Okonomiyaki is a word I would remember well after coming to Hiroshima in Japan.
Ever heard of it? I hadn’t, until arriving there myself and hearing that it was the one thing I must try. It is a savoury Japanese pancake and comes mostly from the Hiroshima and the Osaka regions, although is available across Japan.
The name okonomiyaki basically means “as you like it on the grill”, and it is a very popular street food dish. It’s regarded as Japanese soul food and is delicious.
The first thing you need to know is that there are many different varieties of okonomiyaki out there. I visited a famous okonomiyaki building in Hiroshima called okonomimura that has three floors of around 25 different eateries.
Each of those eateries specialise in their own version.
You sit around a large grill with other customers and place your order of what you want (or in my case just pointing to the persons food next to me as I couldn’t read the menu), and then watch them cook it up from scratch. The chefs are masters at their trade, cooking many dishes at a time.
If you ever make it to Japan someday, which I hope you will, then remember to try this food. If you are lucky enough there may be an okonomiyaki restaurant near you!