Okonomiyaki @ Pastakan, Ikebukuro, Tokyo

If a dish is simply called "as you like it", you know that you have stumbled upon a winner. 

A popular comfort food and a fun thing to eat, the okonomiyaki (お好み焼き ) is a grilled batter dish that is just as important as noodles and sushi in Japan. To call it a savoury pancake is not wrong, but it is not accurate either as there are 2 main types: The Osaka style and Hiroshima style. The Osaka style okonomiyaki, which is similar to a pancake is easily available and more well known outside Japan. The other type is a more substantial noodle and crepe stack from Hiroshima. However, it is not that well known outside the archipelago and is still more of a local treat. 

Front of the house

If you are a person that like to play with their food, then the Osaka style is the way to go. This is because there are many restaurants that enable you to cook your own okonomiyaki. Restaurant staff can do the prep and cooking for you if you wish.  The Hiroshima style is solely in the hands (and fate) of the chef. But if you are keen in taking a shot in flipping 14 cm pancakes, then why not head of to Pastakan?

What an interior. Its a mini kitchen facing you!

Located in the Alpa building in the massive Ikebukuro Sunshine City, this restaurant specialises in the Osaka style pancake. The place is cozy and bright. The wooden decor gave it a very natural glow and the the table is well stocked, as instruments and condiments are placed neatly onto the table. And each table has a teppan pan, for you to get your grilling on. 

From left to right: seaweed flakes, mayonnaise, bonito and okonomiyaki sauce. 

To start things off , order the type of okonomiyaki you wish to have. There are a variety to choose. As it is after all a dish where is cooked and prepped the way you like it, toppings and fillings range from seafood to pork and even cheese. I opted for the classic pork belly pancake for my attempt. 

Assembly taking place. 

And the waiter can help mix the ingredients for you. But after the batter is left to cook on the pan and the lid is placed, then you are on your own.  

Step by step ladies and gentlemen 

There is also a step by step guide as to how to cook this. Its all in nihongo, but the pictures are enough to break the language barrier. Anyway if you are not confident, you can still ask for help. But since I am already here, might as well take on the challenge!

Tick tock. 

4 minutes have passed and its time to flip. It was not as bad as I thought as everything still stayed in place. You are given 2 spatulas which you are to slide underneath your okonomiyaki. Once you get a good foothold over the pancake, then flip away! Of course do it once you lift the okonomiyaki a few centimeters higher if you do not want to ruin your lunch. 

Very bare, naked with no sauce and condiments. 

After that, close the lid for another 4 minutes for the final cooking process. And one the cooking is complete, turn the heat to low and add your condiments the way you please. Yup, this is not a dish you want to have if you are in a rush, unless you go an okonomiyaki stand which has this cooked already from the get go. But it is a very fun and interactive lunch, and you can bring out your artistic side in stacking the condiments on the pancake. 

The completed product!

The end result was good, if you ask me. Kudos to the chef! But seriously speaking, the ingredients were well mixed and was evenly balanced. The texture of the pancake was firm and substantial, but still had some fluff which I enjoy. There was alot of cabbage and pickles, which gave good bite and texture. A good combination of elements. Its a relatively simple dish to be honest, but something I enjoy eating. And if you ask me, the cooking process is part of the experience too. Prices are reasonable too ranging from ¥800- ¥1200 depending on the ingredients you choose. 

Look at that interior. Delicious interior!

This okonomiyaki chain also has monjayaki  and rice dishes. But their star is their okonomiyaki. There are other branches around the country as well. If you want to visit the one that I have visited, just head off to floor B1 of Alpa Building of Sunshine City. 

If you cannot decide, then just look at the plastic food outside.