JAPANESE SWEETS BLOG

Best Kyoto Style Shaved Ice with 5 Syrups

2016-08-21T06:34:00.001-07:00

Been gone for almost a year.. again. No excuse, really, other than I just let time pass by without trying to truly be productive.

I'm trying.. well, from now on, I will try to post more because I've got tons of delicious sweets and food in general to share with you.

Today, since it's still summer in Japan, I am going to review a Japanese sweets shop that sells amazing shaved ice called Nijowakasaya Teramachiten (二條若狭屋寺町店). I swear they serve one of the best shaved ice in Kyoto.

The menu I highly recommend is called Sai-un, which is a shaved ice served with seasonal five syrups in a small cup, that you can then pour it onto your shaved ice to your liking. And of course because this is Japan, you also are given three dango to top off your shaved ice, as well as fresh cut-up fruits hidden in the shaved ice. Also, I would like to add that the ice itself was not flavoured(as it is a traditional Japanese shaved ice), unlike the Korean Shaved Ice which generally have milky flavour.

I went to this place last month, and at the time, the syrups I got were: strawberry milk, kiwi, brown sugar milk, lime, and hiyashi ame(sweet ginger drink found mainly in Kansai). All of them were very delicious. My favourites were the brown sugar milk and kiwi. I wouldn't mix all five flavours together, though.. Let me tell you.. it was rather unpleasant. :P

The Sai-un set was 1,512 yen (around US$15), which was a bit pricy when compared to other shaved ice I've eaten, however, you do get a small welcoming sweet before your order arrives, so it's not too bad. PLUS, the toilet there was awesome.. LOL

The shop is quite close to Nijodori, and the manga museum. I walked from Hankyu Kawaramachi Station, and it took around 15 minutes. The closest subway station is the Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station.

Anyone who is planning to visit Kyoto over the summer, or whenever really, that is looking for a cooling dessert, make sure you check this place out.

Address:

Hysteric Jam.. Best Japanese Crepes in Kobe

2015-09-21T18:24:00.002-07:00

Japanese crepe is a must for tourists when visiting Japan. In Tokyo, I think Harajuku is the place for it. Well, today, I will be telling you about the place to get one of the to-die-for Japanese Crepes in Kobe.

So, if you have never tried Japanese crepes before, imagine fluffy pancake-like crepe filled with fresh cream, ice-cream, cakes and fresh fruits.

The shop I’m talking about is called Hysteric Jam. It’s located in the heart of Kobe, around the Motomachi area.

What I love most about this shop is the menu. They offer such a wide range of crepes ranging from savoury to sweet. Ham, tuna, banana chocolate, strawberry, blueberry cheesecake, you name it, they’ve got it!

Also, in front of the shop, there is a huge window showcasing different types of crepes, so even if you don’t speak or read Japanese, you can still order the crepe you want.

The menu I tried is called Crème brûlée crepe. The crepe is filled with fresh cream and custard cream, and burnt caramel on top. I’m telling you, it’s the best Japanese crepe I’ve ever tasted, and I didn’t really like Japanese crepe before eating this one. I mean I’m all for the French crepe filled with banana and nutella, but ‘thinner’ pancake that is called crepe here in Japan, I didn’t get it at all.. well, until I met Hysteric Jam that is. Crème brûlée crepe is creamy, rich, and sweet(but not too sweet if you know what I mean) filled with flavours from the eggs and cream from the custard. The fresh cream helps to tone down the sweetness. If you’ve got a sweet tooth like me, I recommend you to try one from the premium crepes line (flavours include: creme brulee, rum raisin, tiramisu, green tea tiramisu).

The Crème brûlée crepe costs 530 yen (US$4-5). You can also get something cheaper around 500 yen (US$4-ish).

The store only offers take out, but they do provide tables(sadly no chairs) in front of the store.

If you’re planning to go to Nankin-machi (Kobe Chinatown), do give Hysteric Jam a try! You won’t be disappointed.

Shop Information

Name: Hysteric Jam

Business Hour: 12:00~19:00 (opens on Sunday)

Holiday: None (but sometime closes on rainy days)

Style: Take out

Website: http://hysteric-jam.com/ (Japanese only)

Nearest train/bus station: 3 mins walk from JR Motomachi Station,
1 min walk from Subway Kaigan Line Kyukyoryuchidaimaru-Mae Station

Map:

The Kingdom of Sweets - PATISSIER es KOYAMA (パティシエ　エス　コヤマ)

2014-02-21T19:40:00.000-08:00

(credit: Picture from http://www.cake100.net/images/shop/escoyama/1.jpg)

PATISSIER es KOYAMA may be quite unknown to many foreign tourists for the fact that it's not in Kobe itself, but in a city called Sanda in the Hyogo Prefecture (same prefecture as Kobe). However, to the locals and many Japanese people, this patisserie is very famous. What's special about this patisserie, or should I rather say a sweet complex, is the fact that PATISSIER es KOYAMA is not only a patisserie, but also a chocolatier, boulangier, and a confiserie. What makes it more interesting is the fact that all of these various kinds of goodness are housed and sold in different buildings. Okay, that may in fact, sound a bit complicated, so let me show you the map of PATISSIER es KOYAMA.

