I visited around 6:30 pm on Saturday evening and luckily got a table. It was almost full. We ordered the mentaiko mochi monja as the main dish and a few other items. We had fun cooking by ourselves, and the ingredients and portion were more careful than other restaurants. The toppings were plentiful, and we enjoyed the experience. Truly a great restaurant, as expected of a famous establishment.

Located about 8 minutes south of Kokura Station, there is a restaurant called Nanjamonja no Ki, specializing in monjayaki. As the name suggests, they serve delicious monjayaki cooked on a hot plate with a flavorful broth and ingredients that create a nice char. It's the perfect snack to enjoy with some drinks. Even though I don't have much experience with monjayaki, it was fun and tasty! It might become addictive, haha. Visited in March 2023. I went to Nanjamonja no Ki with Monja Master KALA in Kokura. Of course, we had to go to a monjayaki restaurant, right? So, we ordered some sweet potato shochu and left the rest to the chef. They also offer okonomiyaki and other dishes, but I was already too tipsy to think straight. - Spicy Mabo Monja 1,098 yen Toppings: tofu 109 yen, green onion 150 yen - Pork Kimchi Yakisoba 918 yen Toppings: natto 150 yen The Monja Master KALA skillfully cooked the monjayaki. I have no idea how to make it myself. The rich mabo flavor and the charred goodness from the hot plate made it perfect to enjoy with some drinks. It's delicious, but it feels more like a snack than a full meal. Since my experience with monjayaki is limited, I'm not sure if it's really good or not. But one thing's for sure, it goes well with alcohol! The yakisoba with natto topping was also great! I might try making it at home sometime. I'm thinking of trying monjayaki in Tokyo next time. Thanks for the meal!

Monja-yaki is something you cook yourself, so the restaurant's rating doesn't really matter. I've never had monja in Tokyo, so I don't know how to cook it myself. This time, a regular at the restaurant cooked it for me, and it was definitely tastier than when I cooked it myself. They also had Nagoya-style tebasaki (chicken wings), which seemed a bit overcooked, but I didn't mind since it's that kind of place (laughs). The part-time female staff was very good at customer service, so it was an enjoyable drinking session. The shochu and highballs were a bit weak, but it was nice that they served black label draft beer. I don't usually drink Super Dry or Premium Malts, but among the major beer brands, I like Ebisu after all.

◉Genre: Okonomiyaki, Monjayaki, Teishoku ◉Area: Uomachi, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu City ◉Access: Less than 5 minutes on foot from Kitakyushu Monorail Tanka Station ◉Parking: Not available (Coin parking nearby) ◉Credit card payment: Not available ◉Number of visits: 2nd time ◉Number of reviews: 1st time On this day, I casually visited the main store of "Nanja Monja no Ki". ◇Exterior and Interior This okonomiyaki restaurant is located in Uomachi, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu City, near the Tanka Market in Gintengai. While there are various okonomiyaki restaurants in Kitakyushu City, Nanja Monja is one of the few. The name of the restaurant is accompanied by the phrase "Tokyo downtown taste", so it may be following the lineage of Monjayaki from Tsukishima, Tokyo. The interior of the restaurant is orthodox, with background music playing. The interior is non-smoking, but there is an ashtray outside. ◇Seating There are about 10 tables for 4 people each. ◇Menu Structure The menu mainly consists of okonomiyaki and monjayaki, with teppanyaki dishes as well. There are both traditional and creative okonomiyaki and monjayaki options, as well as course menus. The orders we placed were as follows: - Spicy Mentaiko Monja (690 yen) I prefer monjayaki over okonomiyaki. I even make it at home. I find it easy to make, endlessly customizable, and it goes well with alcohol. However, when dining out, I tend to eat okonomiyaki that I wouldn't make myself at home. On this day, I was drawn to monjayaki and ordered the standard Mentaiko Monja. The default version already includes noodles. Cheese and large leaves are served separately for garnishing. The cooking method is displayed along with the menu, so it's easy to follow. Personally, I have been taught how to make monjayaki in Tsukishima and elsewhere, so I finished it off with a bit of confidence (although I'm not very good at it). The taste was delicious in a simple, down-to-earth way. I topped it off with sesame seeds, seaweed, and plenty of shichimi spice towards the end. It goes perfectly with a sour drink! *The photo shows the large serving option (+150 yen) ◆Strong Points While the okonomiyaki is good, I would recommend trying the monjayaki. ◆Customer Service Average. ◆Conclusion It's been a while since my last visit, and I just found out that this is the main store. I always thought the one near Kokura Station was the main store. Despite mostly using the one near Kokura Station, the taste remains consistent across the affiliated stores. Especially for daytime drinking with monjayaki, it's truly appreciated. Thank you for the meal! ^ ^

I visited the restaurant alone at a late lunchtime. There were no other customers. I was seated at a table with a teppan grill for four people. The cheerful elderly male owner and two women were running the restaurant. I ordered the "negi monja" (712 yen). The teppan grill was oiled. The solid ingredients (cabbage, tempura crumbs, Chinese noodles, green onions, etc.) from the bowl were dropped onto the teppan grill, stirred with a spatula while heating, then arranged in a ring shape to create a "dote" (mound). The remaining liquid in the bowl (a loose mixture of batter and dashi broth) was poured inside the ring of the "dote." After heating for a while, the "dote" was broken down, mixed inside and out, and spread into a thin circular shape. Cheese and green onions from a separate plate were sprinkled on top to finish. I started eating with a small spatula. The Chinese noodles were included as a standard option, which was unusual. They were thin and soft, making them easy to eat with the spatula. The volume was good. The cabbage started crunchy and became soft with increased sweetness towards the end. The abundant green onions were delightful. I enjoyed the light and crispy texture, the thickness, and the fragrant aroma of the green onions. The slightly melted batter provided a moderate thickness. The slightly burnt bottom was fragrant. The dashi broth was flavorful and delicious on its own. I also tried adding sauce, sesame, and chili pepper to change the flavor, which was also good. While eating with the spatula was nice, using a small spatula for okonomiyaki meals was surprisingly comfortable and very convenient. Using the spatula to remove the burnt bottom, flipping it up, folding it like a book, then cutting it into bite-sized pieces and scooping it into my mouth was a neat and easy way to eat. Rolling the gooey inside with the outer burnt part made it look like a sliced ring, and it tasted even better this way. It felt more delicious than tearing it apart with the spatula.

I went there for the first time. The interior of the restaurant was a nostalgic space that felt like a time slip back to the Showa era. The menu mainly consists of monjayaki. They also serve okonomiyaki and lunch sets. This time, I ordered kimchi monja and pork monja. I thought they would be delicious eaten separately, but I decided to mix them together (laughs). It was extremely delicious. Thank you for the meal.

It's been a while since I peeled off the wrapper! I thought I was going to have withdrawal symptoms lol.

Even if I have gout, it's okay because I love Sapporo Black Label. Today, I will peel off the Monja and pour in the beer! Pure bliss.

In a traditional way... Mentaiko cheese monjayaki (extra large) with additional cheese and mochi, of course delicious!!

It is, right?

After a long time, let's peel it off!

Today is hot, so raw dishes taste delicious!

The food was amazing!

It's magnificent when made by two people!

A skilled chef using a spatula like a ninja assassin.

Today is a date ❤️

Sapporo Black Label is incredibly delicious!