Just to be clear, whatever you might be thinking, "fuku fuku" (ふくふく) is a Japanese onomatopoeic expression meaning something like "soft and plump," or "well fed," and is pronounced FOOH-COOH FOOH-COOH. You can use kanji (Chinese characters) to write it like this: 福福.
Fuku also has the meaning of "good fortune" and is the first kanji in the name of the famous Japanese department store, Fukuya 福屋, which literally means shop (or department store) or good fortune. So there you go.
The other day, I happened to be wandering homeward down a sidestreet that I do not often traverse when I came upon a newly-opened okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) restaurant called... Fuku Fuku (ふくふく), so I told the Mrs about it and we decided to try it out last Saturday evening.
Fuku Fuku is a good name for an okonomiyaki restaurant because okonomiyaki is a savory and filling Japanese pancake made with cabbage, batter, and whatever other ingredients you want, topped with sauce, and grilled on a hot plate. It is the ultimate Hiroshima "comfort food" that should indeed appear "plump" when served.
The best way to eat okonomiyaki is straight off the hot-plate, but that is not always possible, depending on the layout and furnishings of the restaurant. At old-style restaurants, each table has its own built in hot-plate and the finished okonomiyaki is served onto it so it stays nice and hot throughout the meal. At Fuku Fuku, however, the tables are not so equipped, and the finished okonomiyaki is transferred to an iron pan that it placed on a wooden plate and served to the table.
When we got there we were greeted by a cheerful and suitably "fuku fuku" lady and shown to a small side table.
My order: 1 medium glass of beer to be served "immediately", one okonomiyaki with soba noodles, pork, shrimp and cheese.
Mrs H's order: one okonomiyaki with udon noodles, pork, squid and kimchi.
Verdict: Not too bad!
After wolfing down the okonomiyaki, I was tempted by the "Pote-tama-be-cheezu" (ポテ玉ベー~チーズ) side dish, which turned out to be the star of the show: Small whole potatoes grilled with onion, chunks of bacon, and cheese and served on tin foil.
In short, we had a good time at Fuku Fuku, enjoyed our grub, and will certainly go back again some day soon.
Cheers!
DH
#InspiredFocus 🍺
