Best tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet) in Tokyo
玉子焼き (卵焼き, or tamagoyaki) is Japanese rolled omelet that use only a couple of ingredients: eggs, oil and small amount of seasoning such as salt, sugar soy sauce and/or broth. It’s really simple to make it: first you beat eggs, and add some seasonings. Next you pour a small amount of eggs into a skillet to make an egg sheet. Then you roll and push it over to the side of the pan. You pour another batch of eggs, and continue the cycle until you get have a desired size of your omelet.
Because it’s so simple, tamagoyaki is home cook. But also because it’s simple, technique to to make it really determines the quality. Depending on the combinations of batter (salty, sweet, rich in broth) and how you cook it, you will have different tamagoyaki with different texture and flavors. The kind of tamagoyaki you eat at sushi restaurants is sweet and thick. “Dashi maki tamago” is rich in dashi flavor. Other home cook tamagoyaki can use no sugar and lighter.
Professionals have their own ways to cook tamagoyaki from how to make batter, temperatures to cook eggs or how to roll them. It’s almost an art of cooking eggs.
Tamagoyaki is usually cut in pieces and served as one of the side dishes. Probably the best way to try good tamagoyaki in Japan is to try traditional Japanese breakfast. (or bento box, because almost all bento boxes will have tamagoyaki. The only problem is that the tamagoyaki in bento boxes will be a really small piece.)
My best tamagoyaki was part of MUJI Hotel Ginza’s breakfast.
It was the kind that did not use sugar. Each layer of egg sheet was perfectly cooked to provide fluffy texture. The ratio of eggs and oil was just right (it wasn’t too greasy but not dry at all). You could add some daikon oroshi (grated daikon radish) and soy sauce as condiments.
