Shortly after I returned from a trip to Asia a few years ago, I desperately wanted to find two street food dishes I fell in love with: takoyaki, savory doughnuts with a nub of octopus in the middle, topped with mayo and bonito flakes, and okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese snack that's like a pancake crossed with a frittata. I didn't have a ton of luck finding them back then, but now, both dishes appear regularly on Japanese menus, with okonomiyaki popping up recently at more unexpected places. I had it at Izakaya Mita, where the pancake comes with a choice of either shrimp and crab or pork belly. I opted for the former—it's topped with sweet shrimp and crab, dancing bonito flakes and drizzles of mayo and teriyaki sauce, and it's a beautifully textured, layered dish. Here are three more to try.
Ramen-san
On Saturdays and Sundays from 12-2pm, Ramen-san serves a special okonomiyaki menu with three varieties—ham and cheese, crispy pork belly and smoked brisket and octopus.
Ani
The Lincoln Park Japanese restaurant serves terrific ramen and sushi, but start with the okonomiyaki, made with cabbage, squash, bacon and tonkatsu.
Sidecar at LR
The restaurant next to Long Room has been bringing in a pretty solid rotation of guest chefs, including Rich Gurney, to host an okonomiyaki pop-up. Customize your dish with options like shrimp, pulled pork, pickled shiitake mushrooms and fried onions. The next pop-up is slated for December 6.