Mizuno Okonomiyaki: 65 Years of Scrumptious Delights (Osaka Series Part 4/6)

I'll be honest. I haven't had much exposure to genuine Okonomiyaki in my life until my recent trip to Osaka. The first time I had Okonomiyaki was in the form of a Pasar Malam (night market) in Singapore, which to say the least, was well off the mark. The closest I have come to an authentic experience was the one I had at Iroha 168. But that said, most restaurants here in Singapore make use of whatever limited ingredients and condiments that can be imported. The best is always used domestically back in Japan.

What is so attractive about something that looks unattractive in the first place? Well my friends, beauty is always in the eye, or in this case, the tongue of the beholder. If there is a food that can define Osaka, Okonomiyaki has to be it, and Mizuno has been flying the flag high for 65 years in the Dotonbori district.

Scallop and Pork Loin (Ingredients for the Yamaimo Yaki)

Imagine fresh seafood and meat, pan seared lightly to give off a smoky and tantalizing aroma, then blanketed by a proprietary mixture of flour, batter, cabbage and other seasonings.

Pouring batter over the pork and scallops

Give it a few minutes later and voila. It is ready to be cut and served. Perfect for sharing amongst friends or your significant other. In fact, it is a better idea to eat Okonomiyaki in groups so you can sample all the different varieties and toppings.

Yamaimo Yaki with Pork and Scallops (Okonomiyaki made with Japanese Yam)
1620 yen, approximately SGD $20 at the point of purchase

The Yamaimo Yaki is undoubtedly the signature of Mizuno. This item was in the menu since its opening and it still remains the most popular dish of the restaurant. The yam provides a significant difference, making the texture of the pancake smoother, almost slippery. Flavour wise, it is slightly sweeter and stickier. Together with the pork loin and scallops, and topped with Japanese Worcestershire and Mayonnaise, the Yamaimo Yaki is like a pancake gathering of the most delectable ingredients you can find and combining them into one single dish. It is savoury, sweet, creamy, crunchy and scrumptious, all at the same time. This in essence, is the beauty of Okonomiyaki: everything you want, grilled to perfection, and giving you a multidimensional sensory overload.

Mazeyaki (Okonomiyaki with chopped squid, pork, octopus and prawns)
1400 yen, approximately SGD $17 at point of purchase

 Another item worth going for is the Maze Yaki. Contrary to the Yamaimo Yaki, this is not as molten and it packs more punch and bite. It is wonderful to be able to get the refreshing cabbage with the sinful pork pieces and fresh seafood. The worcestershire and mayonnaise does a wonderful job of holding everything together and provides a richer mouthfeel together with a pleasant tang to cut through the heaviness of the dish.

The wonderful thing about going to Okonomiyaki joints in Japan is that everything is done ala minute, right before your very eyes. Most places have either table or counter seating with the grill in close proximity to the customers, but has indoor vents to suck in the heat and smoke so it does not hit you directly and affect your dining experience. There is nothing to hide at all, just simple ingredients grilled with finesse by an experienced chef. This ensures that you get your food from kitchen to table in a matter of seconds so you can enjoy your pancakes piping hot.


As it is quite filling and a little heavy, Okonomiyaki makes the ideal snack/tapas/meal to be shared over good company and washed down with an ice cold beer. Be it for lunch, a mid afternoon snack or supper, anytime is a good time to eat Okonomiyaki, and Mizuno, having been around for 65 years in such a competitive area and still managing to bring in crowds daily, is the place to go to for a wonderful experience. Take your seat, and watch in awe as the chef mixes, grills and serve it up right in front of you.

Mizuno Okonomiyaki
1-4-15 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka

Operating Hours:
Open from Mondays to Sundays
1100-2200

How to get there:

Mizuno is located in Dotonbori, about 10 min walk from Namba Station on the Osaka Subway.
Take Exit 14 and walk out to Dotonbori, look out for the Kani Doraku (The restaurant with a huge plastic crab model) and turn right into the smaller street.

Link to their website.

Iroha 168 Japanese Restaurant: Whatever you want, on the grill.

Butatama (Pork and Squid) Okonomiyaki, Mini Size $7.50++. Regular Size costs $15.00++

Okonomiyaki in Singapore is generally found in places that do Takoyaki (Grilled Octopus balls) as well, or in Pasar Malams (Night Markets). One example is the chain store "Takopachi" which serves up takoyaki and Okonomiyaki. Rarely do we get to see a place that specializes in Okonomiyaki.

