Takoyaki & Okonomiyaki

On the left is Okonomiyaki

Yaki-soba

Two popular dishes in Osaka are Takoyaki (octopus balls) and Okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza). Takoyaki is a street food that can be found at yatai (movable food stalls) and rotensho (food stalls at festivals). They are about the size of golf balls and are formed from chunks of boiled octopus fried in batter. Japanese Worchestershire-style sauce, green onions, mayonaise and katsuo bushi (bonito flakes) are all added for taste.

The name Okonomiyaki means 'cook what you like' and and it is made from batter and cabbage mix together with ingredients of your choice for instance octopus, shrimp and pork. Seasonings of Japanese Worcestershire-style sauce and mayonaise and toppings like katsuo bushi and aonori (dried seaweed) are added. This dish is a DIY affair at your own table which has a teppan (hot-plate) and customers are given spatula and chopstick to cook. For some traditional restaurants, the chef will do most of the cooking and bring the nearly finished product over for you to season it yourself like what we did in Osaka. Most Okonomiyaki restaurants also serve yaki-soba (fried buckwheat noodles). Head to Dotombori Arcade in Minami area in Osaka and look for this place called Chibo to find this yummy dish.