Akimune Osaka Takoyaki

Located inside the Ala Moana mall. In a food court style area on the second floor. it was the first time I had ever been to an all asian food court, there was so many things I wanted to try! But I finally settled on the takoyaki. i had seen a similar food stand on one of Bourdain’s travel shows where he was eating all this fantastic street food in Japan. The dude is my hero.
His best episodes are the ones where he does a bender and drinks all night while sampling all these fried and bad-​for-​you dishes like fried pork chitterlings or mystery meat sausages dipped in goat lard with peanuts, etc… Anyway I digress.
I was watching the two guys making the little balls of wheat (?) ball batter and carefully placing a small octopus tentacle into each fried little ball. At the same time they are using little metal chopsticks to turn each of ball as it slowly simmers in each of its little pockets on a gas grill. I was mesmerized! When they were all done cooking a batch, the two guys loudly annouced they were done in Japanese and banged a gong. For $ 10 I got 10. There was a special where half had a special topping of my choice. I chose the mayo and green onion, I almost got the kimchi topping but chose the mayo because it was the fattiest but tastiest! Then on top of it all, the cook but like these big fluffy flakes of fish/​bonito? It look yummy.
And so like my hero Bourdain I made sure I drank lots of beer to go with it. Close by and across the aisle Kirin beer was only $ 8 a pitcher (it was happy hour) Score! The little balls were very tasty but very heavy. I think because I was full of beer I could only eat 3. Easily four stars!

Free Oolong Tea with Purchased, sound great to me… but eh~ not really, its just tea from refrigerator into a small cup, and Look inside before you drink it, you might see oil flowing, I didn’t look before I took my sip, and I tasted food inside the tea so I was like what da heo! I looked and felt so grossss…(and oh, I didn’t eat ANYTHING before that, so that oil is not from me 100% honest)
$ 9.75 for a combo of shrimp garlic with 6 shrimps, the favor of the shrimps isn’t bad at all, but the rice is too dry, wayyyy too dry that it stuck into the bowl, the salad is good, the soup tasted like a bag of salt dropped in there, and no it’s not me because I like salty food, but this i can’t handle, so please try it for yourself. The best thing I had is the cream buff… yes 2 stars for the 2 cream buffs

Takoyaki so fun in my mouth! This is a Japanese street food that should be made quick to order, and they sure do at Shirokiya. I love all the options that you can make to please your taste bud, if you don’t like octopus you can have a shrimp base one instead. The flavors of takoyaki include original, mayo, Kim chee, and others ones that I’ve forgotten. They are not stingy on the dry bonito! So yummy! I’m already missing it! I regret not ordering the 10 piece. Warning: it is real hot and will burst in your mouth! Either wait or blow on it! The experience is not the same of you don’t put the whole takoyaki in your mouth!
Bonus: it’s fun to watch them make the takoyaki in their specialty cast iron pan!

Takoyaki are savory little doughy dumplings made with pieces of octopus inside. They’re topped with tons of sauce, lovely Japanese mayo, and dried fish flakes that wiggle from the heat of the fresh-​from-​the-​cooktop takoyaki.
In my photo you can see how they begin, with the batter poured on the cooktop at the bottom of the photo. After being solidified and pushed together into individual portions over the little wells, they’re flipped over using the special tool and become a complete ball of goodness as seen in the top of the photo.
Piping hot balls of goodness doused/​swimming in sauces, topped with goodies, inside a paper vessel, inside a plastic clamshell.
It’s no joke how hot they are, one must wait at least 10 minutes before indulging. That gives you plenty of time to take photos and watch the magic of squirming fish flakes! I’ve enjoyed a ritual of sneaking takoyaki more in the past year than ever, most times alone during an impromptu trip to the mall!
***This is just part of my blog post on takoyaki, see the full thing here:

Umm no. undercooked & stingy is a way to describe it. I swear that there is 1 piece of chopped tako in each of the 8 takoyaki we ordered and I am not exaggerating. My absolute pet peeve is when food establishments compromise quality over quantity and this place is no different. I understand when it gets busy and customers are waiting, that it would be the easiest to just churn out dozens and dozens to sell. HOWEVER, in the long run… it just doesn’t work.
Takoyaki for me? No thanks, not anytime again soon.