PATISSIER es KOYAMA has five major brands: es KOYAMA; ROZILLA; hanare; co. & m. es; es Boulangier.

es KOYAMA is where the most famous sweet of Chef Susumu Koyama, the Koyama Roll, is made and sold along with other cake desserts are made.

ROZILLA is where the chocolate creations are sold. Products such as Hard-type Chocolate Baumkuchen, chocolate bonbon and chocolate macaroons are sold there.

hanare is the cafe where customers can sit down to eat cake (served with ice-cream) or lunch. I love the lunch menu there. It's delicious!

co. & m. es is where the macaroons are made and sold. Various flavours such as yuzu and cherry blossom are available (seasonally).

es Boulangier is the bread shop. My favourite bread is the chocolate banana croissant like bread, and the churros. They're very reasonable priced. Another reason to love es KOYAMA even more!

My favourite product from es KOYAMA would have to be the Hard-type Chocolate Baumkuchen.

(credit: picture from es KOYAMA official site & http://entabe.jp/news/article/1295)

As for the cakes at hanare cafe, my favourite cake would have to be the Mille-feuille. (I've tried the Chocolate Fondant cake, Koyama Roll cake, and the mille-feuille so far.) What's so good about this Mille-feuille is the fact that it isn't too sweet. Between the layers of pastry sheets and custard, there is a thin layer of sour strawberry jam. It's a wonderful combination, especially when eaten with the complementary strawberry cheesecake ice-cream. As for the lunch set, I've only tried the Sanda-beef hamburger so far, and let me tell you, so far, so darn good!! All I can say is LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

(What I had at hanare cafe)

If you have children with you, make sure to visit the small hut, called 未来制作所 Miraiseisakujo, next to the hanare cafe. There is a small hole that only children can enter to see the processes of making the cakes. The children are also able to purchase sweets that are only made available to them. However, they are not allowed to tell their parents what exactly that they see (which I think is quite hard for children), in order to make the parents even more curious. My friend said that Chef Koyama's purpose for making the hut only available to children, while parents have to sit and wait next to the vending machine was to help encourage conversation in the car after visiting PATISSIER es KOYAMA (not sure if the information is 100% correct).

(Miraiseisakujo)

So, if you have the chance, please take time to visit PATISSIER es KOYAMA :)

Official site of Es Koyama (Japanese) : http://www.es-koyama.com/index.html

Official site of Es Koyama (English) : http://www.es-koyama.com/global/index.html

How to Get There

From Osaka (45 mins)

From Osaka JR Station, take the train to Shin-Sanda on the Takarazuka Line.

Then in front of the station near the Rotary, take the Number 44 bus towards Yurinokidaikoen Mae (ゆりのき台公園前) and get off at Yurinokidai Yubinkyokumae (ゆりのき台郵便局前).

From Kobe (60 mins)

From Kobe

From Sannomiya JR Station, take the train to Shin-Sanda (normally have to transfer at Amagasaki)

Then in front of the station near the Rotary, take the Number 44 bus towards Yurinokidaikoen Mae (ゆりのき台公園前) and get off at Yurinokidai Yubinkyokumae (ゆりのき台郵便局前).

Ezaki Glico Baiton d'or (luxury version of Pocky)

2013-11-15T18:04:00.000-08:00

A few days late, but Happy Pocky Day... (11/11) Yes, in Japan, there is a Pocky Day. If you're wondering what Pocky Day is... it's similar to Valentine's Day where people give each other Pocky for the sake of romance. And.. No, you don't need to have a boyfriend to receive a Pocky. You can receive one from friends, family, etc. Plus, on the day, Pocky are on sale at the price of 111 yen, and in some drug store, the price lowered to 108 yen in the city I live in.

So, in the honor of the belated Pocky Day, today I will be reviewing about Baton d'or (luxury version of Pocky).

Baton d'or is an extended line of Pocky, but more luxurious through the use of expensive ingredients, produced by... Ezaki Glico. Baton d'or means 'golden stick' in French, which tries to emphasize the meaning behind this brand, how luxurious and sophisticate it is, guess that's why they use French name. This product line was released in the mid of 2012, and have been in quite a high demand.

Currently, there are only two shops in the whole of Japan that sell Baton d'or, and both are in Osaka (Umeda Hankyu and Takashimaya Osaka). Most of the days, all of the Baton d'or are sold out by 2pm as they are quite limited. When I was purchasing these expensive Pocky at Umeda Hankyu, I had to wait in line for nearly two hours.

There are four main flavors: Strawberry, Milk (chocolate), Cafe, and Vanilla (white chocolate).

