Zsup~!

We got a recommendation for Fugetsu, specifically the branch at Midosuji Building, right out of Exit 24, Namba Subway Station (also connected to JR Namba). So obviously we had to try it out, since Osaka is the home of Okonomiyaki!

First they mix up the stuff and lay it on the hot plate, right before your eyes!

We were hungry and sort of had no clue what to do since they just toodled off after and left the stuff roasting before our eyes. So we started fiddling with the food...

See the piccie above? That is the sad result of fiddling with your Okonomiyaki, all the little burn marks from the sauce being toasted on the hot plate.

All was well though, because we ended up ordering seconds, the first was so good despite being burned a little! So this is Okonomiyaki No 2, with the bonito flakes added, just before getting flipped over for more toasting.

And the beautiful end result is reached.

We really enjoyed the experience of having the cooking process take place right before our eyes, and certain differences from what gets dished up in Singapore did not escape our notice, either!

For one thing, the Singaporean stuff is far more doughy... I liked that Fugetsu added just enough batter to stick the veggies together, making this far more like a vegetable cake than a dough pancake with vegetables mixed inside.

Secondly, in Singapore, the bonito flakes get sprinkled on top after cooking, as if it were a takoyaki dish. Here, it was put on, left to roast, then the okonomiyaki was flipped over so the bonito flakes really got a good toasting on the hot plate before the sauce was finally added at the last stage.

Which brings me to point 3, that the cooking process here was rather more precise, less just swoosh and splat. Of course, one pays more in Japan to eat the stuff, and Singaporeans do like to get their money's worth. This probably explains the significant change in flour mix to vegetable ratio, too.

So a big THANK YOU to Kazuna Yamada, who works in both Hotel Toyo and Hotel Taiyo, for his excellent recommendation! He also gave us a tip for good takoyaki that we sadly never got around to checking out - YET. As I mentioned before, we would definitely like to return to Osaka, maybe when we are burning our Rail Pass, we will make a special trip to taste what he says is stunning negi-ponzu!

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We have just left that city this morning, but after spending the last three days there, we conclude that we will definitely return! No small stamp of approval, this, since we have hardly had that to say about the previous places that we have visited. Not that we didn't like them, more like we felt we had just about enough of them... Exceptions were made only for people who impressed us, like Kyoto's excellent takoyaki guy!

So anyway, quick run down of our itinerary in Osaka went like this:

Day 1: Reach hotel, CRASH BIG TIME.

Yes, no kidding, that is exactly what we did. Or rather, we got there at 7am and were told we could only check in at 4pm. So we proceeded to fall asleep on their reception area couches and voila, when we regained consciousness at 11am, they took pity (or were anxious to get rid of us unsightly lot) and lo, there was a room ready. Whereupon we went there and crashed for the rest of the afternoon too.

Day 2: Osaka Aquarium and its surrounds!

Day 3: Tennoji Zoo, Shitennoji Temple, ATC, WTC Cosmo Tower

Day 4: Osaka Castle (Museum), Post Office, Santa Maria Cruise, Fugetsu Okonomiyaki, Floating Garden Observatory

More about the various attractions in a later post... there is just too much to handle at one go!

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