Yaki-The-Emon

The bright red lanterns hanging outside Yaki-The-Emon mark a corner of Düsseldorf that feels entirely transplanted from Japan. This shop specializes in takoyaki, the octopus-filled batter balls that originated in Osaka. When the owner opened this stall, he insisted on importing the traditional copper griddles used by street vendors back home. You can watch the staff rhythmically rotate the batter with small metal picks, turning the spheres until the outside crisps up while the center stays molten and soft.