Okonomiyaki @ Osaka Kitchen, Shibuya, Tokyo

 

It has been a while since I stepped foot in Osaka. The last time I have been there was probably 2019. While I might not be going there anytime soon, I was able to revisit some of its popular dishes while I was on a business trip in Tokyo. And this time both my cousins were able to join me in a sojourn to Shibuya. 

The infamous crossing

Osaka Kitchen is located on the restaurant floor of Tokyu Plaza. Loaded with a bevvy of restaurants to choose from, we decided on okonomiyaki as it was something that can be easily shared between us. However, that was not the only thing we ordered.

This was totally insane!

The first of the various dishes for the night was a cheesy mentaiko grill. This was absolutely decadent, whereby a pile of salty and savoury fish eggs were grilled with a cheesy and greasy serving of cheese. This was quite the oil slick, but it was bursting with flavour. It was punchy and had a lot of personality. But if you are on a diet, please steer away. A serving for 3 stood at a modest 950 yen. 

Delicate

On the other side of the spectrum, the next entree was sesame tofu. This was much more delicate, with a sweeter and more subtle flavour profile. The tofu itself was nutty, fluffy, and wobbly to the touch. Yet, the outside was expertly charred, leaving a slightly crispy crust, encasing the custard-like insides. We thoroughly enjoyed this and it went down smoothly. A top recommendation. And a serving with 4 pieces stands at a generous 650 yen. This to me was a bargain. 

Star of the show. 

The savoury pancake made its appearance in the end. We ordered the special, which has most, if not, all ingredients in it. This includes shrimp, squid and pork. This was some top-notch eating. The pancake was well grilled and the ingredients were packed quite well. Nothing was falling off. The batter and the ingredients were also well seasoned. Chunky but smooth at the same time, this was a contrast that somehow was combined well. 

Compact!

And of course, the sweet and savoury varnishing gave it that classic look and taste. This was one of the more expensive okonomiyaki that I had, which stood at 1500 yen. However, it is still something worth ordering. And to finish it all off, we had a serving of spicy noodles, which stood for 1100 yen. 

It has a generous helping of squid too, which was great. 

The noodles were really well done. There was a hint of smokiness and the noodles were crunchy on the outside, but still soft on the inside. The sauce used was also pretty good, and it was seasoned well. It is not too wet, unlike some places and the chilli used gave it a nice kick without being too overpowering. Additionally, extra props to the service as they divided it among the 3 of us. 

Tea for a night cap. 

With a total bill leading to 4598 yen, it is not too bad for a meal of 3. Everything was spot on. Also, considering we are at a slightly more upmarket place in the big city, the price is deemed reasonable. So if you are somehow in the heart of Tokyo and you crave some carby Osaka-style goodness, why not drop by for a bit? The address is as follows: 

〒150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Dogenzaka, 1 Chome−2−3 Tokyu Plaza 6th Floor

Front of the house