Interview with Takumi Omori, owner of Okonomiyaki TAKU
The efficient owner was attentive to us even during the interview.
We spoke with the owner, Takumi Omori.
What inspired you to open the restaurant?
Omori (honorific omitted)
I ran a restaurant in Hiroshima, but I had to return to Kurashiki.
When I came back to Kurashiki and wondered what to do, I thought about opening a curry shop because I like curry.
But someone told me curry is something you eat at home (laughs).
So I thought about what else I could do.
My wife is from Hiroshima, and I had eaten okonomiyaki in various places in Hiroshima. I also got to train at an acquaintance's restaurant, and thought I might try making okonomiyaki.
After that, I went to learn from a sauce maker and studied okonomiyaki again.
But this isn't Hiroshima, so I thought it would be better not to do it than to make mediocre okonomiyaki.
That's why I have the noodles shipped from Hiroshima, too.
People tell me I'll go bankrupt doing that, but I want to use only truly delicious ingredients.
I also wanted to put my favorite curry on the menu.
An Indian person once told me our curry was delicious.
I've been doing this for 22 years.
What are your popular menu items?
Omori
Since opening, our two mainstays have been okonomiyaki and curry. Both sell well.
Horumon udon is especially popular with young people.
At first, I couldn't get good offal. The Sanuki udon was good, and the sauce was delicious, too.
But because the offal wasn't good, it wasn't popular.
Now I get the best offal, so it's really delicious. It sells pretty well now.
My wife suggested this and that, and after more than 20 years in business, we came up with yakisoba curry.
People trying yakisoba curry for the first time eat it while asking, “Is it curry? Is it yakisoba?” (laughs).
They try it and say it's delicious, so I put it on the menu, figuring people who like it will order it.
What makes your restaurant special?
Omori
We have a sign saying “Hiroshima-style,” so I don't want people to wonder what on earth this is.
We use a custom-made griddle that is 2 centimeters thick, and the griddle alone weighs one ton.
We heat the griddle to around 230 degrees, but it never bends.
A thin griddle bends if food sticks and burns, and the oil and flour mix together, making it hard to eat.
You can't make Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki without this griddle.
Can you tell us the story behind the kumiki displayed in the restaurant?
Omori
I'm thinking of making and selling the kumiki displayed in the restaurant, too.
I started making them because Saburo Oguro, a famous kumiki designer, was one of our customers and used to come in for curry.
I also had him send me an old machine that Mr. Oguro used to use.
The ones I make are original, and all have cat faces.
I've liked calico cats since I was a child, too.
I add magnets or bells and make all kinds of kumiki.
What are your hopes for the future?
Omori
I've really had the chance to meet all kinds of people here.
During the inbound tourism boom, lots of foreign tourists came, and I served them in English.
This menu made a lot of people happy.
It was tough when business was slow because of COVID-19, but I think things will get busier from now on.
I'm gradually shortening our hours because of my physical stamina, but I want to keep going so that people who make the effort to come here don't find us closed.
From the Writer
This restaurant is filled with the owner's desire to serve delicious food and make lots of people happy.
It's also heartwarming to see the close-knit couple running the place by sharing ideas.
Be sure to try the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, whose flavor has stayed the same for 22 years, here in Kurashiki.
Okonomiyaki TAKU Information
| Name | Okonomiyaki TAKU |
|---|---|
| Address | Rose Garden, 1253-1 Funakura-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-434-2003 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | Weekdays and Saturdays: 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m. (last order at 8:30 p.m.) Sundays and holidays: 11:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m. (last order at 7:30 p.m.) |
| Closed | Monday Open on holidays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted |
| Seats | 19 |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Website | Okonomiyaki, Curry, and B-Class Gourmet in Kurashiki | Visit TAKU for Okonomiyaki |
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