the best takoyaki i have had in the states
decently priced at $ 4 for 5 pieces

Taiyaki is a Japanese waffle-​like dessert in the shape of a fish, but don’t worry, it’s a cute fish. Yummy, too! It’s usually stuffed with azuki, but Akimune An have a few special flavors that I’ve not seen at other places!
Of all the flavors, my favorites are:
— Anko: This one is filled with azuki and is the more traditional taiyaki. It’s delicious! I’m telling you, you can’t not try it!
— Sweet Potato: Right after I had one, I wanted another. The sign says that it’s a special flavor that they only have for two weeks, but somehow I get the feeling it’s been longer than two weeks…
Other flavors:
— Custard: I love custard, but this was only ok.
— Oreo: I think this is a monthly special. I didn’t care for it. The oreos were too sweet so it overpowered the taste of the batter. Rather than bits of oreo, they put whole oreos inside so you taste the oreo in every bite, but it meant the taiyaki wasn’t soft on the inside like how it should be.
— Taiyaki Dog: Yes, they turned the taiyaki into a hot dog! I really wanna try this one, but the lady said they didn’t have it the last time I was there.
— Okonomi Taiyaki: This one was also not available the last time, but would like to eventually try it.
They usually have some pre-​made, but you need not worry about them being cold! Amazingly, they were still pretty warm the first time I purchased taiyaki from them. On my second visit, she fired up the irons and I got fresh taiyaki. Yay! Although it was nice and hot, I also couldn’t handle it for some time.
Tip #1: Every second Monday is Taiyaki Day. From 10 am to 4 pm, you can purchase two taiyaki for just $ 1! Each customer is limited to two, though.
Tip #2: They can’t stop you from standing in the line over and over again! *grins mischievously*
Update: Seems like they only sell the Anko and Custard Taiyaki on Taiyaki days.

Want to live to be 100?
If you blink you may pass Akimune An and never notice it. Probably the smallest food counter at Shirokiya’s Yataimura Food court.
Specialty: Baked Sweet Potato and baked Fish Shaped Pastry Desserts. I know I’ve seen another dessert there too but I think it was a mochi rice type dessert item. Located in the middle of the dining room right across from the Yataimura beer sales window.
Limited Menu: I have always loved the cream filled baked pastry. Those are nice. I like the red bean (Adzuki bean) version also. Sweet potatoes? Yes, they have them! That’s about it as far as I can tell. No other selections.
Vegetarian: Do you know why the Okinawans live to be 100? Adzuki Beans and Sweet Potatoes are the secret! This stuff is good for you. I bought some sweet potato recently to go with some other items that I bought elsewhere at the food court. It filled me up and made for a nutritious meal. I suggest that you get something else with a dipping sauce of some sort. Plain sweet potatoes need a little something to help them out. You know what I mean?

I have not found better authentic Takoyaki anywhere else except in Japan. I can’t believe I never knew about this place until last week. Thankfully my friend brought me by here and I was simply taken back. From the moment you enter Shirokiya you get a sense of feeling like you are actually in Japan. Guarantee you if you truly like Japanese food you can’t find any other place with good prices and authentic Japanese style food. As other people have posted this places Takoyaki is beyond addicting and a must try for everyone!

I had been craving these Takoyakis without ever having one and this is one craving that was never really satisfied.
I bought a five piece kimchee takoyaki. Refer to my posted picture for pricing on the different flavors that they offer.
I love tako, but the whole idea of the tako being prepared as a «meatball» looking item caught my eye, especially with the kitchen behind a glass wall, and seeing how it is being cooked and prepared.
As I went to the counter and asked for a five piece, he asked if I wanted everything on it so I said «yes». He topped it with kimchee, some other topping and some other sauces and I went on my way.
It looked really good and I couldnt wait to eat it. But when I finally bit into it, the flavor of the tako was there, but the texture bothered me a little. Im not sure if thats how it was supposed to be or not because I have never had it. But it was runny, like an undercooked egg.
So, is it supposed to be like that? Or is it supposed to be cooked all the way through like a fritter?
Anyway, I may try it again if I ever get that craving again but right now, it fell below my expectations.

HOT BALLS! Get your HOT BALLS HERE! Wife and I came here for the first time on our first trip to Hawaii in 2007. Since then she’s been dreaming about those succulent balls in her sleep. Finally returned to Hawaii last week and I stuffed her with them HOT BALLS!

