Mizuno is one of the most respected okonomiyaki restaurants in Osaka, a small, perpetually busy place on the Sennichimae arcade just off Dotonbori that has been griddling the city's savoury pancakes since 1945. Okonomiyaki — a thick batter of egg, flour, and shredded cabbage cooked on a hotplate — is one of the dishes most associated with Osaka, and Mizuno's Kansai version, mixing the ingredients together before cooking, is the benchmark.
Unlike the cook-it-yourself places, here the chefs make it for you on the counter griddle, and the signature yamaimo-yaki, bound with grated mountain yam instead of flour, comes out unusually light and fluffy. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand, so expect a queue down the arcade — put your name down and wait; it moves. Finished with the usual sweet-salty sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes, and nori.