The Fashionably-Forward Foodie: Yaki Yaki Miwa

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Yaki Yaki Miwa

Yaki Yaki Miwa is located on King Street, doors away from the infamous Sasabune. You can find street parking (free after 6pm!) or park in their lot in the back.

What are they known for? Okonomiyaki! Translated into English, it means "as you like it."
What is it? A savory Japanese Pancake filled with whatever you like, but typically with meat, seafood, soba/udon or chopped vegetables, and always topped with a brown sauce and Japanese mayo. Also, always cooked on a flat top grill.

A friend and I tried this place out one night around 8pm. I've been wanting to go here since my good friend Kelley and her bf went and said it was better than Shochan. Yes, definitely better, more higher-end and service was leaps and bounds ahead. Service was so good and the restaurant so small that as soon as you are finished with a dish, they are at your side swiping away your empty plate. At times, I felt a bit uncomfortable thinking they were staring at me while I ate. Peripheral vision. I didn't want to look up! But, they are all so nice and so happy to serve you, always with a smile on their face.

Two things I didn't like? First, a (japanese-speaking) couple that came later (sitting next to us at the counter) was served first, and secondly, everything you order comes out 10 minutes later than the previous dish. By the time you have had your first two dishes, you are full. But then, wait, you see your next entreé being prepared on the flat top grill. Get a second wind, girl!

Some recommendations-
1. Sit at the counter so you can see your food being prepared! Very cool. Not as entertaining as Tanaka of Tokyo, but still very interesting. You can see how all of the layers in your okonomiyaki come together!
2. I would recommend ordering a Negitoro Okonomiyaki. We had originally ordered one with pork (which was suggested to us by our waitress and was told it was very popular), but we passed and ordered a $30 something Ribeye-on-Toast dish. It was delicious and ultra-tender, but was it worth that much? I'm not so sure about that. This ain't Hy's or Ruth's Chris, ya'll!
3. Expect this to be a good 1.5-2 hour dinner. It took awhile for one thing after another to be cooked and brought to us. Every time we thought they were making our dish, it would get delivered to the couple next to us.
4. Order the Seafood Dynamite (pictured below). If you love cheese, you will love this creamy concoction.
5. The Sweet Potato dessert with either vanilla bean or green tea ice cream and honey is delicious!

Verdict? Yaki Yaki Miwa is good at what they do- Okonomiyaki. But would I go again? For the price? Yikes, it was steep. About $80 for the two. Good to try once. This is what good Okonomiyaki should taste like! Plus, they have many choices to choose from- cheese, regular, Negitoro, soba or udon etc.

Green Apple Chu Hi

Ponzu and radish on left and shoyu with ginger on right

Our Dynamite is under that metal top!

Negitoro Okonomiyaki being prepared! Metal splatter sheets in the background.

Seafood Dynamite!!! Comes with about 2 shrimp and 3 little scallops.

Ribeye on Toast with grilled veggies- pretty small, but worth a pretty penny.

If you sit next to THIS couple (closest), then you will get served LAST!!!!! Tell me, do I need to speak Japanese to get service around here?!!? HAHA.