Recipe: A make-at-home version of DOZO’s Osaka-style cabbage pancake.

by Asha Ellison | photographs by Justin Driscoll

Geat food doesn’t have to be predictable. Boundaries are meant to be pushed, flavors are meant to be fused, and it’s OK to sometimes break from tradition. In fact, in the heart of Charlotte, that kind of thinking is celebrated. And it’s why chefs Perry Saito and John Gamble are building a partnership at the intersection of Japanese and American cultures to bring something new to the city’s dining scene.

“We want to stand out,” says Saito, a fourth-generation restaurateur and chef who learned his craft from his family growing up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. “Japanese culture is massive, and no one else is doing what we’re doing in the city. People know sushi and ramen, but do they know DOZO?”

DOZO, a small 12-seat restaurant in Wesley Heights that opened this fall, is the second brainchild and joint business endeavor of Saito and Gamble. In 2021, the partners launched Katsu Kart Sando Shop, a food truck serving comfort-food sandwiches on Japanese milk bread. It’s also a way for the two Carolina chefs to introduce Charlotte to the best of Japanese cuisine — like okonomiyaki, or a savory Japanese cabbage pancake.

Similar to the partners’ friendship, okonomiyaki is approachable and dependable. In Japan, the dish takes different forms with a variety of toppings and regional styles. The ingredients — often items one already has on hand — are intended to play off each other — as Saito and Gamble do in business, based on their experiences and education.

Gamble, a Charlotte native whose desire to become a chef grew after winning a state high-school cooking championship, is passionate about customer service. “It’s a casual experience, but it’s still important that everyone has a really good time,” he says. “We’re not exactly a traditional Japanese restaurant — we get to come up with different things and play off our strengths,” adds the East Mecklenburg alum who graduated from Culinary Institute of America with a degree in Japanese food and culture. “But it’s still [Perry’s] culture, so I defer to him on a lot of things.”

So, what else makes the okonomiyaki at DOZO stand out?

“Ours is the style popular in Osaka,” says Saito. “We serve it with braised sliced pork belly and local North Carolina shrimp, with a base of chopped cabbage, green onion and minced beni shoga, a type of Japanese pickled ginger brined in umezu, a vinegar made from fermented plums.”

Together, Gamble and Saito have created a space where tradition meets innovation. DOZO offers a unique dining experience, where guests can savor delicious food and witness the chemistry between the two chefs. Their shared vision and complementary skills have made DOZO a must-visit destination for food lovers in Charlotte.

Chefs Perry Saito and John Gamble

DŌZO Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki

Yields 2-3 pancakes

In Japanese, the term okonomi translates to “how you like it,” and this culinary canvas encourages customization, something Saito and Gamble believe makes the dish ideal for every palate. While the chefs make their own stocks and sauces at DŌZO, for this recipe they suggest alternative ingredients found at most Asian grocery stores to make it friendlier for the home cook. “But if it’s still intimidating,” Gamble adds, “please, come to DŌZO. We’d be happy to make it for you.”

Asian market shopping list:

HonDashi bonito soup stock powder
Otafuku okonomiyaki sauce
Kewpie Japanese mayo
Furikake rice seasoning (we use the Nori Goma version)
Beni Shoga (red pickled ginger) 

INGREDIENTS

For the batter:

1 cup flour 
3 tablespoons cornstarch 
1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup dashi (use Hondashi bonito soup stock powder)
4 eggs 
1 tablespoon soy sauce 
1 teaspoon sesame oil 

For the pancakes:

1 1/2 cups chopped green cabbage (1/4-inch slices)
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 tablespoon minced pickled beni shoga (or other pickled ginger)
3 strips sliced pork belly cut about 2-3 inches long (we braise ours for several hours before slicing thin for the pancake; thick-cut bacon can be used instead)
4 large peeled, deveined and butterflied shrimp
2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil

DIRECTIONS

Making the batter:

1. In a medium bowl, sift dry ingredients together.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and mix in the rest of the wet ingredients.
3. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until lumps are mostly mixed in; do not overmix to ensure fluffier pancakes. 
4. Pour batter into a separate container and store in the refrigerator. Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes or up to two days. 

Cooking the pancakes:

1. In a medium bowl, mix vegetables with batter until thoroughly combined and vegetables are evenly distributed. 
2. Heat an 8-inch nonstick or cast iron skillet with a good amount of oil over medium heat.
3. Pour about 1/3 of the mix into the hot pan and place strips of pork belly in diagonal lines around the top of the pancake. Fill in the empty spaces with butterflied shrimp.
4. Cook over medium heat about 3 to 4 minutes until edges begin to brown and the pancake slides around easily in the pan. 
5. After about 4 minutes, once all edges are browned, using a spatula as a guide, carefully and quickly flip the pancake making sure all the proteins stay in place.
6. Once flipped, press the edges down with a spatula so the cabbage and batter fill in the cracks and hold together. Continue cooking at medium heat until all batter has set. 
7. Use a toothpick or a cake tester to check for doneness.

To finish:

1. Brush on okonomiyaki sauce.
2. Cut into 6-8 pizza-like slices.
3. Drizzle on Japanese Kewpie mayo.
4. Garnish with more sliced green onion and Japanese furikake DŌZO! Enjoy!

Chef’s Note: Feel free to switch up the toppings and vegetable ingredients, okonomi!  SP

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