Mister Ajikko 33

Volume 4 Chapter 7 Even the Judges are Enemies?!


Page 135

Topmost Sign: Sakuragaoka City Public Hall

Left Vertical Sign: Let's make the Sakura Festival A Great Success!

Right Vertical Sign: For a Brighter City!


Okataya Owner: Hoo...you didn't run away, huh?
Okataya Owner: You have guts, boy, I'll give you that.

Youichi: Of course I'm here!
Youichi: I'm here to make you pay for bad-mouthing my restaurant's food!

Youichi: I'm gonna win and make you say "I give up"!
Youichi: This isn't just about the right to have our stall, this is a fight between men!

Okataya Owner: Hohoho!
Okataya Owner: I'm looking forward to it!

Spectacled Judge: Eh...Well then.
Spectacled Judge: Let us begin the okonomiyaki match between Okataya and Hinode Eatery!

Spectacled Judge: Because Okataya is a veteran in the okonomiyaki business, Hinode is the underdog in today's match...
Spectacled Judge: If Hinode Eatery wins, Okataya will give up one of their spaces to them in the Sakura Festival!

Spectacled Judge: The judges are: I, Hasegawa, a committee member...

Spectacled Judge: Matsusaka-san, who is an okonomiyaki expert, and...

Spectacled Judge: Hanaden-san, who is a union leader of tempura restaurants for the past ten years.

Youichi: Wait a minute!
Youichi: I have an objection!


Page 136

Youichi: You're fine, Hasegawa-san, but...
Youichi: the other two, Matsusaka-san and Hanaden-san's restaurants are Okataya's business partners, aren't they?!

Okataya Owner: Bahahaha!
Okataya Owner: It's pointless to resist now!

Okataya Owner: It's true that those two are our business partners...
Okataya Owner: However, they are true blue food critics!

Okataya Owner: I didn't bring judges who don't know the taste of okonomiyaki!
Okataya Owner: No other people fitted the bill!
Okataya Owner: If you think that it's unfair, then it'll count as you losing!

Bald Judge: Yes, yes, I'll be able to tell whether your dishes fail to hit the mark!

Cheekbones Judge: Enough, Okataya-san*...
Cheekbones Judge: I'm certain that the kid won't back down, right?

T/N Note: Japanese people tend to use the name of the shop to address the owner as a sign of politeness, especially if the owner's name is unknown.

Youichi: You cowards!
Youichi: You never wanted to fight me fairly from the beginning!

Youichi: Fine!
Youichi: I kinda expected this!


Page 137

Youichi: I'm show you the big difference in taste that you won't be able to complain about!
Youichi: I'm gonna create the most amazing okonomiyaki that you can't resist!

Spectacled Judge: Okay, start your cooking!
Spectacled Judge: The time limit is twenty minutes!

SFX: slice

SFX: cut

Youichi: Take a look at this, old man!

Youichi: Mum!
Youichi: Leave the okonomiyaki to me! Please cut out a square from the shoji paper!


Page 138

Mum: Ah, that shoji paper...
Mum: You did tell me that it's the deciding factor, but how in the world will you use it?!

Youichi: Well, like this!
Youichi: I'm gonna use it as oil-absorbing paper!

Mum: Oil-absorbing paper?!

Youichi: Yup!
Youichi: If an okonomiyaki was placed directly on a plate, the oil will be linger and it won't be nice!
Youichi: If it's placed on shoji paper, then the paper will absorb the excess oil!

Youichi: It's the same with tempura and tonkatsu!
Youichi: When the oil is absorbed by the paper, the texture will be crisp and the end result will look completely different!

Mum: Ah...
Mum: I see!

Mum: As expected, Youichi!
Mum: TO think this far ahead!


Page 139

Okataya Owner: ...Ha!

SFX: sizzle

Okataya Owner: It's grillin'!
Okataya Owner: Get the yakisoba ready!
Workers: Okay!

SFX: flutter

SFX: sizzle

Youichi: Okay, it's time for the topping!
Youichi: Mum, please get the beef tendon ready!


Page 140

Mum: As expected of Youichi's prepared toppings.
Mum: When the judges get a look at this carefully boiled beef tendon, they'll be surprised.

Mum: Hmm?

Mum: This is...konjac?!
Mum: What on earth is konjac doing here?!

Youichi: Mum, please hurry!
Youichi: The base will burn soon!

Mum: ...But, Youichi!
Mum: You never mentioned anything about konjac!

Mum: How in the world...
Mum: will you use konjac with okonomiyaki?!

Youichi: Hehehe...
Youichi: You'll know soon enough!

