Japanese street food Archives - Pechluck's Food Adventures

When I heard there was takoyaki available in town, I felt the magnet pull immediately.

Buki is part of the new food cart pot on Division and SE 28th called Tidbit… as if Division Street wasn’t already kicking it in high gear with lots of delicious eats along those 10 or so blocks. The food cart just opened maybe a month ago, but it feels like a neighborhood center already. On my visit on a Friday, I saw many people arriving pushing a baby stroller or with some toddlers or with a dog, with several people greeting each other with hugs as they ran into each other. There is lots of seating, live music, and quite a lot of options with the the more than dozen carts situated here.

I resisted temptation when I saw the offerings of the other carts to focus on Buki and their takoyaki as a snack before dinner. So unfortunately I also restrained myself from their dessert offerings. Gee, I’ll just have to go back. I also noticed that Buki has the most ADORABLE DOG. He’s perfect.
Buki food cart in the Tidbit Food Cart Pod on SE 28th and Division, offering some Japanese Street food, most importantly Takoyaki

I haven’t had takoyaki in 2 years, after all! Takoyaki are basically a flour ball made in a special takoyaki pan which is very remiscent of a aebleskiver pan (Aebelskivers are Danish filled round pancakes) in that the pan is full of round wells that the batter is poured in, followed by the filling, and then the rest of the batter to form the ball.
Buki food cart in the Tidbit Food Cart Pod on SE 28th and Division, offering some Japanese Street food, most importantly Takoyaki

A traditional Original Takoyaki is filled with pieces of steamed octopus (Tako), and topped with lots of takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, ao-nori seaweed and bonito flakes.
A traditional Original Takoyaki is filled with pieces of steamed octopus (Tako), and topped with lots of takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, nori seaweed and bonito flakes. From Buki food cart in the Tidbit Food Cart Pod on SE 28th and Division

The food cart Buki does offer alternates such as a Western Blend that has sausage and cheese on the inside with the same toppings as the Original. Or, there is the Bomber, with jalapenos on the inside and nacho cheese sauce and bacon bits on top. To up the spiciness, you might consider the Volcano version that has kimchee inside and a house special mayo sauce on top.

So it seems either way, there will be a lot of toppings. You will notice they serve the little hot balls in a little boat, and there will be a little stick that is used to poke the takoyaki and carry it to your mouth. DO NOT EAT THEM RIGHT AWAY IF THEY ARE FRESH as they will be SUPER HOT. You don’t want to burn your tongue and not be able to taste these!
A traditional Original Takoyaki is filled with pieces of steamed octopus (Tako), and topped with lots of takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, nori seaweed and bonito flakes. From Buki food cart in the Tidbit Food Cart Pod on SE 28th and Division

Each order has a generous 8 pieces, but it is made fresh so may take 10-15 minutes so place your order then wander over to get your beer and perhaps a dish or two from other food carts to make it a “progressive” food cart dinner, with Takoyaki as your appetizer.

In addition, also from their menu Buki also offers bubble tea and Taiyaki, a waffle that is shaped like a fish and which inside is filled with sweet red bean paste (Original) or chocolate or nutella, your choice. So perhaps you might consider Buki for dessert as well.

The Takoyaki are crispy on the outside and meltingly soft and a bit gooey on the inside.
A traditional Original Takoyaki is filled with pieces of steamed octopus (Tako), and topped with lots of takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, nori seaweed and bonito flakes. From Buki food cart in the Tidbit Food Cart Pod on SE 28th and Division

Buki is open for lunch and dinner, with hours Wednesday and Thursday of 12-3 PM and 5-9 PM, and weekend hours of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of 12-3 PM and 5-10 PM. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Buki food cart in the Tidbit Food Cart Pod on SE 28th and Division, offering some Japanese Street food, most importantly Takoyaki

Tokyo Weekend: Visits to Asukasa, Harajuku, Shibuya

The next morning I waded through the crowds cheering on the Tokyo Marathon to go to an area of the city called Asukasa. There, my goal was to see Kaminarimon Gate- bright red colored gate with its 100 kg (220 lb) lantern in the middle- as well as what was past its gate, Sensoji temple. The path to the temple from the gate is Nakamise Dori- a temple market pedestrian walkway lined on both sides with tiny stall after tiny stall, many owned by the same family for generations.

On my way to the main temple, I was drawn in by the bunnies and the cuteness of this one pink stall. They are selling some sort of treat on a stick…skewered sticky round balls rolled in some sort of powder that you had to eat all three at the same time because they were sorta glutinous. When I took my first bite I tried to just eat one ball and it stretched and popped some of the powder into the air onto my coat… and in the air and slight breeze towards other people. Oops. That’s when I noticed how everyone else was eating by putting the whole thing in their mouth. For an additional 100 yen have some warm sweet sake too to wash down the powder.

More treats for sale on Nakamise dori, a pedestrian lane leading to Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. Lots of local snacks and little things to buy. I wanted to try ningyo-yaki (red bean-filled buns moulded into various shapes using iron pans over a fire) but they came in too many pieces for me to buy and then find out I didn’t like it. I did like watching them make it though- there were two stalls that I found showcasing the man pouring in the dough, adding the bean, and then pouring more dough on top and then placing on the small flames- he was super fast!

I did get what you see below, a bean paste filled sesame bun thing I ate… I guess it is called manju?

I’m a bit of a lemming when I’m exploring- there was a long line at one stall when I passed by, and then on the way back there still was a long line… so I got in line too for whatever treat this was. Famous meatball place apparently- and the fried meatball patty thing was very juicy and tasty. It was so juicy it dripped on my scarf a little bit as I was eating it nom nom nom nom nom

After visiting the temple, and then off to the Meiji shrine, I headed to Takeshita Dori, the teenage fashion street of Harajuku. After seeing several girls walking by me with crepes, and then a long line of crepe waiting peeps… yes, I got in line. I decided to go with the one in the first row third over- strawberry strawberry. I found out what it was called because someone else ordered it and the crepe guy called it out, fortunately… their plastic displays and posters had no discernible numbers to order with. I did do a double take on one type of offering though. Uh what, you put a whole cheesecake slice in there and then surround it with whipped cream!?

You would think after this that I would be sick of being in crowds, but I had another stop after a quick nap (and to rest my feet). When it got dark, I headed on the train to Shibuya Crossing, the nicknamed Times Square of Tokyo for both its busy traffic of commuters day and night and multiple bright screens flashing to advertise to them. After walking through the crosswalk in the herds a few times, I then spent 30 minutes wandering lost but admiring the many neon signage everywhere until I found my goal. I went to Coco Curry House for dinner where I got level 4 heat curry with chicken katsu and mushroom. Thanks for your tips baby J!