I love okonomiyaki. Before going to Japan, I had only ever tried it at Shirokiya in Ala Moana on Oahu, and I had made it for myself using the recipe from Cooking with Dog, but I wasn't entirely sure how truly authentic okonomiyaki was supposed to taste. Don't get me wrong, the recipe was good, but I didn't have all the proper ingredients. 

Osaka is the home of okonomiyaki. Kansai, to be exact. You can find okonomiyaki anywhere in Japan, but their styles different depending on region. For example, Hiroshima adds noodles to their okonomiyaki. The best way to describe it is like a savory pancake. It has a very runny batter, and is primarily made up of cabbage. Just about anything can be added to it, like pork, shrimp, cheese, and other veggies. It is topped with sauce that I can best describe as a mix between teriyaki and worcestershire sauce, as well as mayonnaise. I know that sounds completely disgusting and believe me, I am with you. Mayonnaise is disgusting. But Japanese mayo is different. They use Kewpie mayo (yes, like the baby dolls with the tiny wings), which tastes nothing like Best Foods or Hellmans or, God forbid, Miracle Whip. It's rounded off with aonori and bonito flakes (katsuobushi shavings). 

When we went to Japan last year, my first taste of it was a magical experience, but it was even more magical for Kevin, who noted it as his most favorite food he ate on the entire trip. 

This time, our friends took us to a different okonomiyaki restaurant somewhere in Dotonbori where they had five-cheese okonomiyaki! We got slightly lost trying to get there and ended up back tracking, but if we hadn't done that, we never would have seen this majestic sight: 

Does anyone remember Dance Dance Revolution, or Pump it Up? I was a Pump it Up girl, myself. But this takes it to a whole new level. The funny thing is, when we were done with dinner an hour or so later, this guy was STILL dancing, and had an even bigger crowd than before! 

But I digress. Back to okonomiyaki!

The place we went to was called Yukari. Their okonomiyaki was different from the last one in that the cabbage was chopped a little finer. I settled for a kimchi okonomiyaki, while Kevin went for a three-cheese as he could not fully commit to five cheeses. 

Carnage.