In April 1993 I visited Japan for the first time. It was Spring. It was also Sakura Season. Translated in English this simply means "Cherry Blossom" season. Everywhere I ventured trees were smothered in beautiful pink flowers. Every day felt like a postcard come to life. I recall one particularly special moment walking along a narrow path that traced a stream in Kyoto. As I walked a gentle rain of pink petals continually fell from trees overhead.
On the same vacation, while in Osaka, I discovered another uniquely Japanese experience; Okonomiyaki. Unlike sushi, sashimi and tempura; this simple tasty dish is rarely found outside Japan. I've actually heard it described as Japanese peasant food, which probably explains why an enterprising local has yet to export it to the world en masse.
Okonominyaki is best described as a hybrid savoury pancake/pizza. Anything you can add to a pizza, you can blend into special Okonominyaki batter and cook it on a wide, hot grill. Okonomi actually means "what you like", while yaki means "grilled." Once cooked, you serve it topped with bonito flakes (dried fish shavings), nori (seaweed flakes) and rich Otofuku sauce (a type of BBQ sauce). While the dish doesn't look particularly inviting, the taste is truly divine.
Garry and I briefly stopped in Hiroshima couple of years ago. While there I introduced him to this delightfully simple, tasty meal. He instantly fell in love with it. I’ve since seen it on offer at the food court in Westfield Bondi Junction, but nowhere else. That is, until last month when Garry and I stumbled across a small Okonominyaki restaurant near Leister Square called Abeno Too. We immediately promised ourselves we’d be back to sample its wares.
Today Garry and I took our friend, Chris, out for an Okonominyaki lunch at Abeno Too. The restaurant was simple, the staff friendly and the food deliciously authentic. As our chef cooked our meal in front of us he was delighted to discover we were seasoned Okonominyaki connoisseurs. Yes, we knew the difference between his Osaka-style recipe (everything mixed into the batter) and Hiroshima-style (where the pancake is created in layers on the grill itself). We’ll be back!
On the same vacation, while in Osaka, I discovered another uniquely Japanese experience; Okonomiyaki. Unlike sushi, sashimi and tempura; this simple tasty dish is rarely found outside Japan. I've actually heard it described as Japanese peasant food, which probably explains why an enterprising local has yet to export it to the world en masse.
Okonominyaki is best described as a hybrid savoury pancake/pizza. Anything you can add to a pizza, you can blend into special Okonominyaki batter and cook it on a wide, hot grill. Okonomi actually means "what you like", while yaki means "grilled." Once cooked, you serve it topped with bonito flakes (dried fish shavings), nori (seaweed flakes) and rich Otofuku sauce (a type of BBQ sauce). While the dish doesn't look particularly inviting, the taste is truly divine.
Garry and I briefly stopped in Hiroshima couple of years ago. While there I introduced him to this delightfully simple, tasty meal. He instantly fell in love with it. I’ve since seen it on offer at the food court in Westfield Bondi Junction, but nowhere else. That is, until last month when Garry and I stumbled across a small Okonominyaki restaurant near Leister Square called Abeno Too. We immediately promised ourselves we’d be back to sample its wares.
Today Garry and I took our friend, Chris, out for an Okonominyaki lunch at Abeno Too. The restaurant was simple, the staff friendly and the food deliciously authentic. As our chef cooked our meal in front of us he was delighted to discover we were seasoned Okonominyaki connoisseurs. Yes, we knew the difference between his Osaka-style recipe (everything mixed into the batter) and Hiroshima-style (where the pancake is created in layers on the grill itself). We’ll be back!
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