Seasonal products: Purple sweet potato (October-December 2013), Uji Matcha (January 2014~) and Sakura (March 2014~)

I got to taste five flavors (Uji matcha, straberry, milk, cafe, vanilla), and I have to say, the bread stick part smells heavenly. Obviously, they are made with fine butter. As for the coating part, my favorite will have to be the Uji Matcha, as the favor is very deep and satisfactory. All the other coatings were good as well. Cafe (coffee) has real crushed beans mixed with white chocolate. Strawberry has real strawberries mixed with white chocolate. Milk chocolate has a strong sense of vanilla to it, while white chocolate has a slight smell of almond-ish.

At 481 yen per 20 sticks, it's rather expensive. Even though I think it's a good experience for me, I will stick with my normal Pocky sticks.

Recently, I've started a Facebook page for reviewing Japanese snacks in English and Thai. So if you're interested, please check it out :) https://www.facebook.com/japanesessweets

Konigs-Krone's Kurone (Custard Danish) ケーニヒスクローネのクローネ

2013-11-03T20:11:00.003-08:00

Konigs - Krone is one of the well known Western-style confectionery and cake company, which has its headquarter in Kobe. One of their well known desserts is the Kurone.

My first time tasting the Kurone was back in 2010, my first time in Kansai area. Now, in 2013, after almost 20 times traveling to Kansai in three years, I can definitely say that Kronigs - Krone's Kurone is not to be miss.

Kurone is pretty much a puff pastry in a cylinder shape with a hole in the middle. The shape itself, is rather similar with the Trdelnik in Czech Republic, and Slovakia. However, the middle hole is filled with vanilla custard filling. The Kurone is then topped off with a dust of icing powder.

The texture of the Kurone is rather crunchy (さくさく in Japanese) and not too sweet. Kurone is a great treat as it is served cold, and can be refrigerate for 2-3 days, so you don't have to worry about having to eat it right away. Kurone is a perfect snack for sight seeing, as you can walk around eating while holding one in your hand.

For a piece, Kurone costs 105 yen. Quite reasonable price, don't you think?

There are two flavors, custard and red beans (小豆), but I'm not too sure about this. I normally just order the one with custard fillings. The catch phrase of Kurone is「ケーニヒスクローネのクローネは、パンなのかパイなのか？パイなのかパンなのか？」which can be translate to Konigs-Krone's Kurone is... bread? pie? is it bread or pie? I thought the catch phrase was quite unique and interesting as to me, it's obviously a pie, as there is no.. glutenous pull to it, if you get what I'm trying to say.

Konigs-Krone's Kurone is available in major cities, Osaka, Kobe, Tokyo, Fukuoka, etc.

Here's a picture of the head office/shop in Kobe. The only sad thing is.. It's not available online, so you have to go to one of the shops to purchase one, which is terrible for my case as I live in a rather rural area.

Here's the link to the list of the shops in Japan: http://konigs-krone.co.jp/?page_id=75

For this, I give it 10/10 considering the price and taste.

Kyoto's Baumkuchen 京ばあむ (Kyoubaamu)

2013-08-09T01:12:00.000-07:00

A few months back, I was in Kansai area for a few days, and I got the chance to look for the green tea baumkuchen that I purchased on my first trip to Kyoto two years back. At the time, I did not know that the cake was only sold in Kyoto, but thought that the cake was interesting, and purchased it by chance. It turns out that the cake was incredibly delicious, not too sweet like other baumkuchen I've tasted.

I'm sure that many of you who has been to Kyoto before would have seen this Kyoubaamu before. Back in 2010, I think it was only available in Kyoto, however, when I was in Kansai this year, I brought it from Shin-Kobe Shinkansen station. Kyoubaamu is also available from various sellers on Rakuten. There are three available sizes, half of the 3.5cm roll, 3.5 cm roll, and 5.25 cm roll.

Baumkuchen is a type of cake, which consists of thin layers of cake. Traditionally, Baumkuchen is made on a spit by brushing on even layers of batter and then rotating the spit around a heat source. Baumkuchen is well known around Europe, and is said to originate from a small town in Germany. Now, back to the Kyoubaamu. Kyoubaamu has two distinct sections, green tea section, and soy milk section. Yes, soy milk. I was very surprised after finding out about this certain ingredient. Two years back, I was not able to read Japanese, thus did not have a single clue that this cake was made from soy milk, not from cow's milk. The baumkuchen is also coated with thin coat of sugar syrup.

As for the taste.. I think that this cake is really good to eat alone, or with other beverages. The cake itself, is not too sweet like others that you can only take a few bites. I ate the whole thing in one go, by myself. You can barely, if ever, taste the soy milk. I think that it is worth a try for all of the matcha (green tea) lovers out there.

I think Kyoubaamu is available in major stations around Kansai area, as well as many gift shops in Kyoto. Also, here is the link to the official website: http://www.otabe.jp/shop/c/cbaum/

Yamasaki's Okonomiyaki style Yakisoba bread ヤマサキのお好み焼き風やきそばパン

2013-05-29T07:18:00.002-07:00

I found this bread a couple of days back from the local MaxValu supermarket. I brought this bread because it reminds me of the anime, Yakitate!! Japan. To be honest, I didn't expect much from it. I thought it was going to be yucky, but it's something that you can only taste in Japan, so why not. :P

What caught my attention was definitely the package. It wasn't just a simple Yakisoba bread, but an Okonomiyaki style! Secondly, I spotted the Katsuobushi (鰹節), which I was thought was very intriguing. I mean, how good would a dried fish on top of the bread be? It also saids in the package that the bread can be heated up, which I found that it does enchant the flavors.

