JHOP

Before I went to an outdoor charity concert, I stopped on Charles St. for dinner. Surrounded by towering buildings and busy streets, this narrow lane with its shops and restaurants felt like a throwback. Okonomi House, around since 1978, served mainly japanese pancake (okonomiyaki). I opted for the shrimp version ($7.35) with some bonito and seaweed extras ($0.50). Some complain, since these ingredients are typical, about the additional charge. But given that you receive a good-sized bowl of dried tuna flakes, some people are just skinflints.

The edamame ($3.25) was the same as all Japanese joints. But since one portion may not be sufficiently filling on its own, this will bulk up your meal. The pancake came out sizzling and liberally doused with a slightly sweet and spicy sauce. The dough was a bit bland and didn't have that crusty tastiness. The embedded shrimp could also have used better seasoning, or any at all. But they had a nice chew along with the crunchiness of sliced turnip. So piling on the bonito and seaweed really added some needed flavour. A good dish but not exceptional.