Friday food…okonomiyaki: best food you’ve probably never heard of

What on earth is okonomiyaki? Nami, a Japanese cook based in San Francisco at justonecookbook.com defines it thus:

Okonomiyaki (literally means ‘grilled as you like it’) is a savory version of Japanese pancake, made with flour, eggs, shredded cabbage, meat/ protein and topped with a variety of condiments. Better known as ‘Japanese pizza’ in the US, you can definitely prepare the filling and toppings however you like it. A wonderful way to use up your leftovers!

In Chicago, Stephaine Izard of Girl and the Goat fame serves a marvelous okonomiyaki, certified to taste authentic by our younger daughter who’s been to Japan, at her Little Goat Diner. The first time I ate there, my dish was overwhelmingly voted the best of the three dishes, according to the other two diners. This time, we all ordered okonomiyaki (with a giant, homemade cinnamon roll as our appetizer!) and all agreed it was amazingly delicious. That’s a soft-yoked egg on top, ready to meltingly join the rest of the dish, which includes eggs, cabbage, pork belly, scallion, and tasty Japanese mayonnaise.

You can get Stephanie’s recipe and even watch her make okonomiyaki by clicking here. If you don’t feel like making it, you won’t be sorry to find a restaurant that serves it. If you’re in the Chicago area, make a reservation at Little Goat Diner. If not everyone wants to try this, they have plenty other delicious choices. Here’s a link to the diner menu, from which you can also access the bakery and coffeehouse menus and other of Stephanie’s restaurants.

There are other restaurants in the Chicago area serving okonomiyaki, including one that just opened and is dedicated to various styles of this dish, but I haven’t tried any of them, so I’ll stick with what I know and perhaps have a chance to try another place before we move.

January 21 update. One of my online friends tried this dish, putting her own spin on it and making it more user-friendly. Take a peek and see what you think (and what her husband thought): Down-home Okonomiyaki.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

I know I’m meant to be writing today, but real life is enthralling me.  And since I’m hungry, I’m sharing photos of our recent meal at The Ramen Bar in University City in Philadelphia.  Enjoy!

Not my meal, but beautiful

Gyudon

Chashu Roll

Katsu Curry

Dinner after a long day

I thought I was being smart leaving a bit after 5 am for my 13-hour drive to Philadelphia Friday morning, but it ended up putting me into the city right smack dab in the middle of rush hour.  It’s more than a bit disconcerting when the time-until-arrival on the GPS keeps increasing, no matter how much further along I get!

Food, fun and family

Today we had a bit of mother-daughter time, starting at Mitsuwa Marketplace, where we ate at the food court before doing some shopping.  Megan had a Gabbuto burger of sliced BBQ pork between two rice patties serving as a bun.

Practical beauty

I know you thought from the title that you were going to read and see pictures about me, but sorry to say, it ain’t so.  Alas.  But weep not.  I think you’ll enjoy what follows almost as much. 🙂

Flying cranes and gorgeous flowers

Home-cooked Japanese food isn’t found everywhere outside of Japan but today for lunch, we stopped by Flying Cranes on Larchmere and indulged.  The food was wonderful and the atmosphere completely relaxing.

I think I’m turning Japanese

For us, no visit to Chicago longer than a few days is complete without a trip to Mitsuwa Marketplace in Arlington Heights, http://www.mitsuwa.com/tenpo/cica/eindex.html,  the enormous Japanese grocery store that on weekends seems to draw every Japanese person in the area (and from the surrounding states) to eat, buy Japanese books and magazines, and stock up on Japanese supplies of every kind.