SFX: sizzle


Page 141

Spectacled Judge: It's almost time!
Spectacled Judge: Please plate up your okonomiyaki!

Okataya Owner: Okay!
Okataya Owner: I'm done!

Youichi: Here too!
Youichi: Finished!

Spectacled Judge: Wow...
Spectacled Judge: Both of them look tasty!

Spectacled Judge: Okay, let's start with...
Spectacled Judge: Okataya's okonomiyaki!


Page 142

Judge: It's packed with topping...
Judge: It's practically overflowing with it.

Cheekbones Judge: Hmm....
Cheekbones Judge: While frying, it was quite thick, but now it's so thin.

Bald Judge: Moreover, this sauce's aroma...
Bald Judge: sweet, sour and refreshing...I'm drooling already before I even put it in my mouth.

SFX: chew

SFX chew

Bald Judge: Waha!
Bald Judge: THis is delicious!

Bald Judge: The base is crispy and has elasticity...
Bald Judge: It's not floury at all! What a wonderful batter!

Bald Judge: NExt is the topping...

Bald Judge: The pork exuded a lot of meat juices!

Bald Judge: ALso, there's a lot of cabbage which provided a lot of sweetness!

Cheekbones Judge: Truly...
Cheekbones Judge: An amazing combination!


Page 143

SPectacled Judge: Furthermore...
Spectacled Judge: there's the yakisoba!

Spectacled Judge: The idea to make yakisoba a topping for okonomiyaki is brilliant...
Spectacled Judge: it's a match made in heaven!

Cheekbones Judge: There's also this feeling of fullness!
CHeekbones Judge: The feeling of satisfaction that only comes from eating okonomiyaki!

Bald Judge: And then...the last element is the sauce!

Bald Judge: A sweet sauce that's perfect for okonomiyaki...
Bald Judge: Various ingredients and spices must have been used to give it a deep flavor and body...truly an exquisite taste!

Cheekbones Judge: But, this...
Cheekbones Judge: what is this prickling sensation on my tongue?!

Cheekbones Judge: This heat comes from mustard!
Cheekbones Judge: Inside the sweet-tasting sauce, there's the prickling heat that comes out and removes the greasiness and whets the appetite!


Page 144

Spectacled Judge: Delicious...
Spectacled Judge: It truly is a taste passed down from masters!

CHeekbones Judge: Base, Topping and sauce, I have one word for all of them: Excellent!
Bald Judge: Amazing, Okataya-san! Your results can't be any better!

Okataya Owner: I'm really grateful!
Okataya Owner: Wahahaha!

Cheekbones Judge: Now then, this is...
CHeekbones Judge: Hinode Eatery's okonomiyaki...

CHeekbones Judge: WHat?!


Page 145

CHeekbones Judge: What is this?!
Bald Judge: What's with the amount of furikake?!

Spectacled Judge: This is the first time I've seen such an okonomiyaki!

SFX: chew chew

Bald Judge: Delicious!
Bald Judge: The base is really delicious!

Okataya Owner: Wha...

Bald Judge: Also, the batter is extremely thin!
Bald Judge: Amazing elasticity, crispy finish, not floury at all, rather it has a deep flavor!


Page 146

Cheekbones Judge: This is beyond Okataya's!
Cheekbones Judge: This is...

Cheekbones Judge: I see!
Cheekbones Judge: This base doesn't have wheat flour in it...it's 100% yam!

Okataya Owner: WHat...!

Spectacled Judge: And then, this topping!
Spectacled Judge: This is beef! This is sweetened boiled beef tendon!

Spectacled Judge: Moreover, this has been boiled for a long time...
Spectacled Judge: the odor and toughness has disappeared! It has unbelievable tenderness!

Spectacled Judge: What an amazing flavor...
Spectacled Judge: Hmm?!

Spectacled Judge: What is this?

Spectacled Judge: The color and shape resembles beef tendon but...
Spectacled Judge: when I bite into it, the mouthfeel and elasticity are completely different!

SFX: bite

SFX: chew


Page 147

Spectacled Judge: This is...
Spectacled Judge: konjac!

Spectacled Judge: The taste is completely different. The konjac and beef tendon were boiled together...
Spectacled Judge: THe combination of konjac and beef tendon is an unusual one but it works!

Mum: So that's it!

Mum: I see!
Mum: So that's what you aimed for, YOuichi!

Bald Judge: On top of that, inside the topping...
Bald Judge: is mochi!

Bald Judge: This mochi...
Bald Judge: This is what's providing the okonomiyaki's required volume!

Bald Judge: This volume matches perfectly with the yam base!
Bald Judge: Both the base and topping have top-class flavors!

