Fugetsu is a popular chain of restaurants from Japan, that specialize in a particular style of dish that is popular in Western Japan, or what is called the Kansai Region (Osaka, Kobe, Nara, Kyoto, etc.) as opposed to the Kanto Region (Tokyo, Yokohama, etc.) These regions have hundreds of years of history, including conflict, when the Emperor and Capital were in Kyoto, and the Shogunate was moved from Osaka under Hideyoshi (Late 1500s, early 1600s) when he died to Edo or Tokyo, under Ieyasu Tokugawa, who's Shogunate lasted for 250 years, closed Japan to all foreigners during that peaceful reign, until the Black Ships of President Franklin Pierce arrived in Tokyo Harbor in the 1850s to try an open up Japan to Western Imperialist ways.
That food or specialty dish, is called Okonomiyaki, originating in Osaka. This dish (along with perhaps Takoyaki, a hot, bite-sized, pastry-like dish with a little octopus inside) is synonymous with Kansai, to the point that many foreigners in Asia, or even natives in Japan, assume you love these dishes. Sort of like Crawdads in New Orleans, Clam Chowder in Boston, and well, Dungeness Crab and Sour Dough Bread in San Francisco.
I had this dish in Osaka Japan, years ago with my good Japanese friend, who was dating a Korean, and took me to the best known place for Okonomiyaki in Osaka, Fugetsu! Yup, the father of Fugestu USA. Supposedly, the chain was Korean owned. Perhaps the roots of this dish are the Japanese version of the flatter, thinner, Korean Pajeon pancake? Back then, we sat down in a Teppan Style (think Benihana for 2 or 4) table, the server came over with the secret pancake/mayonnaise/worcestershire/egg sauce batter like mix, mixed in cabbage, and many other ingredients on top of the hot grill in front of us, and mixed things up in a cloud of steam, piping hot! I liked it on top of Yakisoba Noodles, I guess maybe this is called Modan-Yaki ("Piled High" Grilled) technically. It was fun, delicious and hot! Sort of like Korean BBQ, or a mini Benihana! So I had found memories looking to repeat it here in Silicon Valley!
Alas, you have griddles in front of you on the table, but they are not meant to cook, only to keep warm what the chef grilled in the kitchen for 15 minutes. What a let down. I guess Americans are too dumb, too ready to sue, or maybe there is something about food prep/cook laws, I don't know, but it isn't the same experience. My dining mate (who paid) thought it was nothing special for the prices you paid. The side dishes were decent, we had yellow tail slices and small grilled scallops, plus a freebie with our Yelp check in of an appetizer of Yakko (Hiyayakko, or cold Tofu with green onions, Bonita flakes, soy sauce). Our Okinomiyaki was the Deluxe Seafood, with a mix of Japanese seafood (Roe, Fish, etc.) but it was all atop a warm bed of cabbage. Omoshirokonai desuyo!
There were some Japanese business men eating here, so this is close, but not the real deal to Fugetsu Osaka! I could say Maido Ookini (Kansai dialect for thank you) but dekihen (Kansai dialect for can't do it!) read more