Otafuku

Have you ever had Takoyaki or Taiyaki? If you are interested in Japanese culture, I am sure you already know what these two popular street snacks are. For those of you who are not familiar with Japanese food, Takoyaki is a soft ball-shaped 'doughy' pancake filled with octopus, and Taiyaki is fish-shaped pancake that is filled with with red bean paste.

Otafuku is a small store in the East Village that only has four food items on their menu. They have four combos that mix and match the items. (You can check it out here.) My friend and I ordered combo A, as shown in the picture, but we decided to try the banana with hazelnut spread filling for the Taiyaki.

I have been to Otafuku about four times, and each time I always get Takoyaki, since it is difficult to find in NYC. Each time I have gotten it, I am never disappointed. The amount of Bonito flakes and Takoyaki sauce (some gravy like drizzle with mayo) are plentiful. The melt in your mouth texture when you first bite into it makes you regret that you didn't savor it more, and before you know it, it's gone! The Taiyaki was good, nothing really stood out about it. To compare, it is similar to a soft fluffy pancake with a liquidy nutella spread and hot, soft banana slices.

My only dissatisfaction would be the size of the octopus. I would prefer it to be bigger or to have more pieces, but it can't be helped with octopus being expensive. Also, you might feel dissatisfied with the price, but keep in mind that this is not something you can find anywhere and in delicious quality!

Advice:

Don't shove the whole Takoyaki in your mouth!! It'll burn and you won't be able to taste anything afterwards. Also, be careful when biting into the Taiyaki; it'll also burn your tongue if you're not careful.