Japanese breakfasts, just like Japanese lunches and dinners, can be extremely tasty. Granted, miso soup and grilled fish might not be as filling as bacon and eggs, but they make for a palate-pleasingly healthy alternative that will give you energy for the rest of the day without a bloated feeling for the rest of the morning.
But depending on where you live, a Japanese breakfast can be hard to come by, as most overseas Japanese restaurants specialize in heavier fare for lunch and dinner crowds. If you live in New York, though, you’re in luck, as the restaurant Okonomi is giving local diners a chance to make their most important meal of the day a traditional Japanese one.
Founded by chefs Tara Norvell and Yuji Haraguchi, Okonomi serves up a healthy selection of dishes it calls “Mottanai cuisine,” with an emphasis on locally sourced vegetables and seafood.
Okonomi’s commitment to fresh fish can be seen in both the restaurant’s logo, which incorporates the kanji character 魚 (sakana/fish)…
…and also its Instagram account, which contains photos like this.
But while the above photo’s talk of tuna sashimi would have our mouths watering all by itself, what’s really grabbed our attention is all the photos that have been flying about online of Okonomi’s ichiju sansei plate, which has all the elements of a Japanese breakfast.
The grilled fish and miso soup are staples of a traditional Japanese morning meal, and while plain white rice is more common, the brown genmai rice Okonomi uses is actually healthier, plus has an alluring hue.
▼ Breakfast for two
Looking through the photos, we can also spot Japanese-style pickles and boiled spinach.
And for an upscale touch, in some of the pictures there’s even ikura (salmon roe) mixed in with the soft-boiled egg.
On weekends, Okonomi is only open from 10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. During the week, though, you can stop by for breakfast, lunch (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), or dinner (6 p.m. to 11 p.m.). An evening visit would probably be the ideal time to enjoy an imported Japanese craft beer, too.
After all, even in Japan people don’t usually drink at breakfast.
Restaurant information
Okonomi
Address: 150 Ainsile St., Brooklyn NY 11211
Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 6 6 p.m.-11 p.m.
Weekends 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Website
Related: Okonomi Facebook, Instagram
[ Read in Japanese ]