Okamoto Kitchen - Japanese Comfort Food on Wheels
Not your typical Japanese food truck,
some common Japanese comfort food
with some lesser known dishes added in.
Chef Chizuru (Okamoto) and Gerald Abraham
have created this Japanese mobile menu.
I met the folks of Okamoto Kitchen at the September
626 Night Market at Santa Anita Park.
Since I was busy working, I only had time
to try their Green Tea Parfait, which was really good.
On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Okamoto Kitchen
was kind to invite me to a tasting of their menu.
Shidosha in front of the Okamoto Kitchen truck
and ready to serve their tasting menu.
See What Jay Eats...
Let the tasting begin!
Cheese Mochi Sticks*
(serving sizes 6 or 12 pcs)
Cheese infused mochi
Interesting spin on an Asian classic,
mochi (sweet rice) with Parmesan cheese.
Spicy Tofu Rice Cake
Crumbled tofu mixed with their spicy house mayo
and cucumbers served over a crispy fried rice cake
For those who don't like spicy, it didn't have
a lot of heat. Nice texture with the cucumbers
and the crispy rice, which wasn't greasy at all.
Classic and B.C.C. Croquettes*
(3 croquettes in an order)
The 'Classic' Croquette (Left) is a deep-fried
mashed potato mix with onions and
battered with panko breadcrumbs.
Served with Tonkatsu sauce.
The 'B.C.C.' Croquette (Right) is the
same panko mashed potato mix with chopped
bacon, cheddar cheese, and chives.
Served with a mayo dipping sauce.
The 'Classic' was a very good croquette,
something that when it's good, it's very good.
This was a very good one.
The 'B.C.C.' was like a twice-baked potato
and I enjoyed this one very much. Not sure
if it's because it's different than the classic.
Decision: Toss up
Japanese Fried Chicken (J.F.C.)*
Okamoto style (Left) and classic style (Right).
Okamoto style is served with a special glaze,
sesame seeds, and green onions.
The classic style is with lemon and mayo.
We got to sample each version. The Okamoto
style was good, tossed in their special glaze.
But I'm a traditionalist and liked their
classic style better.
Their signature Japanese-style beef curry
served over rice with shredded Gouda cheese.
For those who know me, I'm not a curry fan.
I'm usually the wrong person to be commenting
on curry, but this one was different.
It was a balanced curry, not too beefy
or too sweet, it was just right.
You can also order it with a deep-fried
chicken or pork cutlet for an additional charge.
Deep-fried chicken with a sweet-and-sour teriyaki glaze
with shredded cabbage, tartar sauce, and jalapeño
on a brioche bun.
One of my favorites of the day.
a slow-cooked Japanese-style pork belly
with Ichimi mayo, shredded cabbage, green onions,
ginger, sesame seeds, and special glaze served
on a fried rice bun.
With the pork, green onions, red ginger,
and sesame seeds, it reminded
me of a bowl of tonkotsu ramen.
with a deep-fried chicken (or pork) cutlet
with the Okamoto curry, shredded cabbage,
pickled onions, and Gouda cheese on a brioche bun.
If you like katsu and curry, then you'll
like this sandwich with Okamoto's
signature curry.
Jellied coffee, custard, and caramel sauce
layered in a cup topped with whipped cream.
This dessert was the perfect end
to a great tasting. The dessert itself
isn't too sweet and complimented their menu.
around Los Angeles.
Most menu items were recognizable to me, not sure if
it's because I've been to Japan or have worked in
few Japanese kitchens. It's the type of dishes that
my Japanese co-workers would make for staff
meals at the restaurants.
It you like Japanese comfort food,
be on the lookout for the Okamoto Kitchen truck.
* - These are tasting portions.
Please refer to the menu for actual serving size.
Check their website for locations,
menu, and contact information.
Thank You!
Chizuru and Gerald Abraham
Kristie Hang
Shidosha
Okamoto Kitchen
NOTE: I was a guest of Okamoto Kitchen.
I thank them for the invitation and hospitality.
All opinions and comments are strictly my own.
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