The toppings of the Okonomiyaki part is the Katsuobushi, dressings, and seaweed, just like it would be on a typical Okonomiyaki.

The inside part is also a typical Yakisoba, which are wheat flour noodles fried with the sauce. I felt that the noodles were pretty mushy, which can put off some.

However, overall, I thought it was a great combination, and an interesting product. Especially after heating it up in the microwave, I thought they were great. Definitely will repurchase if I ever see one again. Yakisoba bread (焼きそばパン) are pretty common in Japan, but I've never seen Okonomiyaki style Yakisoba bread that's for sure.

I couldn't find the information of this bread on Yamasaki's website, however, I brought this bread for 100 yen.

If you ever see one, give it a try! You won't be disappointed. :)

KitKat Region Pack キットカット味遊記

2013-04-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I've reviewed a product, but... Here we go. :)

I'm sure that most of you who has travelled to Japan would have seen, if not brought, variations of Kit Kat that are available in various regions of Japan. In many places of Japan, there is a regional/city/prefecture flavor for Kit Kat, which is available in most of the souvenir shops. Being the snack addicted that I am, I went a step further, and searched for a box set that would have most of the regional flavors in one. Even though I wasn't sure if 'KitKat box set' existed, but I went ahead to search for it anyway. Luckily, I found that there was indeed a KitKat Japan set, which I'm not too sure about its English name, but in Japanese it is キットカット味遊記. I'm not too sure how to read the kanji, but I think it's something along the line of Miyuki (??) Anyway, for the purpose of this blog, I will just call it, KitKat Region Pack +_+

I think the best thing about this product is its packaging, both on the outside and inside, making it a prefect souvenir to take home. However, be warn that the packaging is pretty big, but of course, it's not heavy.

The picture above is the back side of the box showing all the 15 flavors inside the box, which consists of:

1. Edomame - grounded green soybean with white chocolate from Tohoku region.

2. Black Honey - collaboration with Eitaro Satoshi with white chocolate from Tokyo.

3. Wasabi - collaboration from Tamaru-ya with white chocolate from Shizuoka prefecture and Kanto region.

4. Red Beans Sandwich - classic menu called 'Ogura Toast' with milk chocolate from Tokai and Hokuriku region.

5. Lemon, mandarin, Lime - a classic blend of the three with white chocolate from Shikoku and Chukoku region.

6. Benimo - popular dessert made from purple taro with white chocolate from Okinawa and South Kyushu region.

7. Amao Strawberry - one of the most famous strawberry in Japan 'Amao' with white chocolate from Fukuoka.

8. Uji Matcha - collaboration with Ito Kyuemon teahouse comes Kyoto's Uji Matcha with white chocolate from Kyoto.

9. Hoji Tea - collaboration with Ito Kyuemon teahouse comes Kyoto's Hoji Tea with white chocolate from Kyoto.

10. Cinnamon sable (Hachi tsu bashi) - collaboration with Shogoin, famous for Kyoto's traditional sweets, comes Cinnamon sable flavor with white chocolate from Kyoto.

11. Apple - apple with milk chocolate from Shinshu (now known as Nagano Prefecture).

12. Pepper - collaboration with Yawata-ya comes one flavor pepper with bitter chocolate from Shinshu.

13. Blueberry Cheesecake - blueberry cheesecake flavor with white chocolate from Koushinetsu and Onshinetsu.

14. Strawberry Cheesecake - strawberry cheesecake Yokohama edition with white chocolate from Yokohama and Kanto region.

15. Le Lectier - A kind of pear known as 'Le Lectier' speciality of the region with white chocolate from Niigata Prefecture.

As for the tastes, I actually didn't like most of it, except for the Amao Strawberry, Strawberry Cheesecake, and the Blueberry cheesecake flavor. (I wouldn't buy it again for myself though) Most of their flavors are pretty strange, if not a bit fake AND very sweet. I thought I was going to enjoy the Uji Matcha flavor, but it turned out to be very sweet, and somewhat fake. I definitely prefer Nestle's new Otona Matcha Kitkat to this Uji Matcha one.

However, I do think it's a good souvenir for people who are interested in the different regional flavours Trying all of these flavours was indeed very interesting. >.<

I brought this set from Nestle.co.jp online shop, and it costs 2,500 yen (exclude shipping) back in February. The good news is that in the last month or so, the price decreased to 2,000 yen. However, the bad news is... the KitKat Region Pack is no longer available through Nestle.co.jp online shop, but I do think that it will come back on sale soon, as it's a pretty good souvenir product, especially for international tourists.

Manneken Belgian Waffles

2013-02-01T19:50:00.004-08:00

Finally, final exams are over, and it's holiday time!

