takoyaki mystery

[Mawson Plan]

Hi there. I asked a guy the other day if he knew of anywhere in Vancouver that had authentic takoyaki (not deep fried). He said Crab House on Cambie and 2nd had it and I was pretty excited. I wrote it down to make sure I had it right. I googled it and found a Crab House in Richmond but nothing on Cambie. I just figured out that maybe he was saying Club House, but their online menu mentions no takoyaki at all- let alone the good stuff. I have a craving for it though and I'm not sure I want to buy my own grill. Does anyone know any place in town making authentic takoyaki?

[felix the hound]

I have never had takoyaki so i checked the recipe and it sounds a lot like a Korean dish made with batter, chopped octopus and green onion which i have enjoyed in korean restaurants ( best i had was in a hole in the wall in Port Coquitlam - near the Executive suites). Are these dishes related beyond the common ingredients? Do they taste similar?

[fmed]

They taste sort of distantly similar to Pajeon (the Korean pancake dish you describe)....but very distant. Takoyaki is a lot simpler (it does not have the greens and aromatics in Pajeon) and is typically served with a sweet soya-based sauce, seaweed, and shaved bonito flakes and sometimes Kwepie mayo.

[felix the hound]

My favourite Japanese restaurant in Edmonton has been replaced by a new one named...Takoyaki.

So I walked in and asked the Japanese woman behind the counter if they served takoyaki. She had no idea what it was, but after i repeated and explained , she was interested enough to go to the kitchen to ask. After a short exchange with the two women there ( in Japanese) she came back and pointed to the menu item "Octopus balls". It was one of many items in the menu that was prefaced by the word "Takoyaki", i assume to mean "this restaurant's".
I plan to go back for a test and my first "taste". I hope they are the "real thing", which in my limited knowledge means that they are at least cooked in a takoyaki pan.

[sharonanne]

I really hope she just couldn't understand the way you were saying the word because I can't even imagine why she wouldn't know what they were. You'd think she would be used to the english way of saying it though given the name of the restaurant. A mystery! You certain the people weren't Korean?

If you see them making them the dough is almost continuously flipped in the half globe openings in the pan, that's what makes them into balls.

Report back when you get to taste them, please.

[felix the hound]

The takoyaki "octopus balls" at Kyoto are deep fried. Have not been to Takoyaki yet.

[grayelf]

We have a 7 pm reso at Zipang tonight -- will report on takoyaki there ASAP!

[balini]

Hope it was a great experience...did you take pictures?

[grayelf]

Short answer: very good. I'll post later with pix but in the meantime if you are having a jones for takoyaki I think this place would take care of it. Larger than I am used to (but I'm no expert), crunchy and creamy with a blob of tako in the centre. Not too strong tasting which is a plus for me :-). I loved the ebiyaki too.

[Mawson Plan]

Thank you kindly. I'll check out Aberdeen Center.

[balini]

Try Zipang on Main street I'm pretty sure they serve authentic takoyaki made from scratch and cooked in a pan...really delicious and presented beautifully.

[grayelf]

Nice one, balini! I found their menu here: http://www.menunette.com/?q=node/1573

You have to click through it to the last page and there they are, $5 (there are three other kinds as well). I called the resto and it would appear they are produced on the appropriate aparatus. Now I really must try Zipang, as I keep hearing their sushi is very good also.

[grayelf]

Bump to see if Mawson ever found his takoyaki, which sounds much better than asking if he found his octopus balls ;-)

I was thinking about finally trying out Zipang and the takoyaki tonight but it's closed Mondays. When I was checking this, I noticed they only have takoyaki from October to May so I'd better get on it... though I'm also looking forward to trying other non-seasonal menu items such as mini-okonomiyaki.

[balini]

Interesting...I wonder why it's seasonal? I hope you do go and give Zi Pang a try as you can see from the menu they have some interesting offerings and I really love the daikon candle holders that come on the Sushi platters!...it's small tho so you might want to make reservations if they'll do it...

[grayelf]

Thanks for the reminder, balini -- we're planning to take the parentals either Wed or Thur next week to try it out and I haven't made resos yet (they do take them). I'm keen to try their okonomyaki as well.

[fmed]

Aberdeen Center has a Japanese stall that serves takoyaki cooked in a takoyaki pan. I've never had it there, so I can't vouch for it. (See attached pic)

I think the Guus cook it in a pan.

[grayelf]

Way too long to wait to fulfill a craving but just for completists' sake, I've had "proper" takoyaki at both the Richmond Night Market (old incarnation) and the Japanese festival at Oppenheimer Park in August...

[Sam Salmon]

That lineup was just short of biblical so I gave up.

No takoyaki for me!