) Kagura is pretty small, almost a hole in the wall, with a bar/counter over at the left behind which was the teppan or grill where they cooked the okonomiyaki, with only 2 full sized low tables which required that you take your shoes off, and could seat 6 at the most, 8 if you're all the size of Nicole Richie pre-pregnancy. When we got there the place was packed with Japanese expats, which hubby and I took as a good sign.

We sat at the counter, the better to check out how they made the okonomiyaki, and ordered two versions, one basic with only tako (octopus) as an extra ingredient, and the special, mikkusu-yaki, which had bacon, squid, shrimp and pork mixed with the batter and topped with extra cheese.

While waiting for our order, we nibbled on edamame, or soybean pods, boiled and salted, and watched National Geographic in Japanese. The owner/chef was a Japanese man who set about getting our order ready, and who, judging by the amount of Japanese baseball memorabilia around the place, was a rabid baseball fan. We stood up every so often to check out how the okonomiyaki was made, reveling in the glorious smells wafting up from the teppan. If the finished product tasted half as good as it smelled, hubby and I said, it would be just this side of glorious.

Lord, it was sheer heaven. The inside was moist, dense, a rich amalgamation of taste sensations---the creaminess of the Japanese mayonnaise, the tart sweetness of the okonomiyaki sauce, the muted crispness of the cabbage, the salty smoky fishy flavor of the bonito flakes, all making my tongue do a little dance of joy with every bite.

Burp.

(Picture used taken from the Philippine blog "Dessert Comes First" )

I'm dyslexic. I scream Ho instead of Oh God in the throes of passion.

jake_633 65M

9155 posts
1/14/2008 5:24 am

I lurve octopussy but it's really hard to get here. I have to make do with the tinned stuff and it's always in some oil or ink which kinda spoils it i think.Just thought you'd like to know that lol.