Okonomiyaki Monjayaki

In Japan, there are two types of Okonomiyaki: Kansai-style and Hiroshima-style. Kansai-style Okonomiyaki is made by cooking batter (flour plus broth made of dried bonito flakes and seaweed) mixed with eggs, yams, cabbage, etc. It is topped with Okonomiyaki sauce, dried bonito flakes, and mayonnaise when served. Okonomiyaki with pork is called Buta-tama and one that comes with octopus is called Tako-tama. Likewise, at many of the Okonomiyaki restaurants, the name of each differs depending on what you select as the ingredients. In Osaka, Okonomiyaki is quite frequently served with rice or rice balls.
When making Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki, cabbage and other toppings are not mixed together with the batter. Rather, the batter is spread on the grill like a thin crepe and the ingredients such as cabbage are put on top of it. After all the toppings are in place, the entire Okonomiyaki is flipped over and steamed. After steaming it for a reasonable amount of time, it is put on top of noodles. Hiroshima-style is characteristic of layering the Okonomiyaki on top of Udon or Yakisoba noodles. Then, an egg is spread on the grill and fried into a thin layer which is used to place the Okonomiyaki on top of it. It is flipped over again and is served after adding sauce and sprinkling green laver. In Hiroshima, the Okonomiyaki sauce is slightly sweeter than the Kansai type.
The typical type of cuisine in Tokyo using the grill is Monjayaki. Originally, Monjayaki was created in the old-fashioned downtown area of Tokyo where many wooden houses stand next to each other. It used to be sold at candy stores because it was considered a children's snack. It came with almost no ingredient. Today, Monjayaki has turned into a food that comes with many types of ingredients such as Mentaiko (marinated roe of pollock), rice cakes, and cabbage and is also popular among adults. Tsukishima in Tokyo is an area famous for Monjayaki.
When making Monjayaki, the ingredients are first fried on the grill. When cooked, they are used to make a doughnut-shaped wall where the batter is poured into the hole. When the batter is cooked, it is mixed with the ingredients and fried again. When the overall texture of it turns thick, a small metal spatula is used to eat it, one bite at a time. The side that has been sitting on the grill is crispy and has a roasted flavor while the inside has a thick texture. Along with Tsukishima's Monjayaki, Isesaki Monja of Isesaki City in Gunma Prefecture has recently become popular as well.