Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2013

Following on the heels of the NYC-born ramen burger, the latest example of the boomerang food phenomenon is the okonomiyaki burger. A stone’s throw from the University of London, Yaki revolutionized the Japanese treat by baking it rather than preparing it on a grill. This may seem like a minor adjustment, but it makes the savory pancake more suitable for takeaway on a uni student budget. This time the Osaka food has made the return trip back to Tokyo with a new Yaki location off Cat Street in Harajuku (3-20-6 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku; www.yaki.co.jp/jp). The “burgers” are made with two small cakes enclosing fillings such as chicken teriyaki (¥400), bacon mushroom (¥400) or yakisoba (¥350). In keeping with its mission of providing Japanese food for skint students, a soft drink can be added to orders for just ¥100. Diners with deeper pockets will want to order a cocktail or imported beer from Soran, a Japanese bartender who has worked in London and lends the joint more of a pub than shitamachi feel.