Okonomiyaki Jiban-Ya

Located at the front of the restaurant where Steak Easy is located, we find Okonomiyaki Jiban-Ya.  This place is also run by the same people who brought us Secret Congee and Ginger & Scallion.  After a month-long stay in Japan during the Summer, I was quite interested how this place would compare to the Okonomiyaki I had in Osaka.  They definitely are taking things seriously by importing Okonomiyaki Teppans straight from Japan.  They served the Okonomiyaki right onto the teppan so it keeps things hot and sizzling.

We started with some appies first including the Wasabi Greens Tsukemono.  This was a pungent dish that wasn't just your usual pickles.  There was definitely a fermented hit at the very first bite that was strong and impactful.  Nice crunch from the greens.  We also had the Furikake Butter Corn that did its best impression of Mexican Elote.  Corn was plump and had pops of sweetness while having just a touch of smokiness.  Butter was creamy and added saltiness while the furikake did it's spiced thing.

Topped with a considerable amount of black tobiko, the Miso Butter Crab Dumplings were chock full of crab.  They were a bit on the fishier side, but texturally, the crab was fluffy.  The dumpling wrapper itself was pretty al dente and really needed the miso butter for moisture.  Thankfully there was plenty of it.  We found it to be velvety with a rich saltiness.  Some chili oil provided a little something something.  Lastly, we had the Mala Koji Duck Breast.  The duck itself was juicy and fairly tender.  Skin was a bit flabby though, yet had lots of flavor.  That mala koji was spicy and full of umami.  Really addictive and could be eaten with anything!

Onto the Okonomiyaki, we tried the Hiroshima-Style (with noodles) with scallops and cheese.  After we let the noodles sear on the teppan for a bit, they turned out to be fairly al dente and smoky.  The cheese crisped up on the teppan and added some texture and nuttiness.  On top, we found large whole scallops complete with the mantle.  For our Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki, we had the Panko Oyster.  This was made with cabbage and egg.  Tender, but with a crunch, the cabbage was mildly-seasoned.  Naturally, we added the okonomiyaki sauce provided at the table.  Although the oyster was fried up well with a crispy breading, it was on the fishier side.  Despite that, the okonomiyaki itself was pretty legit.  Maybe next time, I'll go with the basic versions, as I didn't really need the toppings.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Keeping it legit with the teppan at your table

- Okonomiyaki are large

- Cabbage and noodles were optimal texture

The Bad:

- Some of the seafood was fishy

Honke Ootako Dotonbori Honten 本家大たこ 道頓堀本店

Being back at Dotonbori, we wanted to see some more of the sights and hopefully do some shopping.  Yet, in reality, I just wanted to eat more food!  That brought me to one of the oldest Takoyaki shops in Honke Ootako.  Sure, they aren't the newest or sexiest of places at this very moment, but there usually isn't a lineup.  Yes, it is probably true that some of the other spots make a better Takoyaki, but I wanted to pay homage to one of the classics.

When we arrived, there was indeed no lineup and since it was pretty darn hot outside, it was a welcomed sight.  Of course I got some freshly made Takoyaki to go along with a cold Asahi.  Compared to the ones I've had in the past, these were filled with much more octopus.  They were light and fluffy with just the right amount of tangy and sweet sauce on the outside.  Having not tried the others in the area, I didn't have a lot to compare, but will do so when I'm in Osaka next.

 

We also got the one other thing on the menu which was the Okonomiyaki.  Yes, that is another item that Osaka is known for where they combine all of the ingredients, including the cabbage, into the mix.  This version turned out to be quite good with a certain airiness while still maintaining substance.  To go with the fluffiness, there was the crunch of the cabbage.  On top we found the sweet and tangy sauce as well as kewpie mayo and a boatload of bonito flakes.

 

While you already got the description of the Okonomiyaki already, I included this video of its preparation.  As you can see, everything is mixed into the batter, which is consistent with the Osaka version of the dish.  They make it to order, so everything is fresh and served hot.  We thought that both the Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki were quite good and despite place not being busy nor the newest and greatest, I think it is worth a visit while in Dontonbori. 

The Good:

- Usually no lineup

- Solid Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki IMO

- It has a seating area

The Bad:

- Possibly better elsewhere?