Okonomiyaki here in Osaka is really good but it's famous in another area
Hiroshima, which has its own variety and to help me out with this report is a longterm resident of Osaka Kevin Reilly
John: How you doing?
Kevin: good
John: So what is this place that we're going to?
Kevin: this is my favorite open banquet restaurant
I've been to many all over Osokka, I like this one because the texture is just perfect
John: guaranteed to be good!
John: Kevin has been living in Osaka for over 20 years and when he recommends a place, you know, it's gonna be good
This is Chiyo Okonomiyaki a family-run shop started in 1966
The inside is warm and inviting and kind of retro you can feel that it's a family-run business
You also notice right away that the tables have a gas grill on them
This is typical in most Okonomiyaki restaurants around Japan
John: Do you cook it yourself here?
Kevin: No here they cook it for you, but what they'll do is serve it onto here and
and it keeps it nice and hot. infact if you leave it for a while it gets nice and crispy
John: I ask this because in Tokyo at Okonomiyak restaurants
We usually get a bowl and mix and cook it ourselves
If you're not sure how to do it or just feeling lazy staff will usually do it for you upon request
I like to do it myself It's fun
They usually turn out pretty good, too
But Kevin explains that in Osaka every shop has their own way
The grill is also good for yakisoba and grilling vegetables.
John: So i'm kind of excited about this because this is authentic Osaka okonomiyaki right?
Kevin: yup its real stuff
John: Which one is better?
It's a question that a lot of people ask can there be a definitive answer?
There's Hiroshima style and Osaka style
To find the answer
You have to know how it's made and I travel to Hiroshima in a past episode to learn the craft
At a place called Okumuniura. It's three floors full of okonomiyaki shops each one a little different than the one next door
Batter, eggs, noodles, and lots of cabbage
1. Start with the batter pancake
2. Add the cabbage
3. Moyashi bean sprouts and some seasoning
4. Strips of pork on top of any vegetables that you want to add drizzle a little more batter on
5. Then flip it!
6. sweep the rest under the layers and let it cook for a minute
7. Now the twist add some noodles these are plain soba noodles with a little oil and seasoning mixed in
Formed into a circle it becomes another layer of the okonomiyaki
8. Lift the vegetables and pork layer on top of the noodles. You can see this thing is starting to get pretty big!
But we're not done
9. Crack open an egg and make the next layer
Be careful not to mess it up. It takes a little skill, but when it's done, right it looks good
10. Add the other layers to the egg
11. Let it settle for a minute then flip it again
12. Add that tangy okonomiyaki sauce!
13. Next up are sprinkled seaweed flakes
14. If you like add some Negi or chopped Japanese leeks
the coloring is amazing! Maybe a cherry on top. Well in this case
15. pink ginger to give it a little zing
Now it's time to serve it to the customer
16. Carefully lift it and put it in front of the customer
17. And you've done it!
Except for one more thing...
18. you have to eat it!
Let's see how osaka okonomiyaki is made by a pro.
1. After oiling the grill mix up the ingredients inside the batter like a pancake
2. Pour it onto the grill and spread it a little into a circle
3. Add on strips of pork you can always ask to leave it off if you're vegetarian
4. Now the waiting begins. it takes a few minutes to cook.
5. When it's ready flip it!
Look at that golden brown color
6. Waiting is always the toughest part!
7/8. flip it again and add the Okonomiyaki sauce
9. Some seasoning and Katsuobushi fish flakes pump up that ewmomy taste
10. Wait! more sauce drizzle a little more on top
Surely it's done right? Not in Osaka.
one key ingredient is missing
11. the delicious japanese mayonnaise
12. That's it now take it to the customer to eat
14. Both: Kampai!
Voice over: Okonomiyaki Hiroshima VS Osaka
John: Let's break down the two styles.
They're both very good and use a lot of cabbage
The biggest difference is that hiroshima makes it all in layers
While Osaka Kansai styles mixes most of it together in a batter.
They both have egg in it but Hiroshima styles eggs is an actual layer
Hiroshima has noodles
Osaka has Katsuobushi and loads of mayonnaise
The batter is slightly different but each shop has its own secret to making it tasty
Both styles can be customized because the word okonomiyaki means as you like
:)
Basically, there are tons of ways that you can make them add in seafood instead of. pork no meat No problem!
The price Osaka okonomiyaki is usually cheaper than Hiroshima, but one Hiroshima okonomiyaki can fill you up until tomorrow!
With Osaka, you can try more kinds or share with a friend
Either way you go. You'll leave happy and full.
So let's sink our teeth into that delicious Osaka style okonomiyaki
So what's his take on this okynomiyaki battle?
Kevin: Hiroshima you can't beat this.
Both: (laughing)
John: i'll give it a go too
It's good
it's Good!
It's actually very good
For me, you know
Hiroshima okonomiyaki just has those layers and that means that you have different kind of taste levels inside of one okonomiyaki
With Osaka okonomiyaki It seems like all the ingredients really do a good job of coming together
and It's that simplicity that I like about the Osaka okonomiyaki
However, I still have to sthat I'm always disappointed that there's no noodles
Hiroshima okonomiyaki has the noodles in there and that one ingredient that just take's it to another level
Okonomiyaki is like health food
Cabbage is in here not noodles, you know a lot less carbohydrates. Lots of good healthy cabbage. I love cabbage
So to me, this is a perfect food
It's true! Osaka style is mostly cabbage the proportion greater than in hiroshima style
Kevin likes cabbage so much he went for the kimchi. Okonomiyaki for seconds
But hiroshima style is healthy too look at all that green
It's served on the grill at the counter by the chef and eaten with a mini spatula
And for me, it's absolutely the better of the two
But not by much. It depends on which one you ate first or even where you live
I used to live in Hiroshima. And Kevin is a resident of Osaka. So which one is better?
The debate will rage on
Both are considered the soul foods of their respective area the Osaka style and the hiroshima style. You can't go wrong with either of them
oh man, i havent been this full in years
So whether it's Hiroshima or Osaka okonomiyaki is a meal that you got to try when you come to Japan
But what did you think?
Let us know in the comments down below. Let us know what your favorite is
Hiroshima!
Osaka!
15. pink ginger to give it a little zing
You have to eat it!
1. After oiling the grill mix up the ingredients inside the batter like a pancake