In the past three to four months, I've been to kansai twice. Both times, I had to at least visit the Manneken Belgian Waffles shop. Manneken shop can be found all across the country. Surprisingly, there are around eleven Manneken shops in Osaka! The one I always visited was the one in Osaka Station. It's very close to the central entrance of the station, and you could never miss it with the constant long waiting line.

The waffles are freshly made, however, from observation, I think that the doughs are pre-made. These waffles smell heavenly, and I think that's one of the attractions of the Manneken. It's especially good in the winter when you crave for something to keep you warm.

Currently, there are: purple sweet potato (limited edition), plain, chocolate, maple, almond, and sweet potato flavor available. When I was in Osaka in January, there was vanilla custard available as well. I have to say that in my opinion, the plain flavor is the best. According to the description on the website, the plain flavor is the top seller. The waffle itself gives off a wonderful smell of butter, and after it has been cooked, is coated with honey. The waffle costs 147 yen each. Personally, I think it is quite pricy for a piece of waffle, but it's definitely worth it!

Sadly, Manneken isn't available where I live, however, if you are in Osaka, Tokyo Kobe... etc (you know, the bigger cities), it's definitely worth a try!

For more information, please visit: http://www.manneken.co.jp/index.html?f=1

Haagen-Dazs winter limited ice-cream (JAPAN)

2012-12-26T07:27:00.002-08:00

Merry be-lated Christmas everyone.

It has been once in a while since I've post as I've been very busy with classes. And.. Thank to my stupidness, today is the worst day in a long while for me, I went to the nearest convenient store to search for something to brighten my days. Thankfully, I found exactly two cups of Haagen-Dazs to make that happen.

Now, this is Haagen-Dazs new Special Edition's "Opera flavor". This cup of ice-cream is special alright, as it costed me 420 yen. If I haven't been so intrigued with whether it would be quite cake-like, or ice-cream like, I would have never purchased it. The price is outrageous in my opinion.

After peeling off the seal, this is what you get. So far, so good. I love how it is exactly like the picture on the lid, down to the sprinkles of gold. This shiny black layer is made from coffee syrup. It was on a bitter side, which is a good combination for the sweet buttercream ice-cream.

While the bottom part is the chocolate sauce, which wasn't too sweet. I think overall the three layer was a great combination. It really did reminded me of Opera cake. The only thing I can really comment on is my preference for more chocolate sauce on the bottom layer.

My second cup of indulgent was the "mascarpone strawberry" flavor.

I was really happy with this flavor, and think that they should make it a permanent flavor. I could taste a tad of cherry brandy in it. There were lots of strawberry pieces in the ice-cream as well, which was very pleasing. I hate eating ice-cream, which has "strawberry" on the label, yet there is no hint of strawberry in it, only to see it through the pink color.

It's very similar to the brand's original strawberry ice-cream flavor, with a twist, the cherry brandy. Definitely an adult strawberry ice-cream. This was around half the price of the Opera flavor.

Rikuro Ojisan's Baked Cheesecake (+ instruction on how to get to Rikuro Ojisan shop in Osaka Station)

2012-10-25T08:35:00.003-07:00

Since (hopefully) I will be visiting Osaka soon, I thought I would review something from Osaka.

Walking around Osaka Station, it is often that you would see a white paper bag with the name, 'Rikuro Ojisan'/リクローおじさんの店' being carried around, or carried on top of a suitcase. I never really thought about the white bag, or got curious enough to go find the source of the white bags, when I went to Osaka before a friend introduced it to me. But after tasting it, I wish I've gotten curious, and looked for the shop all those years ago. Now, I buy them every time I go back to Osaka. ^_^

Looking at it, it's just a normal fluffy, baked cheesecake, but don't be fool by it. The texture is so smooth, and soft, I seriously felt like I was in heaven after a third bite. The good thing about it is that it is not too sweet, like the others I've tried, so you literary can eat the whole thing without getting sick. (Yes, I've eaten the whole cake at once before.) The best thing about this cake is that it has raisins at the bottom of it, and I think it gives the cake 'a lift' in terms of flavor, as without it, you only would be getting one flavor of the creamy cream cheese cake. Oh yes, and another GREAT thing about this cake is its price. It costs only 588 yen per 18cm diameter of this awesomely delicious cheesecake.

However, the bad news is... It's only available in Osaka and Kobe. So, if you're in the area, or are planning to visit Kansai, definitely give this cake a try.

I would love to say that this is a great sweets to take home (overseas), but sadly, the cake expires fairly quickly (3 days), so it might not be such a good idea.

There are many stores around Osaka, such as Daimaru Umeda, Namba, JR Shin-Osaka Station, and so on. Oh, and there's a store in Sokou Kobe as well.

For further information, please visit Rikuro Ojisan's homepage.

UPDATE: For tourists, I think the best place you can purchase Rikuro Ojisan's cheesecake is at Osaka Station. So..

