Monja Kura

Since we are at Toyosu area (@teamlab.planets ) and need to get back to Shinjuku, we decided to try out a Tokyo specialty (Monjayaki) at Tsukishima Monja Street. For those people that are unfamiliar with Monjayaki, this is a much lesser known cousin of the Okonomiyaki which originates from Osaka. Okonomiyaki has a thick batter loaded with cabbage and ingredients mixed together. Whereas Monjayaki is from Tokyo and it is a thinner, runnier batter and melt-in-your mouth texture. The ingredients need to be chopped finely as it needs to blend in with the batter. We went to this restaurant Kura which is recommended highly in Tabelog. There is no English menu and the young waitress serving us does not speak English. Youngest one to the rescue again as she conversed with her basic Japanese at least enough for us to order, to request help from the waitress to help us cook the food. So if you are trying this restaurant, come with someone that at least speaks and understands basic Japanese. There are many other monjayaki restaurants along the street so don’t worry if you need to look for alternatives. Food verdict, first time trying monjayaki and the dish is like a “failed” pancake experience. The mixture which is cooked is still runny and we were given small personal spatulas that are meant for us to scrap off bite sized portions and eat them off the spatulas. Hmmm, the texture really need some getting use to. We also ordered something familiar - yakisoba (Japanese fried noodles) and okonomiyaki. When we observed the other customers eating the monjayaki, it seems that the technique is to scrap off a small portion, then reverse the spatula and pressed the unburnt portion into the hotplate to sizzle it before popping in the the mouth. Hmmm… Will try this again.

I've never had a monja before, an Osaka dish- it is a soft, creamy and egggy version of okonomiyaki that you cook on a very hot grill. A little of the runny sauce is poured in to cook with the cabbage and only after the vegetable mixture is well cooked, you create a well in the middle of the pancake and pour the rest of the sauce in, mix it proper, simmering until it the sauce caramelises. The result is a pancake that varies in texture as it continues to cook while you eat and the caramel egg sauce becomes rich and brittle, which you keep scraping more and more to get the most of it. It is absolutely yummy!

First time eating Monjayaki and I came here after some Google reviews on this place. No English menu here but I managed to order 1 that sounds nice according to my companion's translation. Apparently their mixed seafood house special is recommended but we ordered their doria sauce pork monjayaki with added on cheese. Lady waitress was helpful to teach us how to cook it and how to eat. Food was good.