Otafuku, Okonomi Sauce, 1.8L
The thick, sweet and savoury sauce that defines Hiroshima okonomiyaki, in a 1.8L catering bottle.
Otafuku Okonomi Sauce is the sauce brushed over okonomiyaki, Japan's savoury griddle pancake, and the usual finish for takoyaki and other teppan dishes. It is thick, glossy and fruity-sweet, with a savoury depth that holds up to rich batter, pork and mayonnaise. This 1.8L handled bottle, 2.1kg net, is built for kitchens plating it every day.
Why Chefs Choose This
- Clings to the plate: thick enough to sit on a hot pancake without running off.
- The reference flavour: Otafuku is the sauce most closely tied to Hiroshima okonomiyaki.
- Sweet and savoury in balance: fruit sweetness and savoury depth that suit fried and griddled food.
- Catering format: a 1.8L handled bottle means fewer changes during service.
How to Use
- Okonomiyaki: brush over the top, add a zigzag of mayonnaise, then aonori and bonito flakes.
- Takoyaki: spoon over each ball before the mayonnaise and toppings.
- Yakisoba and teppanyaki: a glaze for griddled noodles, meat and vegetables.
- Beyond Japanese food: a dip for chips and fried chicken, or a glaze for burgers and sausages.
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) means grilled as you like it: a pancake of batter and cabbage with whatever fillings you choose. Hiroshima's version, layered rather than mixed, grew up in the hungry years after the war, and Otafuku's story is tied to it. The company traces its roots to 1922, when Sasaki Shōten opened as a sake and soy sauce shop in Hiroshima, and it created its okonomiyaki sauce in 1952 after trial and error with local okonomiyaki restaurants. Otafuku (お多福) is the round-faced, smiling woman on the label, a traditional Japanese figure of good fortune.
Learn more: Japanese Sauces
What does okonomi sauce taste like?
Sweet first, with a fruity, rounded richness, then a savoury depth and a gentle tang underneath. It is thicker and sweeter than tonkatsu sauce, with less vinegar sharpness, and smooth and glossy in texture. On a hot okonomiyaki it warms and loosens slightly, mixing with the mayonnaise and the smoky bonito flakes into the flavour most people link with Japanese street food. On its own it is rich, so a thin brush goes a long way.
Pairs with: Kewpie Mayonnaise, Otafuku Yakisoba Sauce and Bull-Dog Tonkatsu Sauce.
Product Details
| Type | Okonomi sōsu お好みソース (okonomiyaki sauce) |
| Brand | Otafuku (オタフク), roots in Hiroshima since 1922 |
| Origin | Japan |
| Net Weight and Format | 1.8L handled plastic bottle, 2.1kg net |
| Best Used As | Okonomiyaki, takoyaki, yakisoba and teppan glazes |
What is the difference between okonomi sauce and tonkatsu sauce?
Both are thick Japanese fruit and vegetable brown sauces, but they are balanced for different jobs. Okonomi sauce is sweeter, rounder and slightly thicker, made to sit on a pancake alongside mayonnaise. Tonkatsu sauce is tangier and spicier, made to cut through a breaded, deep-fried cutlet. You can swap them in a pinch, but the dish will taste noticeably sweeter or sharper than intended.
Can I use okonomi sauce on takoyaki?
Yes, it is the usual choice. Spoon or brush it over the hot takoyaki, add thin lines of Kewpie mayonnaise, then scatter aonori and bonito flakes, which curl and move in the heat. Some stalls use a dedicated takoyaki sauce, which is very similar, but okonomi sauce gives the flavour most people expect and saves stocking two bottles.
How should I store it after opening?
Before opening, keep the bottle in a cool, dark place. Once opened, close the cap tightly, refrigerate, and use within the period on the label. For service, decant into squeeze bottles and keep the main bottle chilled and sealed. Wipe the neck after pouring so sauce does not dry around the cap.
SKU : X0015