My friend and I got hungry, so we went to Shirokiya. My friend recommended this place after her first taste of it. I always wanted to try takoyaki… and finally, this was it. OMG! Takoyaki was not what I expected. But it was sooo good. I thought it would be like a cake taste. It was rather a mochi feeling with small pieces of tako mixed inside. I tried the regular flavor and my friend tried the negi… ponzu sauce one? It was good! I want to try the kimchi, cheese or soup takoyaki next time.

I salivate thinking about TAKOYAKI balls here… in fact upon arrival into Honolulu the next time I’m in town. I am making a beeline straight to this place.
What’s Takoyaki?
It’s a scrumptious ball-​shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-​based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion. Takoyaki are brushed with takoyaki sauce, a sauce similar to Worcestershire sauce, and mayonnaise. The takoyaki is then sprinkled with green laver (aonori) and shavings of dried bonito (katsuobushi).
Here at this location, they are generous with the aonari and bonito. They are made fresh on the spot and served piping hot… I always burn my mouth inhaling these delicious gems!

they have an anniversary special going on from november 2 – 4 and 9 – 11 only.
buy 8 pc. takoyaki and receive special coupon for 5 pcs free !
we tried some and it was a little too soft inside for me, but not bad as a snack. regular 8 pc. (6.30 $)

You know you’re a takoyaki lover when you burn the sh*t out of your mouth during your first bite and continue to torture yourself until you finish eating.
.That’s what I am; a takoyaki lover. A bit sadistic, yes, but its so worth it.
Based upon experience (and food lovers– correct me if I’m wrong, please!), Shirokiya is the best place to get freshly made takoyaki. If you’ve never purchased this from Shirokiya before, here’s a quick cliff note lesson:
1. Wait for the drum to signify that a fresh batch is ready. (If you’re already in line and find yourself standing in front of the drum, be aware! I’m usually caught off guard and embarrassingly Unilocal out a little scream when this occurs)
2. Stand in the takoyaki line to order. (Some people are greedy and tend to order multiple orders of 10… don’t be surprised if you’re in line and they run out)
3. Choose what you want, between the type of takoyaki (ie: ebi or regular), how many you want and your toppings. A normal order comes with regular takoyaki sauce, mayo, furikake and oooh… bonito flakes.
4. …And of course, PAY in the Shirokiya cashier line.
An order of 8 pieces ($ 5.95) and an ume musubi ($ 1.65) usually fills me up, but you can order as little as 5 pieces (for about $ 4) or up to 10 (for about $ 7.50). There’s no discount if you get a slightly bigger order to share… believe me, I’ve calculated it out. :) …I’m Chinese, remember?

They made them fresh and made to order. Akimune’s takoyaki are grilled on the outside and soft and steamy in the inside. It’s filled with yummy ingredients and big piece of tako. These are one of the best takoyaki I ever had! I went and got them two days in a row. I love the generous amount of mayo, sauce and bonito flakes they put on there too, it adds so much flavor.

Went back to eat takoyaki at Shirokiya upstairs (sometimes referred to as heaven). They had a new item? I love takoyaki and I love hot dogs… but I was not crazy about the takoyaki dog?(see pic)
I will just stick to my new found love… a gogi dog from Gogi Korean Taco Truck…

This place is on the 2^nd floor of the Shirokiya where most of the food vendors are.
They have a couple varieties of takoyaki and okonomiyaki. I would not make this your first takoyaki experience as it is the Osaka-​style doughy/​soft type that is a bit of an acquired taste. That said, it wasn’t bad. Hot and steamy, cooked through, lots of ao nori and katsuo.
I still prefer the Tokyo-​style takoyaki, but the 10-​piece was a good snack for me and the GF. If I’m hungry at the mall for lunch, I’m still partial to Beard Papa’s, but if I need a quick snack and happen to be my Shirokiya, I’d get this again.
Oh and I’m not sure if the ohagi that’s displayed in front of the counter is made by these guys, but it is DELISH!!! They have a few types of mochi with anko-​beans in it… so good! Pick one of those up.

They have Takoyaki (octopus balls)&Okonomiyaki (flat cake of unsweetened batter fried with various ingredients).
Octopaus balls are not very soft but this shop’s octopus balls are very soft.
looks like harf-​raw but not. it’s only Akimune’s style.
many peolpes doesn’t know about Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki in America.
please try it, you will love it :)
Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki are place of origin in Osaka Japan.