Okonomiyaki for SF hound

[maoliu]

Where to get Okonomiyaki in LA for SF chowhound? Most threads are dated. Someone mentioned Doya Doya but without much elaboration or further discussion. Is there any worthy Okonomiyaki in the area? What is the most popular place?

It appears that the yelpers like Gaja in Lomita. What is good there? I will spend most of my time near Santa Monica, downtown, SGV and Pasadena. Any comparable options closer by?

[kainzero]

i prefer doya doya myself.

gaja is the only place that's DIY (worth trying, though you can also ask them to cook it for you) and good portions, but it's expensive unless you hit it up during happy hour. also gaja has monjayaki which you can't get anywhere else.

had gottsui but i felt like it was a bit expensive, like gaja prices for doya doya portions. and since i live in south bay i hate driving and parking in santa monica. =) fyi gottsui is not hiroshima style, it's osaka style. i think it tasted better than gaja though.

[J.L.]

Clarifying: Agree that Gottsui is Osaka-style in essence, but they did have a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki which I enjoyed.

[maoliu]

Just want to report back that I went to Gottsui after visitng the Getty Villa. I was initially skeptical about the amount of shredded cabbage and worried it would be too crunchy and healthy. My worries all went away when the sizzling hot Gottsui okonomiyai arrived. Thanks all. :)

[J.L.]

Thanks for reporting back!

[raizans]

drats.

*waiting breathlessly for the first hiroshima-style specialist.*

[Tripeler]

Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki is light years more delicious than the heavy, plodding Osaka style. Of course, I am mostly in Tokyo.

[kainzero]

for me it still depends on the restaurant itself, more than the style.

i ate at a random place in okonomiyaki mura in hiroshima, but it wasn't even on the same level as micchan, also in hiroshima and one of the more famous restaurants along with hassho. and both were much better than the one-time otafuku pop-up stand at mitsuwa serving hiroshima-style.

i also thought that gaja, gottsui, and doya doya were better than the random okonomiyaki store i hit up on the top floor of parco in ikebukuro in tokyo.

if i'm not mistaken you can get hiroshima-style at gaja too. =)

[J.L.]

My top 5 okonomiyaki joints in L.A.

1: Gottsui - on Sawtelle; Hiroshima-style, hits the spot with a cold beer
2(tie): Gaja Moc - in the South Bay; Very good also
2(tie): Raku - in Little Tokyo
3. Nijiya Market has a very decent open-air okonomiyaki & yakisoba vendor just in front of the store on most weekends
4. Aburiya Toranoko - in Little Tokyo; definitely serviceable

[Johnny L]

Definitely try the one at Aburiya Toranoko in Little Tokyo (close to Downtown). IMO it's one of the best things they have because it comes on a hot plate so the bottom is crispy and not soggy.

Flavor wise it has it all, veges, bacon, mayo, and the okonomi sauce.

[ilysla]

I've been to Gaja and Gottsui each once. While both experiences were fine, I can't say that either was hugely memorable. I recall the okonomiyaki at Gaja being slightly larger, while the one at Gottsui seemed more "personally" sized. The menus at both are sizable (the one at Gaja seemed overwhelming long, actually) and Gottsui had a pretty extensive Japanese "tapas" portion. Gottsui will also be a lot closer to where you'll be....

http://gottsui-usa.com/

[Professor Salt]

I've been to Doya Doya, Gaja and Gottsui multiple times each. Gottsui in West LA is absolutely the one to hit.