Okonomiyaki
I've been curious to try Okonomiyaki ever since seeing it on a show featuring Osaka. I was wondering if there are any good Japanese restaurants serving it up in Toronto anyone knows of? Thanks in advance, Cheers.
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Food Tourist
Apr 8, 2013 10:37 AM
Any updates on real okonomiyaki in Toronto with all the new Japanese izakaya and ramen shops opening lately?
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re: Cat123
Notorious P.I.G.
May 14, 2010 06:02 AM
They do but it's so far removed from Okonomiyaki that it's similar in name only.
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Actually there's a place in Toronto that serve only Okonomiyaki. It's near Bloor and Yonge, hidden on a smaller street. If I recall, they have about 4 different kind of Okonomiyaki. Price range is about $10 / per Okonomiyaki.
Okonomi House Restaurant
23 Charles Street West, Toronto-----
Okonomi House
23 Charles St W, Toronto, ON M4Y2R4, CA›5 Replies-
re: Lovemomoe
I've been to Okonomi House a few times when I was either downtown or having a huge craving for okonomiyaki. It's kind of greasy and casual, like many okonomiyaki restaurants that I've been to in Japan. The food is okay, kind of basic.
When I lived in Japan, I would travel to different places with friends and we did have the pleasure of eating okonomiyaki in Osaka. The ingredient that made it so different from the Tokyo-style was the mochi! A full square of hard mochi, slowly melting and being incorporated into the rest of the batter.
I think it's possible to make a good oknomiyaki at home. It's just that you must take the time to stock all the right ingredients: the Japanese mayonnaise, pickled ginger, bonito flakes, soy-based sauce etc. Then, everything must be put in (cut to the right size) and cooked so that you achieve the desired texture. Serve immediately, preferably with a cold Japanese beer (I like Ebisu but it's probably just me reminiscing of the good ol' days).
For you home-cooks, here is a link to a Japanese restaurant that specializes in Osaka-style okonomiyaki. I am only offering it to inspire you since it has descriptions in English of the various types of okonomiyaki served there. The restaurant is in Japan.
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re: Lovemomoe
skylineR33
May 13, 2010 04:42 PM
I suggest to stay away from having Okonomiyaki at Okonomi House. Their variation is nothing like the real one. I would rather have the fried noodle, yakisoba, when I visit it.
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re: Aleta
skylineR33
May 14, 2010 06:07 AM
For the real one, I mean the one which taste like a okonomiyaki. I don't think it taste like or even close to the one I have in Japan. It is just a big mess of hard pan cake-like stuff with not much taste. There are good one and bad one in Japan too, I guess I am comparing it to a normal good one in Japan.
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Guu has the item named on their menu, but I couldn't say whether it's in the style you're looking for.
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Guu
398 Church Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2A2, CA›9 Replies-
re: morefoodplz
Notorious P.I.G.
May 12, 2010 01:18 PM
Guu's Okonomi is more Korokke than Okonomi. It's weird that they even refer to it as Okonomi.
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Guu
398 Church Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2A2, CA-
re: Notorious P.I.G.
elvisahmed
May 12, 2010 04:16 PM
I agree with Notorious I just had my first meal at Guu and tried the Okonomi and it was just a thick fried Pancake with no Meat in it at all. There was tonkatsu sauce and bonito flakes but no Mayo or sea weed flakes. Personally I like a bit of wasabi on my okonomi but this was not good. Not to sound like a knock against Guu the other stuff was good and the Sapporo was gr8 not to mention the energy in the whole place which was outstanding.
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Guu
398 Church Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2A2, CA-
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re: elvisahmed
always_eating
May 12, 2010 05:01 PM
Yes, basically to find Okonomiyaki like in Japan here, hasn't happened for me. I usually just make it myself at home.
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re: always_eating
skylineR33
May 12, 2010 05:05 PM
Yes, a good normal okonomiyaki does not exist in Toronto. But can you can make Okonomiyaki at home as good as those ones you eat in Japan ?
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re: skylineR33
elvisahmed
May 12, 2010 05:22 PM
Well I learned to make it from my Ex GF who was a chef in Osaka and trust me it turns out pretty darn good and simple to make. You can do a search online for various recipes that are out there. I think the key is the Flour and I get mine from either J-Town or Galleria (Shirakiku brand) the ingredients other than cabbage vary depending on personal taste. I did have bit of hard time sourcing the Seaweed flakes but now J-Town caries them so no problems there.
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re: elvisahmed
skylineR33
May 12, 2010 06:16 PM
I have tried to make my own too with ingradient from J-Town, but the aroma is just not there comparing to the real thing.
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re: skylineR33
always_eating
May 12, 2010 10:18 PM
No, my Okonomiyaki isn't as good as the ones I had in Japan but it is better than what I have eaten in restaurants here. So I make do! :)
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If you are in an adventurous mood you can trek to the T&T at middlefield and steeles. There's a japanese restaurant at the food court. They have the best Okonomiyaki I've had in Toronto thus far which is saying something since I thought I hated okonomiyaki, they make hiroshima style as well and they make a mean takoyaki!
Of course the only other place I've tried this dish is at Okonomi house but that place was bad.
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Notorious P.I.G.
May 11, 2010 11:11 PM
There's nobody in town to my knowlege that does an Osaka style or a Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki unfortunately. I don't really know what style the Okonomi here is or if it can even really be called Okonomi. It's more of a cheap bastardization of Okonomi.
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kenzo on dundas has okononiyaki. when there recently on a ramen craving, I was told that it would take about 25 minutes to prepare. I couldn't wait that long unfortunately and so cannot say whether their version is any good, but hopefully the longer prep time is a positive sign.
otherwise, I know of okonomiyaki house on charles st. went 2ish years ago, and it was decent and comforting, if not as cooked through as I would have liked.
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elvisahmed
May 11, 2010 09:18 PM
Well I haven't had Osaka style Okonomiyaki here. I tried some at Wasabi wasn't impressed but its AYCE so I wasn't expecting much. A close relative of okono called taco yaki was good at the first markham place in the food court I am not sure if its still there. Since its so simple to prepare I just do it in house and buy the flour and toppings from from J-Town and pick some raw shrimp or scallops turn out pretty darn good.
