Osaka 2019: Takoyaki

Any visit to Osaka is not complete without snacking on some of the city’s famous takoyaki. Although you can find takoyaki in various parts of Japan, Osaka is where takoyaki was first created and it just feels right to eat some while in the city. In Dotonbori you can find quite a few takoyaki vendors and I bought a 6-piece set from one while I was exploring the area. (Apologies that the last photo isn’t in focus)

Takoyaki is made from batter that is cooked on a special hot plate and filled with octopus meat, green onions, pickled ginger, and scraps of tempura. The batter is rotated regularly during the cooking process, which gives takoyaki its round shape. Once the takoyaki balls are a golden-brown color they are taken off the hot plate and covered in mayo, laver and bonito flakes, and takoyaki sauce. Personally, I’m not a fan of the laver and bonito flakes, but takoyaki tastes good enough that I didn’t mind having the flakes on my order.