Okonomiyaki

A busy day in London led to a well-earned lunch - and what better way to recharge the batteries than a cabbage pancake?

Doesn't sound too delicious to you? Well then you've probably never had the pleasure of the Japanese specialty okonomiyaki.

I was lucky enough to sample the authentic version whilst visiting Hiroshima over a decade ago, but the memory lives on - both for the experience of having your meal cooked on a hotplate in front of you, and for the building which housed dozens of heaving little okonomiyaki outlets - cabbage pancake heaven!

And I'm delighted to say that Abeno Too just off Leicester Square seemed like the real deal to me. From the yelled 'Irasshaimase!' on entry, through the ceremony of arrival / mixing / pouring / shaping / cooking / flipping / decorating - to the best bit of enjoying every mouthful. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!