Japanese 'Torta' experience

After my Hana Takoyaki experience, we then tried it's neighboring izakaya, the Kagura. Kagura's specialty is the Okonomiyaki.

Okonomiyaki is a compound word which derives from two words; ''Okonomi" which means" to one's liking" and "yaki" which means "to grill". It is a popular teppan-fried, batter-based dish. It is served throughout Japan but it is extremely popular in the Kansai region. Okonomiyaki is made from a batter of egg, water, cabbage and flour then grilled in a teppan griddle with an assortment of stuffings like meat, seafood and vegetables. When cooked, it is then brushed with a sweet spicy Okonomi sauce (a brownish sauce similar to Worcestershire sauce), Kewpie mayonnaise and finally dusted with Katsuboshi and Aonori flakes. Okonomiyaki is also commonly called as the "Japanese pancake".

Kagura's Okonomiyaki is cooked right in front of the customer. They have a bar-style arrangement where customers are seated right in fornt of the teppan grills. I find this as a very good style since the customers (specially first timers) can have a first-hand view of how the Okoniyaki is prepared. Aside from that, they also have 3-4 tables where diners can have a privacy. Kagura prepares the okonomiyaki a la 'Kansai-style', which means they grill the
batter together with the stuffings over the hot teppan grill.

We chose to order the Okonomiyaki-mix since it is our first time and that posed as the
one with a little bit of everything. The dish boasted generous amounts of cabbage, pork,
shrimps and squid. It is not over-brushed with the mayonnaise and okonomi sauce that is why it doesn't have a very rich and no 'umay' taste. Well, for me, its more comparable to the Pinoy
'torta' than a pancake since it involves savoury ingredients instead of sweet stuffings like in
pancakes.

Okonomiyaki-mix is a very tasty meal on itself. I think it is a meal on itself since I saw that
several Japanese patrons are eating their okonomiyaki on its own devoid of a cup of gohan.
We chowed our Okonomiyaki-mix with a side dish of their Yakisoba and several rounds of complimentary of Mugi Cha.

The staff is warm and very entertaining. You can have converstions with them as they cook
your order. You can also see that the owner is a huge fan of Hanshin Tigers baseball team
of Japan. Aside from baseball mementos, this cozy restaurant is also adorned with different
Noh masks.

We'll be coming back here to try their other okonomiyaki and their Hanshin Ika as recommended by one of the staff.

Gochisosama Deshita!

Kagura
Little Tokyo,
2277 Chino Roces formerly Pasong Tamo St.,
Makati City
(632) 894-3856