I have eaten okonomiyaki many times in the US, and to be honest I have never been blown away. However, I was still interested to try it in Japan, and was excited when my new friends Lina & Nami booked us a table. The tables all had teppanyaki (heated grills) so I assumed we would make our own okonomiyaki. This was not the case, although it was served on the grill. When it came out I was shocked. It’s hard to tell in the picture, but it’s over 4 inches high! I don’t think I have ever seen one over 1/2 inch tall in the US. This was hands down the best okonomiyaki I have ever eaten. It turns out the teppanyaki grill is actually for monja, a dish made from rice flour and any number of ingredients including cheese.

July 1st, 2009 by John (Cho-Tabetai)