Tsuchibotaru (monja-yaki) / 土蛍 (そんなもんじゃ）

The other day Mikako and I was talking about the last time we went out for monjayaki. A while back, friends of ours invited us out for monjayaki in Tsukishima - the place is famous for it, even Brad Pitt has been to one. There must be more than 40 monjayaki restaurants all located in one area. And in one of our recent neighborhood walks, we kept passing by this monjayaki restaurant so we finally went and checked it out. Okay, I see I've used the word monjayaki four times already in this paragraph and most of you (if you aren't Japanese) have no idea what I'm talking about. So instead of describing it, I opted to take a video of Mikako in the process of making it. I've also posted a picture of what the menu item looks like before it's cooked. But before the main course, Mikako and I shared a plate of fresh tomatoes. I know what you're all thinking - "Ugh! What the HELL is THAT? It looks like someone's puke!". Don't tell me you didn't think that when you first watched the video ('cause I thought the same thing). But damn, if it isn't delicious. Let me use that old cliche of, "Don't knock it 'til you try it." Mikako and I, along with our friend Hama-chan, ate three different kinds of monjayaki. The one featured in the video is a pork and kimchee. The first one Mikako and I had before calling Hama-chan was filled with mentaiko, omochi, and cheese. We also had one filled with pork and garlic. Mikako and Hama-chan also had one with eggplants and minced meat.

先日私と美香子がにもんじゃ焼また食べに行きたいねという話をしてた。前に友達に誘われて、月島にもんじゃ焼きを食べに行った。月島はもんじゃ焼きで有名な地域。ブラッド・ピットが行った店もある。四十店舗以上もある。そして、うちの近所を散歩してたら、気になるもんじゃ焼きの店を発見、でやっとそこに食べに行った。もんじゃ焼きってなに？説明するのが難しので、美香子がもんじゃ焼きを焼いてる動画をご覧下さい。焼く前の写真も撮りました。でももんじゃ食べる前に、一皿の冷やしトマト。さーて、考えてる事分かるよ。「なんだあれ？人のゲロみたい！」動画を観てそう思ったでしょう？僕も最初はそうだった。でも凄く美味しいですよ。見た目で判断しちゃ駄目です。友達の浜ちゃんも誘って、三種類のもんじゃと焼きそばを食べた。美香子は四種類のもんじゃも食べた、びっくりですね。食べたもんじゃは明太子、チーズ、餅入りもんじゃと豚肉、にんにく入りもんじゃと豚キムチ入りのもんじゃ。美香子と浜ちゃんがあと食べたのはマーボ茄子入りのもんじゃ。

After eating three kinds of monja, we then ordered some yakisoba (stir-friend noodles), which Mikako is once again preparing in the following video. I had only one bite of the eggplant and mince-meat monja as I was getting pretty full. But Mikako and I managed to save room for dessert as well because we saw on the menu that they had green tea ice cream topped with kuromitsu and kinako (molasses and soy powder).

三種類のもんじゃ焼きを食べた後、焼きそばを注文した。また動画で美香子が焼きそばも焼いてる。僕はもう満腹で、マーボ茄子を一口しか食べなかった。でもデザートは別腹。メニューに黒蜜ときなこ乗せの抹茶アイスがあった。食べないと。

Okay, I'm full now.

ごちそうさま！