Okonomiyaki, Osaka

Mizuno Okonomiyaki in Dotonbori, Osaka (which has no English signage but can be recognized by its grey circular shopfront sign) was without doubt the worst dining experience we've had in Osaka and Japan as a whole. While Mizuno came with a reputation, we found the service and attitude of the staff absolutely abysmal. We waited 20 minutes to be seated, which is not a problem, but when we were seated, they allowed us to order a four course dinner without warning us they were closing in half an hour. They then started cooking the food at a breakneck pace and with complete disregard for hygiene (at one point our server stuck his unclean fingers into the egg to remove some loose shell - the same fingers that moments before we noticed he used to collect money from a departing guest).
As we could not eat the food as fast as it was being cooked, it was left to burn on the hot plate. When we said we wanted to be served at a more reasonable pace, they gave up cooking it in front of us. Instead, they pre-cooked the food and served it to us cold, thus defeating the object of eating there. Evidently, it was more important to them that they left work at their appointed hour than make sure guests were served hot food and given sufficient time to eat it. When we asked to speak to the manager, we were refused this small courtesy and told rather rudely that Japanese people would not complain about this, so neither should we. For JPY5,200, I suggest grabbing a just-as-tasty street-side okonomiyaki anywhere in Dotonbori for JPY300-400, where you will no doubt get better, more friendly and insult-free service, and putting the rest towards a proper Japanese dining experience, of which there are many to be found in Osaka. In short, don't waste your money or time in Mizuno Okonomiyaki.

The food was lovely and so filling and although it may have appeared fast food, it was great that my pal could cook on our table.

Just meant that we could chat as the food was being cooked, eat at our leisure as the food was kept warm.

Favorite Dish: Hard to describe okonomiyaki as a Westerner, but was kinda, egg, noodles, lettuce with a sweet / savoury sauce on top.

Can't explain it any more as my mouth is beginning to water with just the thought. "I want some and I want it now!!"

Tilt your head a little to the left and you will be able to see the picture of my dinner guest cooking this great dish ;-)

This place was fast, cheap and the food was delicious. The waiters/waitresses give you the choice of either cooking it yourself or letting them do the cooking (to cook for yourself make sure that you are handy with the little flipper that they give you. It is harder than it looks!). I recommend the pork and cheese okonomiyaki!!

Favorite Dish: OSAKA SPECILITIES-OKONOMIYAKI

Okonomiyaki are large, savory pancakes made from diced seafood, meat and vegetables. Okonomiyaki literally means add what you like. Customers get to choose their own favorite ingredients and then cook up their pancakes right at their table. Okonomiyaki is similar to pizza, only the similarity really ends there.

Main ingredients available; an order of okonomiyaki consists of a bowl of pancake-like batter, plus a dish of diced vegetables and the main ingredient, such as shrimp or pork. A regular order of shrimp okonomiyaki is called ebi-ten (or ebi-tamayaki); some restaurants also serve monja-yaki, which is a somewhat thinner and more watery pancake.

The waiter or waitress will come by to turn on the grill at your table and brush the surface with oil; after that you're on your own. First mix together all the ingredients, then pour the mixture onto the grill when it's hot enough. You'll find small spatulas for flattening the pancake and pushing it into shape, and a larger spatula for turning it over. Before and after turning, you can brush the top of the pancake with Worcestershire sauce, then you can sprinkle it with aonori (green seaweed powder) and katsuo (dried bonito shavings) before eating it.

It takes a bit of experience to figure out when to flip the pancake and when to take it off the grill. Okonomiyaki takes longer to cook than you might expect, and the finished product doesn't hold together nearly as well as a pancake. You might ask your waiter for advice, or else pay close attention to the technique of the people at the next table.

Okonomiyaki-ya also serve yakisoba (fried Chinese noodles with vegetables), as well as some egg-based dishes that are closer to omelettes than pancakes.

Fugetsu is famous Okonomiyaki restaurant in Osaka.There are now many Fugetsu Okonomiyaki restaurants (chain stores) all over Osaka. But the original one is in Tsuruhashi, and everyone says that the taste is the best at the Tsuruhashi location.

Favorite Dish: Okonomiyaki! Top off this meal with cold Japanese beer. (Asahi, Kirin)

Tons of restaurants all over the downtown area.

Yummy!

All serving the same thing... Find one with a cool sign?