Okonomiyaki
Along with takoyaki, it is a soul food for Osakans. It is also made by dissolving flour in dashi, and cabbage is a must-have ingredient, with pork being popular, but as the name okonomiyaki suggests, you can add whatever you like to it.
The dough is spread into a round, flat shape on a hot plate and cooked. It is said that the practice of topping it with sauce, mayonnaise, and green laver seaweed influenced takoyaki. There are various theories about its origins, including that it evolved from monjayaki in Tokyo to dondonyaki at food stalls, which then developed into issen yoshoku (a Western-style dish that uses sauce) in the Kinki region, or that it began as an elegant game dish where customers could cook it to their liking on a hot plate.
The current style of okonomiyaki was established after the war.
By adding cabbage to increase the volume, it has evolved from a snack to a main dish. Another distinctive feature of Osaka okonomiyaki is that it is made with mountain yam mixed into the batter to create a fluffy texture.
There are many specialty shops where the owner or staff cooks the okonomiyaki for customers, rather than having them cook it themselves. With the 1970 Osaka Expo, it became known nationwide as an Osaka specialty. Nowadays, the number of shops offering a variety of toppings, such as cheese, kimchi, and mochi, is increasing, and the enjoyment of okonomiyaki is spreading.
Modern-style okonomiyaki, which is a combination of yakisoba and yakisoba, is also popular. Of course, it also appears as a standard side dish in homes. Eating okonomiyaki as a side dish with rice is a combination of carbohydrates and carbohydrates. This often surprises people outside of Osaka. If you can skillfully flip okonomiyaki with a spatula, you will become a hero in your family.
Other recommended gourmet foods
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Udon (Udon Suki)The appeal of Osaka udon is the harmony of its soft noodles and the dashi stock made from kelp and bonito flakes that gently complements them.
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TakoyakiTakoyaki is a classic Osaka fast food that can be bought from food stalls and easily enjoyed on any street corner. Its history is surprisingly short, with stores only beginning to pop up around town in the 1950s.
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Osaka sushiThe most representative type of Osaka sushi is box sushi, a type of pressed sushi where ingredients are placed in a mold along with vinegared rice and pressed into a solid form.
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Omelette riceThe owner of the restaurant felt sorry for a regular customer with a sore stomach who had to eat omelets and white rice every day, so he wrapped ketchup rice in a thin omelet and served it to the customer, to his delight.
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KushikatsuOsaka's famous kushikatsu is a dish that is famous for its "no double dipping" rule. Meat and vegetables are skewered, coated in a batter of water-dissolved flour and breadcrumbs, and deep-fried.
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Kappo cuisineAs the traditional Japanese restaurants that flourished during the Edo period began to fall into disuse and people began to demand more casual and enjoyable Japanese restaurants, the kappo style was born.
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Paper potThe mysterious paper pot also originated in Osaka. Everyone would be amazed to learn that paper can be placed on fire.
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conveyor belt sushiSmall plates of sushi roll by on a conveyor belt, and customers can pick up the sushi they like and eat it on the plate. This casual, semi-self-service style with low prices and clear billing is popular with families and tourists alike.
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Pork bunIt is said to have originated after the Meiji Restoration, when Chinese buns were introduced to Chinatown and adapted to suit Japanese tastes.