You Say Oyaki (おやき), I Say Knish (קניש)

Nostalgic New York eats and yummy Nagano treats.

Jan 25, 2025

brown donuts on gray tray — Photo by Vicky Ng on Unsplash

New York City is a city of immigrants. And because it is such, there is no need to venture beyond its five boroughs - Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx - to sample the world’s cuisine. Everything from jollof rice, pierogis and pamonha, to doubles, kimbap and shakshouka can be had by any who seek to find it. The cultures and tenacity of generations of folk from around the world including immigrants, asylum seekers and migrants imbue every aspect of life in the Big Apple 🍎. It’s one of the many things that makes New York one of the greatest cities on earth. (And it bears repeating, “No matter who is president, everyone living in the U.S. has certain basic rights under the U.S. Constitution.”)

But there are some things that simply cannot be replicated. Take for example, the bagel. As we know it today, the bagel was brought to New York by Jewish immigrants in the late 1800s. And while you can get a decent bagel in California, Tokyo (and even Montreal), it should go without saying, that you can only get a real New York bagel in New York. (I’m sorry people but mass-produced bagels like the ones from Pepperidge Farm are a travesty and do not count.) And while it’s fun to argue about exactly where the best bagel in New York is - R.I.P. 🥀 H & R Bialy, Bagels and Deli in New Rochelle, NY - fact of the matter is, most bagels outside of New York are little more than bagel-shaped bread.

(If you can, take a moment to enjoy “Hot Bagels,” a 1970s short from the Brooklyn Public Library Film Collection - if for the Noo Yawk accents alone! )

Suffice to say, since moving to Tokyo, I miss a good bagel. I also miss a good Black and White cookie. But lately I’ve been pining for a knish (the “k” is always pronounced, never silent). A humble dish, a knish is comfort-food in the form of a palm-sized dough wrapped around a filling, usually, but not always seasoned potato, and then baked or fried.

…fact of the matter is, most bagels outside of New York are little more than bagel-shaped bread.

I think most visitors to New York are familiar with the kind you used to be able to get from hot dog cart vendors. They’re square, fried, and stuffed with a potato and onion filling and served with mustard. In the US, you can still get them from Gabila's, the same New York family-owned business that’s been making them for over a century. And while Gibila’s are good, I prefer Yonah Schimmel knishes. When I was a kid, my mom sometimes packed them in my lunchbox. (Yes, I had an eclectic childhood.) YS knishes are round, baked instead of fried, and run by the same family in New York for over a century. Stuffed with seasoned potatoes, they also come in flavors like mushroom, spinach and kasha. I honestly cannot remember the last time I ate one, but a knish is one of my favorite NY foods.

But I live in Tokyo which is by no stretch of the imagination a city of immigrants, but it absolutely is an undisputed food capital of the world, and home to more Michelin-starred restaurants than anywhere else. Now to be clear, I have yet to come across a knish in Japan but what I have come to enjoy are oyaki - and I am convinced that the knish and oyaki are almost, not quite - but almost - one and the same.

Oyaki is a simple comfort food, with origins in the mountainous Nagano region. Traditionally prepared in a charcoal hearth called an irori, oyaki are palm-sized dough wrapped around a variety of fillings including pumpkin, eggplant, and mushroom - and sometimes, like the knish, seasoned potato. These days the method of preparation vary but they can be baked, steamed or fried - sometimes all three. Like the knish, oyaki is usually vegetarian. They’re inexpensive, fairly easy to find at local grocery stores or online, relatively easy to make, and tasty. When I miss a potato knish, a potato-filled oyaki hits the spot.

Both oyaki and knish, stand on their own as simple and flavorful comfort foods. So if ever you’re in New York consider a knish and try oyaki if you ever happen to land in Japan. 🗽🗼

(Take a peek inside an oyaki factory below .)

A FEW THINGS:

I love a good NY slice, but Tokyo may well have the best pizza - Naples-style - outside of Italy. If you come through, in addition to oyaki, and kakigori, do yourself a favor and visit Nakameguro Seirinkan (of Ugly Delicious fame), Savoy, and PST among many others. On the other hand, Domino’s pizza is here too and my 15 yo thinks it’s the best pizza in the world. Do with that what you will. 💁🏾‍♀️ 🍕
I love Bad Bunny. His new album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS? 🔥. Currently number 1 in the United States, debí tirar más fotos translates to “I should have taken more photos.” It’s a blend of musical styles including reggaeton, salsa, hip hop and traditional Puerto Rican folk music and explores concepts of cultural identity, gentrification and Puerto Rico’s status as unincorporated territory of the United States. The accompanying short film of the same name, is thoughtful and unexpected. It’s absolutely worth a watch. If you’d rather not be on the verge of tears, watch Bad Bunny’s interview on Hot Ones and laugh instead. 🌶️ 🍗

Let’s Talk About It:

Have a favorite comfort food? Ever try a knish or oyaki? Ten toes down ready to defend your favorite bagel spot? Lemme know in the comments. 🥯

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