Much lesser known than the ever popular sushi or ramen, okonomiyaki is a highly underrated Japanese food.  It happens to be my favorite of all Japanese foods so I'm personally very enthusiastic about encouraging others to try it.

The word "okonomiyaki" is derived from "okonomi" meaning "as you like" and "yaki" meaning "grilled.  It's commonly referred to as being a Japanese pancake.  Accurate to its name, okonomiyaki can be served with a variety of toppings which include everything from meat and seafood to vegetables and cheese.  My personal favorite is always mochi.  Okonomiyaki is usually served topped with a special sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, nori and bonito flakes.

Okonomiyaki comes in 2 different styles, Osaka style and Hiroshima style, which vary slightly but are both very good.  Osaka style is more similar to what you would imagine to be a pancake with ingredients mixed in as well as on top.  Hiroshima style, on the other hand, is much heavier on the noodles and has them sandwiched between two thin, crepe-like pancakes.

 Some okonomiyaki restaurants, like the one pictured above, allow you to cook the food yourself while others prepare it for you.  Below is a photo of one I cooked myself.  As it's my favorite Japanese food, I became quite good at making it rather quickly.

Be sure to try okonomiyaki on your next trip to Japan.  It just might become one of your favorite foods.

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Written by Carly Susman (www.carly-rose.com)
All photos property of Carly Susman unless stated otherwise.
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