When the times change, the environment surrounding okonomiyaki also changes. There are now various types of okonomiyaki restaurants such as bistros with wine and tables, bars, fully reservation-only restaurants like "PASEMIYA" where reservations are almost impossible to get, and restaurants like Vin Jutei where you can enjoy fluffy pancakes with meringue okonomiyaki along with wine, and places that pour a lot of tartar sauce instead of mayonnaise. However, there are still conservative okonomiyaki restaurants in the local area that adhere to the legendary prosperous shop's recipe that the owner trained in the Showa era. On this day, I invited a young employee who was working overtime to visit the restaurant late. First, we ordered the famous Mega draft beer for 890 yen. It came in a giant glass that holds 3 servings (1 liter) of cold beer. We also ordered grilled octopus to go with it, seasoned with plenty of black pepper that paired perfectly with the beer. I requested the delicious grilled scallop noodles, made with high-quality sashimi-grade scallops that retain a firm texture even when grilled. The owner mentioned that the cabbage he used that day had a lot of moisture, so he adjusted the sauce accordingly. The noodles were reminiscent of "Tsuruya," a restaurant in the Higashi-dori shopping street that I love, with its fragrant seafood broth and fruity sauce that is addictive. For our okonomiyaki, we chose the squid and pork version. Once it was cooked, the owner placed cabbage underneath to prevent it from burning. The okonomiyaki was cut into easy-to-eat pieces, with a beautiful technique that didn't crush it. The batter was light and fluffy, with plenty of air bubbles inside. The secret, they said, was to let the batter sit for a day. The balance of flavors was perfect, and the large squid was incredibly delicious. The key to delicious okonomiyaki is said to be the quality and cutting method of the cabbage. Here, to prevent deterioration, they use freshly cut cabbage and store the leftovers in nylon bags. After finishing the Mega beer, we ordered the same size Mega shochu highball. Some of my favorite okonomiyaki places include "Izakaya HINASE" in Minamimorimachi, known for its oyster okonomiyaki, "Shinmidou Special" at "Shinmidou" in Kishisato, "Hatuse" in Namba, and "Chigusa" in Temma, where you can serve yourself. "Bifune" in the Higashi-dori shopping street, with its 67 years of history, shows the experience on the owner's face. Eating okonomiyaki while listening to blues music adds depth to the experience. Okonomiyaki is now like curry rice or yakiniku, almost like a national dish, so it's more about whether you like it or not rather than whether it's good or bad. Finally, we ordered the popular vegetable stir-fry. Freshly cut onions, cabbage, carrots, shrimp, and chicken tenderloin were stir-fried, steamed with broth added halfway through, and topped with a fried egg. Mixing it all together made it even more enjoyable with the chu-hai. And all of this for only 580 yen is an amazing deal. This menu item is a must-try. Although the owner runs the restaurant alone, his super-speed technique ensures that customers are never kept waiting. The cost performance is unbeatable, with all items priced at about 70% of other restaurants. *When I was a latchkey kid, I used to love eating my older sister's squid okonomiyaki on Sunday afternoons while watching Yoshimoto New Comedy. At that time, the rule was that my sister would eat all the squid that popped out of the okonomiyaki, and I often cried because my squid would decrease every time she flipped it. Even now, at the age of 52 in early summer, I still get nervous when flipping the batter, wondering if the squid will jump out. Osaka City, Suminoe-ku, Hamanakaminami 1-13-7, No phone number.

This was my first visit since the previous restaurant, Takohachi, changed. The new restaurant seems to be run by the former manager of Takohachi. Previously, Takohachi was a high-end okonomiyaki restaurant where a meal for two would cost around 10,000 yen, with dishes like pork steak and prawns. The new restaurant, however, is more of a standard okonomiyaki place, and it gave me a much more affordable impression. I was happy to see that they have kept the same dipping sauce for the yakisoba. Thank you for the meal!