Hiroshimayaki in Azabu Juban

Koko and I went to a little restaurant in Azabu Juban yesterday for "Hiroshimayaki" or Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake of sorts). Sorry, I didn't catch the name, but it was on the middle of a block, on the second floor, with indoor and balcony seating.

Koko's co-worker had brought him there and he liked it, but I thought it was a little disappointing. Both of ours had yakisoba (stir-fried soba) inside and an omelette on top. For the filling, mine was shrimp and squid. His had sliced beef, like bulgogi.

I thought the omelette was rubbery and the soba hard and overcooked. While it was maybe a good idea in theory, its execution left something to be desired. Each dish was about 1,400 yen, including a tiny almond tofu dessert, which was quite tasty and infinitely better than the main course.

The Hiroshimayaki would have been better (de-)constructed as a stir-fried noodle dish like pad Thai. The sauce, like many Japanese sauces, was both very sweet *and* salty. But at least there was just the right amount so as not to drown the pancake but to enhance its otherwise bland flavor.