Hi all 
long-time lurker, first-time poster…
I have weekend visitors requesting takoyaki and okonomiyaki. Anywhere in the greater LA area is doable (South Bay, Valley, SGV, even OC if applicable haha).
Thanks in advance!
1 Like
Doya Doya on Artesia in Torrance is an okonomiyaki specialist. The owner prepares Kansai/Osaka-style oko, as well as yakisoba omelette-wrapped yakisoba. The appetizers are also quite good.
3 Likes
+1 on Doya Doya.
Well ever since Gaja closed their brick-and-mortar, are there any other Okonomiyaki options?
I’ve seen oko offered at Nijiya in West LA. They usually set up outside the entrance on weekends. Takoyaki is almost always prepared there too.
1 Like
PSA: Gottsui on Sawtelle has closed.
Is there anything in the space yet?
There is a good list of okonomiyaki restaurants here: Restaurants - Okonomiyaki World - Recipes, Information, History & Ingredients for this unique Japanese Food
Also, recipes, if you are interested to try making it at home - it’s easy!
Enjoy!
Thank you for the list. Just a heads-up - call first to verify for business status. The list appears to be a bit dated - at least a couple in the L.A. list have shuttered. Again - thank you…
Here’s a shot of my most recent okonomiyaki at Doya Doya. Pork and cheese with extra negi (green onion).
The mountain of negi is not as imposing on the flavor profile as one would think. The other ingredients are on the rich side, so the negi acts as a good counter.
6 Likes
Thank you all for the intel! Will definitely check out Doya Doya.
It seems like takoyaki is a more elusive beast to hunt down…
1 Like
Takoyaki tends to be one of those dishes that, outside of its environment, is difficult to sustain. It’s such an informal dish, yet it is a-la-minute for optimal pleasure. Set-up and equipment is somewhat specialized, and relatively brisk business is required to keep the operation profitable (okonomiyaki is very similar). And the tako part still can be off-putting to many here in L.A. (although that seems to be changing).
I tend to associate takoyaki with areas that have a fair amount of foot traffic, and where these passers-by are looking for food. L.A. seems to play against the major aspects required for takoyaki to catch on and become sustainable.
2 Likes
Theres no good takoyaki in LA. Nobody does it like they do in Japan in terms of crispiness of the outer shell. It’s usually a soggy letdown.
3 Likes
So there’s the short answer. No.
This was interesting though. I had never heard of it. Seems like in the U.S. it would be a good menu item in a Japanese restaurant, but not a whole concept. But does that go against how it is eaten in Japan? Is it more an on-the-run food like a taco?
Thanks!
In tokyo i usually saw them as standalone snack shops. In asia single dish concepts are usually the rule and no the exception and specialization produces far better food on a consistent basis.
That’s what I suspected. Thank you.
Echoing thanks for mentioning. We started going here a while back due to you mentioning it. We like it a lot.
NoNo - thank You for the crazy amount of recs I’ve gotten from you. By the by - good to see you back again…
I feel I’ve gotten the better end of the deal with the recs I’ve received vs what I’ve passed out.
Thanks for the welcome back. Life has been…interesting the last few weeks. But hopefully on the upswing and I’m doing an Atlanta weeklong food and history tour soon. That should be fun and a good way to keep the good vibes going…
2 Likes
Thought I’d post my recent visit in this thread as well.
I had to do some grocery shopping in Torrance, so I picked up a shrimp okonomiyaki from Doya Doya. This time it was topped with an adequate amount of katsuobushi (dried fermented tuna) and aonori (seaweed flakes). The smokey flavors really made the dish sing.
5 Likes