Okataya Owner: Grr...
Okataya Owner: Grrrr....


Page 148

Okataya Owner: I dunno how you got your base and toppin' to be at my level...
Okataya Owner: I'll concede that you're equal to me in those two!

Okataya Owner: But...
Okataya Owner: That's as far as you'll go!

Okataya Owner: The last part to judge is the sauce!
Okataya Owner: You'll never surpass my homemade sauce!

Okataya Owner: All you know about sauce is that store-bought tonkatsu sauce, ketchup and mayonnaise are mixed together...
Okataya Owner: An improvised, hastily-made sauce can never have the deep flavor and body that mine has!

Okataya Owner: Look! My homemade sauce...
Okataya Owner: uses various veggies, fruits, and fifteen types of spices, and is aged for six months to bring out the perfect flavor!

Okataya Owner: Six months for aging!
Okataya Owner: Without aging, the sauce can never have body and flavor!

Okataya OWner: There's no way you'll win, boy!


Page 149

Cheekbones Judge: This is...
CHeekbones JUdge: This flavor is...!

Spectacled Judge: Delicious!
Others: I agree! It's really amazing!

Okataya Owner: Whaaat?!

Judge: Inside this slightly sweet sauce, there's a subtle flavor that's hidden!
Judge: Salty, sour and savory...these delicate flavors add depth and body to the sauce, making it the best I've ever tasted!

Okataya Owner: It can't be!
Okataya Owner: I don't believe it!

Okataya Owner: How can you say that a sauce that's made from store-bought ingredients have depth of flavor?!
Okataya Owner: Is something wrong with your tongues?!


Page 150

Spectacled Judge: Store-bought...? Oh!
Spectacled Judge: This flavor isn't coming from the sauce! If it's not the sauce, then where...

Spectacled Judge: I see!
Spectacled Judge: This flavor...comes from the furikake!

Okataya Owner: Furikake...?!
Okataya Owner: I see! So it's the furikake! Since the flavor won't come from the sauce, he used the furikake to create that flavor!

Cheekbones Judge: Ow!

Cheekbones Judge: It's the same as Okataya's sauce!
Cheekbones Judge: There's a prickling sensation on my tongue...a subtle heat!

Cheekbones Judge: WHere is this heat coming from?!

Bald Judge: It's not coming from the sauce as well!
Bald Judge: If it's not the sauce, then...


Page 151

Bald Judge: This is...
Bald Judge: Inside the topping there are red beads!!

Spectacled Judge: This is...
Spectacled Judge: broken-up mentaiko that's put inside the topping!

Cheekbones Judge: Delicious!
Bald Judge: Marvelous!

Judges: The topping and the base are both tasty...
Judges: The okonomiyaki was delicious till the end!

Spectacled Judge: Well, then...
Spectacled Judge: I will now announce the results!


Page 152

Spectacled Judge: This match's winenr is...

Spectacled Judge: Youichi-kun and his okonomiyaki!
Spectacled Judge: Hinode Eatery has won the right to have their stall in the Sakura Festival!

Youichi: We...

Youichi: We did it!!
Youichi: We won! We won!!

Okataya Owner: No...

Okataya Owner: Why?!
Okataya Owner: Why did you judge against me, Matsusaka-san!


Page 153

Cheekbones Judge: I'm sorry, Okataya-san.
Cheekbones Judge: We've been friends for a long time and I really planned on letting you win, but...

Cheekbones Judge: Both of us...
Bald Judge: We just couldn't lie to our own tongues.

Judges: What surprised me most was...
Judge: the sauce.

Judge: From the popularity of Youichi-kun from Hinode Eatery...
Judge: it's a given that he had plans for the base and topping.

Judge: But the sauce...the fermented sauce...
Judge: we thought there was no way that he could beat your sauce.

Judge: However, he used furikake to add subtle flavors. FUrthermore, the mentaiko provided a fresh, delicate spiciness.
Judge: It was the same as the sauce that you've prepared all this time...wait, no, it surpassed your sauce!

Judge: A kid without the experience or training produced a sauce like that with effort alone!
Judge: Plus, the presentation of the dish on the paper showed thoughtfulness. With all of these combined, it moved our hearts!


Page 154

Okataya Owner: Ufu...
Okataya Owner: Hahahahaha...

Okataya Owner: Once again...
Okataya Owner: I'm surprised at today's youth.

Okataya Owner: Well...
Okataya Owner: Many interesting things happen in a long life, right?!

Okataya Owner: Next is a match to see who sells the most!
Okataya Owner: How bout it?! I won't lose so easily this time!

Text in box: It's opening time!