Although the people of Osaka claim to have made okonomiyaki popular among the masses, the people of Hiroshima claim to have made it an art. Okonomiyaki is a kind of Japanese pancake filled with cabbage, meat, and other fillings. Whereas in Osaka the ingredients are mixed together, in Hiroshima each layer is prepared separately, which means the chefs have to be quite skilled at keeping the entire thing together. This is the best place in town to witness these short-order cooks at their trade, although the building doesn't look as though it contains restaurants. Its name means "okonomiyaki village," and that's what it is -- floors of individual stalls, dishing out okonomiyaki (the food still remains a dish for the masses). All offer basically the same menu -- sit down at one of the counters and watch how the chef first spreads pancake mix on a hot griddle; follows it with a layer of cabbage, bean sprouts, and bacon; and then adds an egg on top. If you want, you can have yours with udon (thick wheat noodles) or soba (thin buckwheat noodles). The portions are enormous; this is one of Hiroshima's most beloved establishments. I suggest wandering through and stopping at one that catches your fancy. Or, for a specific recommendation, try Chii-chan (tel. 082/249-8102) on the second floor, offering food from an English-language menu until 1am (closed on Tues); Chii-chan and his female staff sell 200 to 500 okonomiyaki a day.
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