HERE'S AN INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO GET TO RIKURO OJISAN SHOP IN DAIMARU UMEDA (in OSAKA STATION) - Takes around 4 minutes to get to the shop from Osaka Station's central gate

1. Once you get out of the ticket barrier/gate, access Daimaru Umeda from 2nd floor. (where you got out from the ticket gate)
2. Once you got out of the ticket gate, turn right, and the building should be right in front of you. Then, get onto B1 floor (B1F), and make your way to the West Building. Please note that on B1 floor of Daimaru Department Store, there are two separate buildings (separated by a large walkway). The easiest way is to observe from the shops around you, if the shops sell Western confectionaries and cakes, then you're in the right building, if you're surrounded by sushi, lunch box, then you're in the wrong building. OR ask for the direction from the staffs (any shop is fine).. You can ask them 'Nishi biru wa doko desuka?' (西ビールはどこですか?) It's not the best way to ask the question, but for foreigners, I think this question is manageable. Then, they should give you the hand gesture for directions.

The picture below should help you to gain better understanding of the B1 floor.

(credit: edited from picture on Daimaru's website)

3. Once you're in Daimaru's West Building, find the Rikuro Ojisan's shop, that looks like the picture below. If you enter West Building from East Building, the shop should directly be in front of you.

(credit: picture taken from Rikuro Ojisan website)

The picture above is the map of Daimaru's B1 West building floor, Rikuro Ojisan is the shop in bright red.

ALSO, there is an Information Center on 2nd floor of Osaka Station where you can ask for directions if you're unsure of how to get to the shop.

I know this is not the clearest instruction, but I hope it will help. If you have any further questions, please feel free to comment below.

For those who aren't planning to travel to Japan anytime in the near future, you can try to make these at home. I have not tried to make these myself, but I have read various of blogs that offers the recipe, and by looking at the reviews, it's definitely worth trying. However, currently, I have a small portable oven, which cannot bake cakes that will grow fairly tall, as the top of the cake will turn black before it's done cooking. So, if you dare to try, please visit these blogs.

http://www.thelittleteochew.com/2011/03/japanese-cheesecake-tips-tricks.html
http://tofoodwithluv.blogspot.jp/2012/06/light-and-creamy-japanese-cheesecake.html
http://en.christinesrecipes.com/2011/02/japanese-cheesecake-fluffy-creamy.html#.UIlW645Qq0s
http://nasilemaklover.blogspot.jp/2011/04/japanese-cotton-cheese-cake-encore.html

Lotte's Coconut Ice-cream

2012-09-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

Summer holiday is coming to an end for students in Japan. I came back to Japan two weeks ago, and on my way back to Beppu, I made a pit stop in Fukuoka for a day. Luckily, while I was in town, Asia Pacific Festival Fukuoka 2012 was taking place. At the festival, there were number of booths promoting tourism of a specific country as well as selling food.

Being a sweet junkie, I couldn't help walking around, looking for a new sweet to try. The Cambodian booth caught my eye, as they were selling coconut ice-cream that is in a coconut shell. It was something that is of course, quite common in my country, but not here in Japan. Knowing that a 400 yen ice-cream is pretty extreme, yet I couldn't help myself. When the staff were opening the ice-cream package, I noticed that Lotte was written on the box, and after a quick search on the internet, I found out that indeed, Lotte does sell coconut ice-cream!

The ice-cream was pretty creamy, but that's what coconut ice-cream is about. However, the creaminess is definitely different from the ones I'm used to eat in Thailand. Japan's coconut ice-cream is much more thicker, with quite a strong smell of jasmine. It is a prefect treat for summer temperature. The price of 400 yen, however is a bit extreme for me. I strongly recommend this for those who loves coconut milk!

The ice-cream is available on Lotte's e-shop for 4,410 yen for 10 pieces. However, it's a part of a set with only 2 coconut ice-cream, 5 orange, 1 pineapple, and 2 lemon ice-cream. Looking at the review from the website, it is obvious that the coconut ice-cream is the most popular out of the set.

Lawson's Cheesecake (limited edition)

2012-08-04T07:33:00.001-07:00

Recently, I have been having a trouble adjusting to the summer in Japan. During winter, I've moved to another apartment, and this new place did not come with air-con in the bedrooms. For winter, it was fine because I own electric blanket, heater(s), and thick duvet. However, for summer, I only have an electric fan!! I literally am dying in the heat day and night. The good thing is I will be heading home soon (HALLELUJAH AIR-CON), and from now till then, I will be in a summer session class everyday from morning till late afternoon, so at least I won't have to suffer from the heat. Anyway....

After watching the CM of Lawson's Cheesecake (ぎゅっとクリームチーズ) for countless of times, I finally drag myself to the nearest Lawson, and brought two pieces of this heavenly delights.

For a 180 yen a piece, I think it was something that I can see myself buy again and again. The combination between sticky, a tad chewy, sweet biscuit base, and a creamy cream cheese cream, made the whole cake very thick and smooth. It wasn't surprising when I read that (apparently) the top part contain more than 50% of cream cheese.

