Japan: Edo Monja Hyotan
After Kichijoji, we spent the rest of the day exploring Asakusa. When it came time for dinner, Jiejie mentioned this okonomiyaki restaurant.
Now, there's something you should probably know about me. Back in 2016, I got slightly sick in Osaka. Ever since then, I've developed an aversion towards okonomiyaki and takoyaki. It's the sauce. Just smelling the sauce brings me back to those early morning hours spent hugging the porcelain god.
So when Jiejie recommended Edo Monja Hyotan for dinner, I was a bit apprehensive:
But I knew it was high time to confront my fears. Three years was too long to let a memory hold me back from culinary adventures!
When our name was called, we were led upstairs to a room with low tables and floor seating:
Each table came equipped with a massive griddle.
We ordered the mix ten (¥1350 / $12.52) okonomiyaki. It included ground pork, shrimp, squid, dried squid flakes, red pickled ginger, tempura crumbs, dried sakura shrimp, and egg:
Our server brought us the raw ingredients and then proceeded to make the okonomiyaki for us:
Turns out, Edo Monja Hyotan is actually not known for its okonomiyaki. Instead, it's known for okonomiyaki's brother from another mother, the monjayaki.
What's monjayaki, you ask? According to Edo Monja Hyotan's menu, monjayaki is a Tokyo specialty. Unlike okonomiyaki, monjayaki dough is more liquid-y and does not contain any eggs.
We ordered the tokusen monja (¥1650 / $15.30), which included mentaiko, shrimp, squid, mochi, leek, tempura crumbs, dried sakura shrimp, and dried seaweed:
I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this Jackson Pollock-like spread:
While okonomiyaki has a pancake shape, monjayaki resembles something like a Rorschach test. You're given these tiny metal spatulas to scrape up bite-size pieces:
I loved it.
Not only was monjayaki fun to eat, it was also delicious. It didn't have all that okonomiyaki sauce that still makes me slightly nauseous. It was slightly goopy and sticky and so, so good.
I might not have gotten over my hangup with okonomiyaki, but I did get to try something new thanks to Edo Monja Hyotan.
Move over okonomiyaki, I'm Team Monjayaki all the way!
江戸もんじゃひょうたん
東京都 台東区 浅草 1-37-4
03-3841-0589
Now, there's something you should probably know about me. Back in 2016, I got slightly sick in Osaka. Ever since then, I've developed an aversion towards okonomiyaki and takoyaki. It's the sauce. Just smelling the sauce brings me back to those early morning hours spent hugging the porcelain god.
So when Jiejie recommended Edo Monja Hyotan for dinner, I was a bit apprehensive:
But I knew it was high time to confront my fears. Three years was too long to let a memory hold me back from culinary adventures!
When our name was called, we were led upstairs to a room with low tables and floor seating:
Each table came equipped with a massive griddle.
We ordered the mix ten (¥1350 / $12.52) okonomiyaki. It included ground pork, shrimp, squid, dried squid flakes, red pickled ginger, tempura crumbs, dried sakura shrimp, and egg:
Our server brought us the raw ingredients and then proceeded to make the okonomiyaki for us:
Turns out, Edo Monja Hyotan is actually not known for its okonomiyaki. Instead, it's known for okonomiyaki's brother from another mother, the monjayaki.
What's monjayaki, you ask? According to Edo Monja Hyotan's menu, monjayaki is a Tokyo specialty. Unlike okonomiyaki, monjayaki dough is more liquid-y and does not contain any eggs.
We ordered the tokusen monja (¥1650 / $15.30), which included mentaiko, shrimp, squid, mochi, leek, tempura crumbs, dried sakura shrimp, and dried seaweed:
I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this Jackson Pollock-like spread:
While okonomiyaki has a pancake shape, monjayaki resembles something like a Rorschach test. You're given these tiny metal spatulas to scrape up bite-size pieces:
I loved it.
Not only was monjayaki fun to eat, it was also delicious. It didn't have all that okonomiyaki sauce that still makes me slightly nauseous. It was slightly goopy and sticky and so, so good.
I might not have gotten over my hangup with okonomiyaki, but I did get to try something new thanks to Edo Monja Hyotan.
Move over okonomiyaki, I'm Team Monjayaki all the way!
江戸もんじゃひょうたん
東京都 台東区 浅草 1-37-4
03-3841-0589
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