All You Need to Know about Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki - Tokyo Travel Tips
Updated: Sep 18
In this blog, we will introduce two dishes that have been loved in Japan for a long time and are very popular among foreign tourists: Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki. Both dishes are based on a dough made by mixing flour with water or soup stock, but they are different dishes. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese teppan dish consisting of flour, eggs, cabbage, meat or seafood, etc., mixed together and baked, then seasoned with sauce and mayonnaise. Monjayaki is a dish originating in Tokyo where cabbage, tenkasu, seafood, and other ingredients are mixed into the dough with more water than okonomiyaki, and served directly from the griddle with a spatula. The unique flavors and textures of these dishes, as well as the style of enjoying them together around the teppan, make them a fresh and appealing experience for foreign tourists, and they are gaining popularity. In this blog, we will briefly explain about okonomiyaki and monjayaki. It also introduces 3 best restaurants in Tokyo and recipes that can be easily prepared at home.
Table of Contents
What is Okonomiyaki?
Okonomiyaki is a traditional Japanese teppan dish, especially popular at home in the Kansai region (Osaka). The main ingredients are flour, eggs, cabbage, meat and seafood, which are mixed together and grilled. The top is topped with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, dried bonito flakes, and aonori. There are two main types of okonomiyaki: Kansai-style and Hiroshima-style.
Kansai-style Okonomiyaki
All ingredients are mixed together before cooking on a griddle. The ingredients are evenly mixed into the batter, creating a cohesive texture.
Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki
In this style, the ingredients are layered on top of each other, and the layers of dough, cabbage, meat, seafood, noodles are piled on top of each other in turn.
Why is okonomiyaki so popular in Japan?
The reason why okonomiyaki is so popular is that it can be customized with a wide variety of ingredients, allowing you to enjoy it to your liking. The fun of making okonomiyaki together with friends and family is also a big attraction, and it is a popular way to communicate. In addition, okonomiyaki is characterized by its volume and satisfying eating experience. The ease with which it can be made at home is also a factor in its popularity, and since it can be made without special cooking equipment, it has become a familiar dish for many people. In the Kansai region in particular, there is a strong regional attachment to okonomiyaki, and it is a favorite local delicacy, which is another factor supporting its popularity.
What is Monjayaki?
Monjayaki is a teppan dish popular in downtown Tokyo, especially in Tsukishima. It is similar to okonomiyaki, but monjayaki batter is more watery and fluid. The main ingredients are generally flour, water, cabbage, tenkasu, squid, shrimp, and corn. It is taken directly from the griddle using a spatula to eat.
Why is monjayaki so popular in Japan?
The reason for the popularity of monjayaki is the rich flavor and unique sticky texture of the various ingredients and sauces combined. There are crunchy and tender portions, making it a pleasure to eat. Furthermore, as with okonomiyaki, one of the main attractions of this dish is the experience of grilling it by oneself around a griddle with friends and family. It is especially loved as a local delicacy in downtown Tokyo.
3 Best Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki Restaurants in Tokyo
Here are 3 best Tokyo restaurants where you can eat both okonomiyaki and monjayaki. The following information below is current as of August 2024. These are subject to change, so please check each official websites in advance.
1. Asakusa Tsurujiro
Source: Tripadvisor
Asakusa Tsurujiro is a three-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, near the famous Kaminarimon Gate, one of Japan's most popular tourist spots. The restaurant has a total of 60 seats: counter seats where you can watch the food being prepared in front of you, table seats where you can sit without taking off your shoes, semi-private room seats, and kotatsu seats on the second floor. The restaurant has a Japanese atmosphere and a sense of openness.
The most popular okonomiyaki here are beef ball and chicken ball. The beef okonomiyaki is topped with sweetened beef shigureni and flavored with shoyu, while the chicken okonomiyaki is made with brand-name chicken and dipped in a salted ponzu sauce.
There are only three types of monjayaki on the menu. The special monja, the most popular among foreign tourists, is filled with pork belly, squid, octopus, large scallops, shrimp, corn, red ginger, egg, and noodles. You will be very satisfied with its large volume.
