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Osaka: Botejyu

Yuan, Angela, and Andrew treated me to an excellent meal of an Osaka classic, okonomiyaki. It is a pancake stuffed with all sorts of ingredients---anything goes. I have seen it made in New York but never before tasted it. The batter is poured, the mixins added. After cooking on one side, the entire contraption is flipped over.

Botejyu was founded just after the end of WW II. Mayonnaise was one of the many new foods introduced to the Japanese public by American troops. Botejyu figured out how to use this rare ingredient with classic okonomiyaki. Despite their very different origins, these foods do really go together.

I ordered the Moonlight Special. Underneath that egg are several kinds of meats: beef, cuttlefish, and something else that I can't quite remember. Both mayonnaise and BBQ sauce were added to moisten everything and round out the flavors.

This is rich, hearty food and deeply enjoyable. I think that Waffle House could score a big hit with this one---call it the Flying Pig Special.

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