"Okonomiyaki" is a combination of the Japanese words "Okonomi", which means "whatever you want/like" and "Yaki", which means "Grill". Simply put, it is a Japanese pancake grilled with a standard base of cabbage and batter made from flour and dashi, with whatever ingredients you fancy. Originating from the Kansai (Osaka) region of Japan, this is another particular Japanese food that is not very popular in Singapore.

Enter in Iroha 168.


After a long period of 14 years of being in the Orchard Hotel basement, they have finally relocated their premises to the east (rejoice O ye fellow easties of Singapore) and have set up operations in a small, humble space next to a coffee shop, which incidentally sells the legendary Geylang Lor 29 Hokkien Mee. But that's another story.

Their okonomiyaki is, true to their name, the signature here. Aside from the fact that they have hardly any other competitors in this particular Japanese dish, what won me over was that all the components, from the cabbage to the batter and choice of ingredients possessed a nice texture. It was neither soggy nor hard. The flavours were also balanced, a multitude of sweet, sour and saltiness evident in the dish. With the homemade sauce and Japanese mayo generously drizzled over, this makes the perfect snack/meal for people craving a proper Okonomiyaki.

Having tackled 3 different Okonomiyakis on my maiden visit, I was curious to see how the Chef and owner of the establishment would do his Teppanyaki sets today on my 2nd visit.

Set E: Sliced Ribeye, Scallops, Foie Gras, Broccoli and Mushrooms. $30++
All Teppan sets come with Rice, Pickles and Miso Soup

 I opted for the Set E of the Teppanyaki Menu, seeing that for $30, I do get quite a spread of seafood and meat. Most of the items were decently done, nothing outstanding in particular. However, this was different to other Teppanyaki establishments in the sense that while other places serve you the dishes course by course, the Chef here cooks everything all at once and places it all into a hot plate to maintain the temperature. That said, I was still disappointed because I did expect the ribeye to be thicker. As it was already a thin piece prior to slicing, the meat was quickly overcooked. The scallop was also nothing to shout about and the foie gras definitely needed a longer time in the grill. But what really turned me off was that I saw the waitress scoop out rice onto a bowl and put it inside the microwave to heat it up. All this was done, oblivious to the fact that I was silently observing from a vantage point (I was seated at the counter). So all in all, while half decent, I could have gotten 2 regular sized Okonomiyakis for the same price, which I am glad to say is made from scratch, having seen the Chef do it in front of me.

Chef Sekiguchi Akimasa

Hailing from Kyoto, Chef Sekiguchi's belief is that Okonomiyaki will one day, enjoy the same popularity that Sushi does not only in Singapore, but worldwide. It is after all, a fast and easy meal to enjoy, and it leaves the choice of the ingredient (meat or seafood) up to the customers. Would you fancy some beef steak cubes or ham and cheese with your Okonomiyaki? Why not?

Having been in operations for less than a month, I feel that they have some serious issues to iron out. Some of it being the over-diversifying of their menu, (they sell a whole range of food like sushi, ramen, tonkatsu, soba and the list just goes on) and the naming of their food items. (According to the Teppanyaki menu, it said "Beef steak Ribeye" and not "Beef slices"). Service was also generally haphazard with the service team (namely the lady boss and another waitress) having problems communicating orders even though it was not a busy dinner service. And I am still a little peeved by the fact that they can't serve me a warm bowl of rice without having to microwave it.

That said, my advice is just to come here for the Okonomiyaki, and enjoy it with their variety of drinks like beers and Sake. They have many ingredients for you to choose from like the Squid and Pork, Ham and Cheese, and Beef Steak cubes to put onto your Okonomiyaki.

Also featured on their menu is the "Osaka Jyo", an Okonomiyaki that is meant to feed 4-5 pax which, according to the plastic food display models outside the shop, contains a really large prawn, some seafood and other bite-sized ingredients in one gigantic pancake to be shared. But do enquire the type of ingredients that go into the Osaka Jyo just to be sure.

Despite all its flaws, I will come here solely just for the Okonomiyaki, because I simply cannot find another place so close to home that actually specializes in a relatively uncommon food item of Japanese cuisine. And credit to Chef Sekiguchi, his Okonomiyaki comes straight from the mixing bowl, to the grill and finally to your table.


Bacon Okonomiyaki, anyone?

Iroha 168 Japanese Restaurant
392 East Coast Road
Singapore 428992

6738 1683

Closed On Mondays.
Do call for operating hours as it is yet to be fully confirmed.

Nearest MRT Station: Kembangan