The Yoshiba-yaki was made with plenty of trefoil and included scallops, creating a gentle flavor cooked in broth. In old newspaper articles, it is referred to as Yoshimachi-yaki, but it might actually be Yoshiba-yaki. Perhaps the use of hiragana in the product name is intentional due to the ambiguity between Yoshimachi and Yoshiba. The article also mentions the delicious oyster butter grill, but the butter-grilled shiitake mushrooms were also quite tasty.

Tonight, we had a party at a okonomiyaki restaurant in Ningyocho that is filled with the scent of Showa era. We were guided to the second floor and seated in a tatami room. The place had a nostalgic feel, with the smell of smoke and grease lingering in the air. It felt like a well-established restaurant. They even provided us with large plastic bags to protect our jackets from soaking up the smell. We opted for the course menu, which included okonomiyaki, yakisoba, and teppanyaki. Surprisingly, even the dessert was cooked on the teppan. We tried an anmaki dessert, which was quite delicious.

On January 2, 2014, at 22:27:43, I went to Sanoya in Ningyocho. The theme was food. I'm not a big fan of flour-based dishes, but Chinatsu-chan brought me here. Sanoya in Ningyocho is a popular restaurant where many celebrities visit. The customers were mostly local office workers. We started with the recommended dish, Yoshimachi-yaki, which is made with small chunks, mitsuba (Japanese parsley), and egg. It was cooked by the staff and served slightly runny with soy sauce, delicious and light. Next, we had the pork okonomiyaki. We cooked it ourselves using this historic cup. Chinatsu-chan really enjoyed the okonomiyaki. Lastly, we had yakisoba, which was cooked in an acrobatic manner. We enjoyed all the dishes and finished with a shoe ice dessert. It's recommended to wear casual clothes as the smell might stick to your clothes.

The boss of the company has a favorite restaurant where he often visits whenever he feels like it. On this day, he wanted to have a drink after work and requested to eat okonomiyaki, so we ended up here. The restaurant is quietly nestled in a back alley off the main street of Ningyocho, exuding a nostalgic Showa era atmosphere. Inside, there is a counter and a raised tatami seating area. There is also a second floor with banquet rooms that we used for department welcome parties. Sitting at a table with a teppan grill in the tatami area, we ordered draft beer and looked through the menu. As we were deciding what to order, the boss decided on "Yoshimachi-yaki, Kaki-yaki, Yakisoba, and Buta-tama." With a draft beer in hand, we chatted with the boss for a while until the waitress appeared with the ingredients for grilling. The waitress here usually grills the items for you, but if they are busy, you may have to grill them yourself. Luckily, the waitress had time that day, so she grilled the items for us. First, we tried the Yoshimachi-yaki. It is like an omelette made with dashi-flavored eggs, trefoil, and small fish slices, cooked fluffy like an omelette. I have only grilled it myself once at a party, and it seems that grilling Yoshimachi-yaki requires skill as it tastes much better when the waitress grills it. The soft texture, the umami of the dashi egg and clams, and the aroma of the trefoil blend in the mouth, delighting the senses of touch, taste, and smell. Next, the Kaki-yaki arrived. Oysters coated in flour are grilled with cabbage in butter, giving it a muniere style, then dipped in ponzu sauce. The flour on the oysters absorbs the umami, the crispy texture from grilling on the teppan, and the buttery and rich texture, all combined with the delicate texture of the oysters, creating a delicious dish. The okonomiyaki was praised by the boss, who is from Osaka, as "the okonomiyaki here is delicious!" It seems that the batter contains plenty of yam, giving it a fluffy and chewy texture without feeling powdery. The yakisoba didn't have any particular standout features, but there's something about yakisoba grilled on a teppan that makes it taste better than usual. Grilling it yourself creates a crispy texture, which adds to the enjoyment. We enjoyed a night of drinking beer and eating teppan dishes in this nostalgic restaurant with the boss.

I went to the okonomiyaki restaurant "Sanoya" in Ningyocho. The entrance has a nice atmosphere, established in 1948. I saw some familiar illustrations inside, but I couldn't figure out who they were. The elegant female waitress led us to the second floor, where we sat on tatami mats with a traditional iron griddle. I really liked the ambiance here. We ordered four servings of butatama okonomiyaki and also tried the specialty "Yoshimachi yaki." It's made with small fish, Mitsuba leaves, and eggs. The waitress expertly cooked it for us. The taste was light and refreshing, with the Mitsuba leaves adding a nice touch. We also ordered the ika (squid) okonomiyaki, which is cooked in layers on the griddle. It was delicious. I'd love to come back and enjoy a leisurely meal next time. If you're nearby, I recommend giving it a try.

Yesterday, I had a lunch meeting with the company president, and for some reason, we were invited to a restaurant in Ningyocho. It was an okonomiyaki restaurant. Ningyocho has many traditional-style shops. We started with "Yoshimachi-yaki," which includes scallops, mitsuba (Japanese parsley), and eggs. It looked like a tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette). Next, we had cabbage okonomiyaki, which was surprisingly delicious with butter and minced chicken. We also tried beef tongue wrapped in negi (green onion), buttered oysters, buttered squid, and finally, the signature okonomiyaki called "shoga-yaki," which had a lot of red ginger in it and was served with soy sauce. We also had a mix okonomiyaki. The president mostly ate it all, and we even ordered a yakisoba for dessert. We were clearly overeating, but it was a satisfying meal.

I went to "Sano-ya" for a small drinking party. It is located in a narrow alley in Hamacho and has a nice atmosphere. There was an illustration on the window next to the entrance that my colleague recognized as "Uncle Tris! Uncle Tris!" This character seems to be very famous. I was guided to the second floor of the restaurant, where the same illustration was pasted on the sliding door. The tatami room was very calming. We ordered various dishes, but the "Yoshimachi-yaki," which the landlady recommended as a local specialty, was especially delicious! However, it took some time for the food to arrive after ordering, and I ended up getting a bit full while waiting... a little disappointing.

We enjoyed our meal on the second floor, feeling as though we were at a seaside inn enjoying okonomiyaki. Sitting on cushions around the teppan grill, fanning ourselves. It had a nostalgic Showa era atmosphere that I love! The restaurant has been around for 69 years. We ordered two drinks each, 5 okonomiyaki, and 9 monjayaki, which came to around 9,000 yen. The okonomiyaki had a nice texture with just the right amount of yam. The specialty Yoshimachi-yaki was made with egg, trefoil, and green onions, with a dashi flavor, similar to Akashiyaki (a type of egg dish). As a person from Kobe, I found it very delicious! They don't open on weekends, so I can only go after work, but I definitely want to visit again! (^o^)

There is a okonomiyaki restaurant on a small street in Ningyomachi. The interior and cleanliness give off a calm, slightly old-fashioned vibe. The okonomiyaki has a nostalgic taste, nothing out of the ordinary. Be sure to try the specialty "Yoshimachi-yaki". It's named after the former geisha district in this area. It's made with cabbage, green onions, and eggs, cooked to a perfect softness by the staff. This combination is great! For dessert, try the "Kuronbo". I bet it would be delicious with some ice cream on top!