For those experiencing Japanese okonomiyaki and monjayaki for the first time, English, Chinese, and Korean menus are available. There is also a guide explaining how to cook the dish in English, so don't worry if you don't know how to eat it.
Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday Lunch: 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM , Dinner: 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM (L.O. 9:00 PM)
Saturday 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM (L.O. 9:00 PM)
Sunday & Holiday 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM (L.O. 8:00 PM)
Map
2. Monja Fugetsu Tsukishima
Source: Tripadvisor
Monja Fugetsu Tsukishima is a monjayaki specialty restaurant located in the Tsukishima area of Tokyo. Tsukishima is known as one of the best places for monjayaki, and many monjayaki restaurants line the streets.
Among the many monjayaki restaurants in the area, this restaurant offers a professional monjayaki experience that is different from making it yourself, as monjayaki is prepared and served in front of you by chefs who know how to make delicious monjayaki.
The restaurant offers a wide variety of okonomiyaki and monjayaki dishes, with more than 60 varieties. Their top picks are Gojira Monja, a spicy monja made with red and green peppers. It is perfect for those who love spicy food. Fugetsu Ten is popular in okonomiyaki, which is made with beef, shrimp, and corn.
They have menus for English and Chinese, so foreign tourists can visit the restaurant with ease.
Hours of Operation
Weekends 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM (L.O. 9:30 PM)
Weekdays 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM (L.O. 9:30 PM)
Closed on Tuesdays
Map
3. Moheji Shibuya Scramble Square
Source: Tripadvisor
Moheji is located on the 12th floor of Scramble Square, a complex directly connected to Shibuya Station, and is a popular restaurant with a long line of customers every day.
The main Moheji restaurant is located in Tsukishima, a fierce battleground for monja, and is directly operated by the Toyosu Market Seafood Brokerage, which was established in 1871. The speciality of monja here is the homemade soup stock made from a secret formula using eight kinds of seafood and chicken stock. We highly recommend this place for those who want monja with fresh seafood.
The restaurant offers a variety of innovative menu items that will change the concept of monjayaki, surprising and inspiring you in ways that you will not find at other restaurants.
Hours of Operation
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM（L.O. 10:00 PM）
Map
Easy Recipe for Okonomiyaki & Monjayaki
How to make Okonomiyaki
Ingredients ( Portion for 2)
Okonomiyaki Batter ingredients
* Cake Flour (100g) (You can substitute it with all-purpose flour.)
* Baking Powder (1tsp)
* Water (150ml)
* Instant Dashi (1tsp)
* Soy Sauce (1tsp)
* Salt ( 2 pinches)
* Eggs (2 Large)
* Tempura Bits (10g)
Ingredients that go inside Okonomiyaki
* Cabbage (300g)
* Green Onions (2pcs)
* Pork Belly Slices (180g) ( fine to use Bacon, but it's not authentic.)
Toppings for Okonomiyaki
* Katsuobushi ( Dried Bonito Flakes)
* Aonori ( Dried Green Seaweed Flakes)
* Beni Shoga ( Red Pickled Ginger)
An Alternative to Japanese mayonnaise
* Non-Japanese Mayonnaise (150ml)
* Soy Sauce (1Tbsp)
* Sake (1tsp)
An Alternative to Okonomiyaki Sauce
* Ketchup (2Tbsp)
* Worcestershire Sauce (2Tbsp)
* Soy Sauce (1tsp)
* Honey (2tsp)
How to make Monjayaki
Ingredients (Portion for 3 or 4)
Monjayaki Butter Ingredients
*Water(or dashi) 600cc
* Flour 60g
* Nagasawake sauce(soy sauce+worcester sauce) 60cc
* Pork 150-200g
* Cabbage 1/4
Agedama ingredients
* Sakura shrimp
* Flour
* Water
Conclusion
Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki are both typical Japanese dishes made on a teppan, but each has its own unique characteristics and appeal. Okonomiyaki is appealing because of its large volume and the variety of toppings that can be enjoyed, while monjayaki is popular because of its unique texture and the style of enjoying it together around a griddle. Each region has its own unique characteristics, and both are wonderful dishes that symbolize Japan's food culture. Please try them when you come to Japan!
Patia's Japanese Cooking Class in Tokyo
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