There is also a chocolate cheesecake flavor that I have yet to try. However, I am not sure if I will ever try them because over a few days of observation, (coming back home empty handed because the cheesecake were sold out) there would be a few left over of the chocolate flavor, while the original flavor were long gone.

Sadly, Lawson is only selling the cheese cake for 21 days, (from July 31st till August 20th) so for those who wants to give it a try, you better hurry up!

2012/10/26 UPDATES: Seems that these cheesecakes are so popular that they're now available for an unlimited amount of time at every Lawson stores in Japan.

ねんりん家バームクーヘンオレンジフォンデンがけ　Nenrin's Orange Baumkuchen

2012-07-02T09:23:00.002-07:00

Before living in Japan, I have never heard of Baumkuchen in my life, not even when I visited Germany, twice! For those of you who haven't heard of a Baumkuchen, it's in a roll shape, while tens if not hundreds of thin cake layers that originated in Germany, and was introduced to Japan during WWI.

While I was in Tokyo last year, and was particularly in the Ginza area. I noticed that there were a long line of people lining up buying some type of snack in a large department store. Of course, being an obsessive tourist I was, I followed everyone else, and got a piece of this round looking cake from a stand called Nenri-ke.

Personally, I thought it tasted alright, however there was nothing too special about it. It tasted like butter cake, with sugar glance on top of it. It is a good snack to have with a cup of coffee in the morning, but other than that, it didn't 'wow' me. At that time, I did not realize that the baumkuchen I purchased is considered the best in Tokyo.

Fast forwarding a year, my wonderful friend brought back a limited edition of the baumkuchen from the same store I had tasted in the previous year. At first, I was hesitant to try it, because I thought it was exactly the same thing I brought last year. I totally ignored the big orange English words that said 'Straight Baum Orange Fondant'. It wasn't until I opened the package that I realized the differences.

Once opened, I realized that the cake was covered with orange glance, and orange pieces. Cutting it into tiny bits, just because I was still hesitant. After taking the first bite, the orange glance was overwhelming. I have never been a fan of orange glance, nor tangerine flavor, therefore, I couldn't really stand it, at first, of course. On a second bit, I could finally cherish the taste of the orange and the baumkuchen together. It was magnificent. The cake wasn't too sweet, nor too orangey for my taste. It was a perfect combination between a tiny bit of sour and the sweet. It is a perfect snack for an afternoon tea, with earl grey tea.

I am very happy with the outcome of this snack, especially the one that can only be found in Tokyo, and is a limited seasonal version. Checking on the website, it costs 945 for this tiny, yet not so tiny thing. As a snack, I think at least it's enough for 4 people. (Diameter of 17cm.)

For those who may be wandering around Ginza, or is planning to travel to Tokyo, I highly recommend you to try it!

Topvalu's 'imported' vanilla ice-cream (バニラアイスクリーム)

2012-06-03T00:34:00.002-07:00

Finally, three-forth of my life as a second year student is over. Finally, I have the needed 4 days holiday. :) However, this also means I have more free time to wander around, go snack shopping, and probably enter MaxValu more than once per day. It never helps with the fact that I can get to the supermarket within 10 minutes by foot, and 5 minutes by bicycle. Recently, I became very addicted to going to MaxValu at night due to the fact that the meat, seafood, and fruits sometimes are sold at half price after 9pm or so.

Oh, if you haven't heard of MaxValu, it's a supermarket owned by Aeon widely available in Japan. I've also heard that they are expanding to countries like Thailand. (MaxValu Thanjai)

Last night, I went on another stroll to MaxValu, and found this 2 litre vanilla ice-cream that has said to be made in New Zealand. My friend and I got really curious about its flavor, and it took us a couple of walking back and forth, and a talk with a friend who just got off his part time shift at the supermarket (who had no clue as he said this product was fairly new). In the end, we decided to take a chance, and brought this 598 yen product.

We rushed home, grab our spoons, and dug in!

The result of this purchase was unexpected. I have to say that the flavor of this 'vanilla ice-cream' is much more like a milk ice-cream. It reminds me of New Zealand's Tip Top Creamy Vanilla from the 2L Tub I used to buy. I wouldn't be surprised if it was made by Tip Top. The ice cream is on the creamy side, but it doesn't make you feel sick even if you had 1/4 of the whole thing. It's definitely worth its' price, and personally, I would buy it again and again, if it doesn't make me fat. (I wish)

Now, all I have to hope for is for MaxValu to import New Zealand's unique ice cream flavor that I can't find elsewhere, Hokey Pokey. Apparently, there are places in Japan, which sells Hokey Pokey flavored ice-cream, but not in a small town like Beppu. At least, I can't image I would find it in Oita Prefecture. However, I definitely don't miss the flavor, Goody Goody Gum Drops, which is a BUBBLEGUM flavor filled with chewy candy drops. The worst flavored ice-cream I've ever tasted.

Speaking of New Zealand's ice-cream, I terribly miss Rush Munro's ice-cream. I wish someone would import them to Japan! If you are in New Zealand, or planning to travel to New Zealand, I definitely recommend this brand!

