Japanese Street Food on the Streets of Manhattan

Otafuku

236 E. 9th St., New York, NY 10003


*** (Worth a visit)

One of my favorite things about writing reviews for restaurants is that in doing so, I find obscure restaurants serving food I’ve never before tasted. Otafuku is one such East Village takeout joint that offers a very limited menu of simple but tasty Japanese street food. 

One of these offerings is Takoyaki, a little fritter filled with chopped octopus, ginger, and scallions. Each plate has six scrumptious balls ($5) that are crisp on the outside, and soft and doughy in the center. 

What I enjoyed more was the Okonomi Yaki ($7), which consisted of two thick savory egg-and-cabbage pancakes filled with one’s choice of seafood, pork or beef, and topped with a special Okonomi sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, dried Bonito flakes, and seaweed powder – all of which make for a glut of flavors and textures as you chew through it. If you’re looking for an out-of-the-ordinary food experience, this should be a good choice.