After two trips to Japan, I have grown even more enamored of the cuisine — if that’s even possible.

Not just of the fancy kaiseki meals prepared with overarching reverence. Nor just the basic, mind-boggling cheap convenience store foods that have no business being as fresh and delicious as they are. But also of the simple, soulful homey dishes that are as far from flashy as you can get.

“Buckwheat Okonomiyaki with Eggs and Bacon” is one such dish.

This savory pancake is from “Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style” (Alfred A. Knopf, 2024) of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Sonoko Sakai, a Los Angeles-based cooking teacher and food writer with quite the career arc. Born in New York, she started working as a film buyer and independent movie producer. In 2009, though, she made a 180-degree turn, journeying to Tokyo to study soba noodle making. When she returned to the United States, she became a culinary instructor and food writer specializing in Japanese cooking — and never looked back.

As Sakai explains in her book, “wa” and “fu” mean “Japanese” and “style.” Or in other words, any dish that combines Japanese ingredients, seasonings, techniques, or sensibilities, along with influences from around the world, to create harmony. Having lived around the United States, as well as in Japan and Mexico, she’s made this way of cooking all her own, injecting a big dose of fresh vitality into the traditional.

It shows in tantalizing recipes such as “Mochi Waffles with Black Sesame Butter,” “Caesar Salad with Aonori Croutons and Bonito Flakes,” “Pasta with Miso Bolognese Sauce,” “Shrimp and Tomato Curry with Mixed Grains,” and “Miso Carrot Cake with Streusel Topping.”

Okonomiyaki originated before World War II, Sakai writes, as a thin, Western-style pancake seasoned with Worcestershire sauce that became popular because it was so inexpensive. When flour shortages ensued during the war, cabbage was added to the pancake to give greater heft.

Today, it remains a popular dish enjoyed anytime of day or night. Goodness knows, I scarfed up my share of them when I was in Japan.

While okonomyiyaki is typically made with wheat flour, Sakai’s version combines all-purpose flour with buckwheat flour to add a trace of nuttiness. Whisk egg and dashi into the flour, then add in shredded cabbage and sliced red bell pepper strips.

Sakai states that she measures out 1/2 cup of this batter per pancake and that the recipe makes 4 pancakes. Given the large amount of veggie-filled batter in my bowl, there was no way it was going to make only 4 pancakes of that size. So, I ended up allotting 1 cup of batter per pancake, which indeed gave me 4 pancakes. That change in included in the recipe below.

Heat a nonstick skillet with a little oil, then pour in 1 cup of the batter. When the bottom starts to brown, lay strips of bacon over the top of the pancake. Here, I had to make another recipe tweak. It stated that 4 strips of bacon were needed. Yet in the cookbook photos, there appear to be three strips of bacon per pancake. So, were 12 strips of bacon actually needed then? Or should the 4 strips be cut into several pieces? It wasn’t clear, as the recipe never specified. I ended up cutting each bacon strip in half horizontally, then portioning two of these pieces per pancake.

Once the bottom of the pancake is browned, flip the pancake so the bacon-side is now on the bottom. Allow to cook until the bacon is crisp and cooked through. Remove pancake to a plate, and repeat with remaining batter and bacon. If you happen to have two non-stick skillets, you could easily cook two pancakes at once, too.

To serve, fry an egg, sunnyside-up or over easy, and place on top of the pancake. Squirt on some Kewpie mayo, drizzle on tonkatsu sauce, and shower with bonito flakes, crumbled nori, and sliced scallions.

Okonomiyaki is best when right out of the pan when it’s still hot and crisp all over.

It’s a cozy dish to tuck into, loaded with umami taste, and rich in all the right ways from the oozy egg yolk and thick, creamy mayo.

Each bite is a little different. And every morsel will make you feel as if a caring Japanese grandma is looking over you.

Buckwheat Okonomiyaki with Eggs and Bacon

(Makes 4 pancakes)

For the okonomiyaki:

3/4 cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (30 grams) buckwheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 egg

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) dashi or water

10 ounces (280 grams) finely shredded green cabbage

1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4-inch strips

2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil

4 strips raw bacon, each cut in half horizontally

For the toppings:

4 eggs, fried

2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise, such as Kewpie, or homemade

2 tablespoons store-bought tonkatsu sauce or to taste

1/2 cup (4 grams) bonito flakes (omit for vegetarian option)

1/2 cup (4 grams) crumbled dried nori or aonori (dried and powdered) seaweed

4 scallions, greens and whites, sliced thinly

To make the okonomiyaki, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and dashi or water. Add the flour mixture and mix until just blended. The batter should be quite thin. Add the cabbage and red peppers to the batter and mix well.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 9- to 10-inch nonstick skillet or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pour 1 cup of the batter into the pan to make a 6-inch pancake. Cook until the bottom is just beginning to brown, about 1 minute.

Place two strips of bacon on top of the pancake and allow the bottom to continue to cook and firm up until golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Once the bottom is golden brown, flip the pancake over, bacon side down. Turn the heat to low and cook until the second side of the pancake is browned, the bacon is thoroughly cooked, and the cabbage and peppers are tender — about 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat until the batter is used up.

To serve, top each pancake with a fried egg and drizzle with mayonnaise and tonkatsu sauce. Sprinkle with the bonito flakes, crumbled nori or aonori, and scallions. Eat while piping hot.

Adapted from “Wafu Cooking” by Sonoko Sakai

More Fun Japanese-Style Recipes to Try: Miso Brown Butter and Crispy Sage Pasta

And: Shells with Miso Butter and Scallions

And: Romaine Hearts with Miso-Mustard Dressing

And: Green Beans with Miso and Almonds

And: Miso Butter Onions

And: Miso-Maple-Jammed Sweet Potatoes

And: Roasted Sweet Potato with Bourbon-Miso Butter

And: Charred Carrot Soup with Miso

And: Waffled Miso-Sesame Tofu with Waffled Sticky Rice