miyajima-tei Kokubunjiten

This place started as a restaurant specialized in Okonomi-yaki about 30 years ago (for those unfamiliar with what it is, Okonomi-yaki is a kind of Japanese style savory pancake with a wide variety of ingredients). Now they're adding a bunch of Teppan-yaki dishes among other items you typically find ...at an Izaka-ya (Japanese style bar). "Okonomi" means 'how you like' or 'as you prefer' in Japanese. Thus, you control what ingredients you want in the pancake although the main ingredient to make the pancake is the same. As such, some Okonomi-yaki restaurants are DYI style; they give you raw ingredients and you grill it on a hot plate attached to the table you sit at. At this place, however, an experienced chef cooks it for you. There are also different styles of Okonomi-yaki in different regions of Japan, and this place offers Hiroshima-style and Osaka-style, both of which are equally delicious (my personal preference is Hiroshima-style). The place is cozy, with friendly & attentive staff. The price is more than reasonable for the amount and the quality of food you get. Since this place is small, it may not be easy to find the entrance and the stairs that lead you to the 2nd floor where the restaurant is located. Look for a Yakitori bar on the 1st floor, and the stairs with a small entrance are right next to that bar.

Visited July 2018