Monja

There are some edible textures that are, well, an acquired taste.  I used to not really believe this, until I moved to the land of slimy foods.  Okra, and nagaimo, and so many other slimy foods are popular here.  I do not care for slimy textures.  I learned this a very long time ago.  But every once in a while, I just need to double check.  After all, sometimes opinions change.

When my husband suggested we could eat monja for dinner, I agreed.  It is a slimy food, in it's own way.  My husband describes it as "edible puke."  Frankly, it is what it looks like.  Monja is made with finely chopped vegetables, specifically cabbage but it can also contain other vegetables as well.  There is a batter and a number of "mix-ins" that can change the flavor.  You eat it when it is cooked, but still feels uncooked because it never fully thickens into any particular shape or form.  It is almost like eating a thick sauce on Chinese food without the chunks of meat or vegetables.

The restaurant we chose is located in the Tsukishima district, where monja was first invented.  Why someone had the idea to throw thin batter on a grill with some vegetables and people thought it was a good idea to buy it and eat it, I'll never understand.  But they did and there we were eating it, too.

We ordered and they brought the raw ingredients to the table.  First they tossed the meat and vegetables on the hot griddle to start cooking.  Once the meat was browned, the cook/waiter moved everything into a circle and filled the center with the thin batter.  It sizzled for a bit and then they began to mix everything together.  As it continued to cook, the batter got thicker and thicker. 

Once they reported it was fully cooked, I would beg to differ, but went with their directions; we dug in with our tiny little spatulas that are the official monja eating utensil.  We would scoop it up and blow on it profusely (since it is coming directly off the hot griddle into our mouths) before eating it. 

For me, it tasted like yakisoba without the noodles, or okonomiyaki without any texture.  I tried it and tried to eat my share.  Unfortunately, I found that I still just don't care for it.  It isn't horribly slimy.  Monja is just not my cup of tea.  But since there was a long line outside the restaurant, I know that lots of people love it. 

Since in our family, we at least try the local foods (like the tempura we ate in Asakusa) - that is what I did.  My husband and son were much bigger fans than me.  It was interesting to eat monja where it was first created.  Now that it is checked off, I don't have to do it again.