The Ultimate Savory Pancake
Okonomiyaki is a delicious Japanese savory pancake, often described as "Japanese pizza." The name comes from the words okonomi, meaning "how you like" or "what you like," and yaki, meaning "grill." This perfectly sums up the dish: a batter base of flour, eggs, and shredded cabbage is mixed with your choice of ingredients and cooked on a griddle.
Osaka-style vs. Hiroshima-style
There are two main regional styles of okonomiyaki, and both have passionate fans who will defend their version as the best.
- Osaka-style: This is the most common version. All the ingredients, including the batter, cabbage, and your choice of meat or seafood (like pork belly or shrimp), are mixed together before being grilled. It results in a single, integrated pancake.
- Hiroshima-style: This is a more complex, layered version. The ingredients are not mixed together. Instead, a thin crepe is grilled first, followed by a large pile of cabbage and other ingredients, which are then topped with fried noodles (yakisoba) and a fried egg. The whole stack is then flipped onto the crepe base.
The Toppings Make the Dish
No matter the style, the final toppings are what make okonomiyaki so iconic and delicious. After it's cooked, the pancake is generously brushed with a sweet and savory brown sauce (similar to a thick Worcestershire sauce), and then drizzled with Japanese mayonnaise. Finally, it's sprinkled with fine green seaweed flakes (aonori) and a flurry of dancing dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi) that wiggle from the heat.
A Fun and Social Meal
Many okonomiyaki restaurants have a large griddle (teppan) built into the table, allowing customers to grill their own pancakes. This makes for a fun, interactive, and social dining experience where you can customize your meal exactly "how you like."