There are good the explanation why that is the biggest okonomiyaki chain in Japan.
On the huge eating spectrum in Japan there are some dishes that enchantment to all kinds of tastes, and okonomiyaki is one in all them. Made with a combination of flour and eggs, this savoury pancake can comprise all kinds of extra elements to go well with the diner’s style (“okonomi” interprets as “the way you prefer it” whereas “yaki” means “grilled”), and a few of the finest chains specialising within the dish have dozens of choices on the menu.
Dohtonbori (pictured under) is Japan’s high okonomiyaki chain restaurant by way of places, and one of many causes for its immense reputation is the implausible all-you-can-eat programs.
▼ The grandest course provides you over 112 completely different dishes to select from, all for simply 3,500 yen (US$22.62).
In the event you’re in search of one thing just a little cheaper, the chain has you lined there too, with the Informal Course supplying you with a 76-item menu for 2,800 yen and the Easy Course supplying you with a 35-item menu for 2,100 yen.
The time restrict is 2 hours for all programs, and diners can solely order extra as soon as they’ve completed all the pieces on their plate. Our reporter Takuya Inaba didn’t have quite a lot of dough in his pockets when he visited, so he determined to strive the Easy Course.
That also gave him quite a lot of dough for his dough, with the next 13 forms of okonomiyaki to select from: Squid & Egg, Prawn & Egg, Octopus & Egg, Pork & Egg, Beef Tendon, Seoul, Commonplace Combine, Mochi & Cheese, Spicy Pork Cheese, Squid King, Double Squid Kimchee & Egg, Garlic & Egg, and Corn Curry.
With this being his first time on the chain, Takuya determined to strive the Commonplace Combine first, to get an concept of what the chain was about.
In the event you’ve by no means eaten out at an okonomiyaki restaurant earlier than, it may be fairly daunting as diners typically prepare dinner their very own dishes on the griddle in entrance of them. You don’t have to fret right here, although, as Dohtonbori has a set of directions on methods to grill your self the proper okonomiyaki.
Being a complete beginner, Takuya was nervous about whether or not he’d be capable of make a scrumptious meal for himself, however he dutifully adopted the directions to first combine the elements effectively to include air for a lightweight and fluffy end result, earlier than including oil to the grill and spreading the okonomiyaki elements over it to type a disc with a diameter of roughly 15 centimetres (6 inches).
After 5 minutes, he flipped it over with the spatula and waited one other 5 minutes for it to prepare dinner on the opposite aspect. Then he flipped it over for a last 5 minutes, after which era he topped it with sauce, mayonnaise and inexperienced laver.
These cooking directions labored like a attraction as a result of Takuya was in a position to create a brilliant fluffy, scrumptious okonomiyaki. The mix of elements was extremely tasty too, with the cabbage offering sweetness and the pork and squid working effectively to create an ideal concord that didn’t overpower the flavour of the sauce.
▼ For his subsequent dish, Takuya couldn’t resist making an attempt a monjayaki.
This dish is especially fashionable in Tokyo, appearing as a rival within the savoury pancake world to the okonomiyaki, which hails from Osaka. It begins off equally, with the elements served in a bowl that wants mixing…
▼ …however the grilling course of, outlined under, may be very completely different.
Whereas the okonomiyaki is flipped over a number of occasions to offer it a well-cooked texture, the monjayaki is rarely flipped, as an alternative being unfold out thinly throughout the grill and eaten straight off the new plate with small, metallic spatulas.
Emboldened by his success with the okonomiyaki, Takuya adopted the directions to create a scrumptious Commonplace Monjayaki, spreading the elements on the grill and making a gap within the center, into which he poured the dashi inventory.
The aroma of the inventory rising up off the new plate was completely divine, and when he tasted it, it was excellent, with the flavour of the elements shining by in each mouthful.
In comparison with the numerous okonomiyaki and monjayaki choices, there wasn’t a lot to select from on the aspect menu, however Takuya nabbed himself a Pork Yakisoba, which required his grilling expertise as soon as once more…
▼ …and the Stir-fried Bean Sprouts, which additionally grilled up properly.
Takuya was pleased to forgive the relative lack of aspect dishes as a result of he most popular to make up his cash in okonomiyaki and monjayaki dishes, consuming one other 4 throughout the course of his meal.
Though he was initially involved about getting his cash’s price with on a regular basis it takes to grill every meal and eat it earlier than ordering the following dish, he needn’t have nervous as a result of he acquired to take pleasure in half-a-dozen okonomiyaki and monjayaki dishes plus a few sides for two,100 yen, or $13.57, which was a implausible deal.
Apart from the quantity of meals he was in a position to take pleasure in at this worth level, it was the standard of all the pieces he tried that impressed him probably the most. In the event you love okonomiyaki or are eager to strive it for the primary time, Takuya extremely recommends in search of out a Dohtonbori in Japan because it’ll simply develop into your new favorite chain. Plus, it’d even encourage you to strive it at residence, during which case, this fast and straightforward recipe from Lawson will make you a maestro within the kitchen.
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