Issen Yoshoku

Okonomiyaki , the pancake-like dish cooked on a teppan grill, originated in Osaka but is ubiquitous throughout Japan. Yet few diners realize that this staple evolved from a simpler dish. Issen yōshoku , made of a loose batter with chopped green onion, strips of meat, and a Worcestershire sauce dressing, has gone all but extinct since World War II, eclipsed by the popularity of okonomiyaki, to be missed only by a few. Issen means “one sen coin,” in reference to an obsolete currency, while yōshoku