Hiroshima, which has its own variety and to help me out with this report is a longterm resident of Osaka Kevin Reilly

John: How you doing?

Kevin: good

John: So what is this place that we're going to?

Kevin: this is my favorite open banquet restaurant

I've been to many all over Osokka, I like this one because the texture is just perfect

John: guaranteed to be good!

John: Kevin has been living in Osaka for over 20 years and when he recommends a place, you know, it's gonna be good

This is Chiyo Okonomiyaki a family-run shop started in 1966

The inside is warm and inviting and kind of retro you can feel that it's a family-run business

You also notice right away that the tables have a gas grill on them

This is typical in most Okonomiyaki restaurants around Japan

John: Do you cook it yourself here?

Kevin: No here they cook it for you, but what they'll do is serve it onto here and

and it keeps it nice and hot. infact if you leave it for a while it gets nice and crispy

John: I ask this because in Tokyo at Okonomiyak restaurants

We usually get a bowl and mix and cook it ourselves

If you're not sure how to do it or just feeling lazy staff will usually do it for you upon request

I like to do it myself It's fun

They usually turn out pretty good, too

But Kevin explains that in Osaka every shop has their own way

The grill is also good for yakisoba and grilling vegetables.

John: So i'm kind of excited about this because this is authentic Osaka okonomiyaki right?

Kevin: yup its real stuff

John: Which one is better?

It's a question that a lot of people ask can there be a definitive answer?

There's Hiroshima style and Osaka style

To find the answer

You have to know how it's made and I travel to Hiroshima in a past episode to learn the craft

At a place called Okumuniura. It's three floors full of okonomiyaki shops each one a little different than the one next door

Batter, eggs, noodles, and lots of cabbage

1. Start with the batter pancake

2. Add the cabbage

3. Moyashi bean sprouts and some seasoning

4. Strips of pork on top of any vegetables that you want to add drizzle a little more batter on

5. Then flip it!

6. sweep the rest under the layers and let it cook for a minute

7. Now the twist add some noodles these are plain soba noodles with a little oil and seasoning mixed in

Formed into a circle it becomes another layer of the okonomiyaki

8. Lift the vegetables and pork layer on top of the noodles. You can see this thing is starting to get pretty big!

But we're not done

9. Crack open an egg and make the next layer

Be careful not to mess it up. It takes a little skill, but when it's done, right it looks good

10. Add the other layers to the egg

11. Let it settle for a minute then flip it again

12. Add that tangy okonomiyaki sauce!

13. Next up are sprinkled seaweed flakes

14. If you like add some Negi or chopped Japanese leeks

the coloring is amazing! Maybe a cherry on top. Well in this case

15. pink ginger to give it a little zing

Now it's time to serve it to the customer

16. Carefully lift it and put it in front of the customer

17. And you've done it!

Except for one more thing...

18. you have to eat it!

Let's see how osaka okonomiyaki is made by a pro.

1. After oiling the grill mix up the ingredients inside the batter like a pancake

2. Pour it onto the grill and spread it a little into a circle

3. Add on strips of pork you can always ask to leave it off if you're vegetarian

4. Now the waiting begins. it takes a few minutes to cook.

5. When it's ready flip it!

Look at that golden brown color

6. Waiting is always the toughest part!

7/8. flip it again and add the Okonomiyaki sauce

9. Some seasoning and Katsuobushi fish flakes pump up that ewmomy taste

10. Wait! more sauce drizzle a little more on top

Surely it's done right? Not in Osaka.

one key ingredient is missing

11. the delicious japanese mayonnaise

12. That's it now take it to the customer to eat

14. Both: Kampai!

Voice over: Okonomiyaki Hiroshima VS Osaka

John: Let's break down the two styles.

They're both very good and use a lot of cabbage

The biggest difference is that hiroshima makes it all in layers

While Osaka Kansai styles mixes most of it together in a batter.

They both have egg in it but Hiroshima styles eggs is an actual layer

Hiroshima has noodles

Osaka has Katsuobushi and loads of mayonnaise

The batter is slightly different but each shop has its own secret to making it tasty

Both styles can be customized because the word okonomiyaki means as you like

:)

Basically, there are tons of ways that you can make them add in seafood instead of. pork no meat No problem!

The price Osaka okonomiyaki is usually cheaper than Hiroshima, but one Hiroshima okonomiyaki can fill you up until tomorrow!

With Osaka, you can try more kinds or share with a friend

Either way you go. You'll leave happy and full.

So let's sink our teeth into that delicious Osaka style okonomiyaki

So what's his take on this okynomiyaki battle?

Kevin: Hiroshima you can't beat this.

Both: (laughing)

John: i'll give it a go too

It's good

it's Good!

It's actually very good

For me, you know

Hiroshima okonomiyaki just has those layers and that means that you have different kind of taste levels inside of one okonomiyaki

With Osaka okonomiyaki It seems like all the ingredients really do a good job of coming together

and It's that simplicity that I like about the Osaka okonomiyaki

However, I still have to sthat I'm always disappointed that there's no noodles

Hiroshima okonomiyaki has the noodles in there and that one ingredient that just take's it to another level

Okonomiyaki is like health food

Cabbage is in here not noodles, you know a lot less carbohydrates. Lots of good healthy cabbage. I love cabbage

So to me, this is a perfect food

It's true! Osaka style is mostly cabbage the proportion greater than in hiroshima style

Kevin likes cabbage so much he went for the kimchi. Okonomiyaki for seconds

But hiroshima style is healthy too look at all that green

It's served on the grill at the counter by the chef and eaten with a mini spatula

And for me, it's absolutely the better of the two

But not by much. It depends on which one you ate first or even where you live

I used to live in Hiroshima. And Kevin is a resident of Osaka. So which one is better?

The debate will rage on

Both are considered the soul foods of their respective area the Osaka style and the hiroshima style. You can't go wrong with either of them

oh man, i havent been this full in years

So whether it's Hiroshima or Osaka okonomiyaki is a meal that you got to try when you come to Japan

But what did you think?

Let us know in the comments down below. Let us know what your favorite is

Hiroshima!

Osaka!

15. pink ginger to give it a little zing

You have to eat it!

1. After oiling the grill mix up the ingredients inside the batter like a pancake