It is not everyday you hear about a place that sells Japanese street food here in Nepal. It is rather difficult to stand out especially with new restaurants opening up all over the country with creative ideas and extraordinary ambience, and when the compe

A good mark of a restaurant for me has always been the manner I am welcomed and the food that keeps me coming back for more and more. And Takoyaki Solo on Freak Street is definitely that place for me. The ambience might have been a little small on space (given it is a place for street food) but their hearts that welcome you is as big as it gets. Yohei Aoki, who is familiar with Nepal and its cuisines, decided to bring back his love for Japanese street food here in Nepal and share that with the hops of bringing these two cultures together in the language that we all share: food. 

Popular in Japanese streets, especially in Osaka, Okonomiyaki is sold by almost every street vendor.  It is not your basic pancake. It is filled with wholesome ingredients that keep blessing your taste buds with more flavors as you enjoy it. Topped with dried seaweed, dried bonito flakes and the tasty okonomiyaki sauce on the outside, this pancake at first feels heavenly because of its crunchiness. As you dive more into it, the  mixture of flavors -- including eggs, flour, cabbage, green onions and my personal favorite tenkasu aka tempura scraps flour -- burst in your mouth, taking you immediately into food coma. The softness of the inside batter is beautifully balanced by the crispy tenkasu; in this case you can consider it as the cherry inside the cake. What a great food to set a first impression! 

My second dish, Takoyaki Solo after which the place itself is named after and which is the owner’s personal favorite is golden fried balls that are appealing to both your eyes and your taste buds. Just make sure you don’t get too greedy and eat them immediately because they sure are piping hot. Fried in special cast-iron pans, they are incredibly crispy on the outside and they are served topped with special Japanese mayonnaise and savory brown sauce. The flavors inside are orgasmically delightful. The soft and gooey batter fill your mouth. I must add this dish is incredibly addictive.

Last but not the least, Omusoba has to be my new personal pick for comfort food given my favorite spaghetti noodles were already fried and wrapped with fried omelet. The Japanese mayonnaise sauce and takoyaki sauce added more depth to its flavors, making me want to eat more and more. The whole dish feels light yet a lot of flavors along with the crunchiness of tenkasu remain dangling in the mouth long after you have finished the dish. 

I almost forgot to mention about Maki Sushi, which is not exactly a street food. The owner was able to convince me to try it given it was my first experience eating Sushi, I must say that it definitely didn’t disappoint. Filled with Japanese rice, vinegar and lots of fresh vegetables and salmon flakes, this sushi has seriously made me want to try more sushi in the future. 

All in all, this place has stolen my heart. From their warm welcome to their warm and lovely food, have made me feel like a Japanese local in no time (wink). The only downside to this place is not knowing when to stop eating. As I begin to understand their new menu, which will soon incorporate lots of other Japanese street foods, from fried foods to sweet dishes like mochi ice-cream, it wouldn’t be a long time before you start seeing me here everyday.  Just make sure that you too pay a visit to Takoyaki Solo if you really want to feel like you are eating the most delicious foods in Japan but can’t afford the plane ticket there (like me).