Okonomi-Yummy!

On one of my adventures in Japan, I found myself in the city of Hiroshima. While most famous for being the site of one of the WWII atomic bomb droppings, it is also famous for a unique Japanese dish known as okonomiyaki: Okonomi meaning "What you like" and Yaki meaning "grilled", it's essentially a grilled pancake with a bunch of different items of your choosing such as noodles, bacon and cabbage. It's then topped with a sweet brown okonomiyaki sauce, sprinkled with seaweed and bonito flakes, and drizzled with Japanese mayonnaise. Hiroshima style okonomiyaki differs from what others think of as the "authentic" Osaka style okonomiyaki by having its ingredients layered, rather than mixed together. 

Downtown Hiroshima is home to a six-story building known as Okonomimura, which is home to 28 different Okonomiyaki restaurants. Each floor has about 8 stalls, which are comprised of diner bar stool seating with counter service set around a giant griddle. 

Seven lil Okonomiyakis - All in a row.

Mmm! Bacon!

If you look closely, they start by spreading a thin layer of batter on the griddle, which cooks and becomes the base of the "pancake". It's then piled high with a ton of seasoned cabbage.

You can have it your way, just like Burger King!

Choose between Udon or Soba noodles, fried egg, add shrimp, etc - whatever's on the menu.

(Photo credit: Essential Japan Guide.com)

(since I was too hung over and hungry to take a picture of mine)

Finished Product! 

ITADAKIMASU! (Let's Eat)