That's it for now! Would love to hear about your experiences with interesting ice-cream flavor!

UPDATE: Product information is available in Japan. (http://www.topvalu.net/items/detail.php?id=5192&sid=2&cid=50)

Maccha Banana (抹茶バナナ)

2012-04-07T08:01:00.003-07:00

I've received a box filled with food from a friend's family last week, and this sweet was among many of the delicious ones I've tasted over the week.

The cover didn't tell me much, but the name "maccha banana" did, the undeniable link between Maccha Banana and Tokyo Banana. I wonder why these sweets aren't named "Kyoto Banana"... Maybe that's because it might be too similar with Tokyo Banana?

Opening the box led me to find six small packages of the Maccha Banana.

As the for actually cake, it is a typical green tea with banana custard fillings cake. When compared with the Tokyo Banana fillings, I feel that the Maccha Banana's fillings are much more subtle than the Tokyo Banana's one. The cake itself is soft, and fluffy, however, the smell of green tea isn't too distinct.

TIPS: I find this cake to be tastier than eaten after a few hours in the refrigerator. The cream somehow tasted tastier when eaten cold.

This is a perfect sweet to be eaten during morning or afternoon tea, or with a hot drink.

The similarity between this and Tokyo Banana of course as I've mentioned above is obvious, however, both of them are also different in a sense that one is a vanilla cake, and the other is a green tea cake. To me, it is impossible to tell you guys which one I liked more, however if asked which one I can consume more, I would certainly still say Tokyo Banana, possibly due to the size.

I couldn't find how much this is on the internet, but I think you can find these in Kyoto Station, and places around Kyoto. I think this is worth a try if you're visiting Kyoto, or worth buying as an お土産 to take home. ;)

Meiji's Pineapple Gummy (果汁グミゴールデンパイン)

2012-04-03T00:27:00.006-07:00

Coming back to Japan after a long holiday always bring a good surprises for me in term of new snacks and sweets in the supermarket as each season begin, and in this case, it's Spring. Thank god winter is mostly gone, especially in Kyushu area.

Over the past few years since I've been away from New Zealand, I've missed eating lollies and gummies such as strawberry and cream. I tried looking for it in Thailand, but no luck. Here in Japan as well, it seems that gummy is not as popular as in New Zealand where you can visit any local supermarket or dairy, and you will find a wide varieties of lollies and gummy. Therefore, I must stick to the substitutes.

I brought this pack of gummy at a local MaxValue supermarket for ￥88 per packet.

On the package, it says that the gummy is made out of 100% pineapple juice. As for the flavor, it's a typical pineapple gummy, but I think the smell of this gummy is not as strong as the others. It's a good snack to have when you're bored during lectures, or falling asleep in a meeting.

There are a different flavors such as grape, lemon and peach. If you're able to understand Japanese, the gummy's website is quite interesting. Apparently, there is a short anime story as a part of a promotional video. http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/candy_gum/fruits_gummi/

In the end, I guess the gummy is pretty good for me, but nothing to excite over. If compared with lollies such as strawberry n' cream, well.. I would exchange this for that any time.

Monteur's Apple Custard Dorayaki

2012-01-31T04:01:00.001-08:00

A few weeks back, I was buying snacks before class in my university's coop shop, and found this gem. I think it's quite a seller, as most of the time, they're sold out.

I've always love dorayaki, well, only the pancake part anyway. People always tell me that it's just pancake, but I swear that it's more than just pancake. Pancake doesn't taste like dorayaki pancake, if that make sense, because it does to me. >.< Making this snack a treat for me. However, even though I call it dorayaki, on the label, they called it 'Apple Custard soft sandwich'.（りんごカスタードのやわらかサンド）To me, it's still a dorayaki though.

As you can see from the picture, most of the fillings is actually whipped cream. For the whole piece, you might find a micro-tiny piece of crunchy apply three to four times. As for the mentioned custard on the label, it's nowhere to be found. So, it's practically pancakes with whipped cream, and what's not to love about that.

I truly enjoyed it, and have brought it again many times. The price on the website is ￥126 but in my university's coop, I think they sell it for ￥138. Not too sure though. This would be a good snack for those who enjoy morning, afternoon snacks, or snacks in general. Nothing too special, but for the price, I think it is reasonable.

Rokkatei Butter Sandwich from Hokkaido

2012-01-10T21:44:00.001-08:00

Happy 2012 everyone. :) I hope you had a great holiday, and a great start to this year. I had a great holiday as I went up to the Kansai area for 9 days. During my time there, I realized that sweets are so much better in there than in Kyushu. T_T Actually, pretty much everything is better.

During December 2011, I ordered Rokkatei Butter Sandwich (マルセイバターサンド) from Hokkaido as a new year present for a friend's family, as well as ordering another box for myself. To me, I classify this sweet as a biscuit/cookie because I don't really see another way to classify it. =_="

I've only tasted Aso's Butter Sandwich (Aso is in Kumamota prefecture, Kyushu Island) before, but not the ones from Hokkaido. To my surprises, the Hokkaido's ones are much more creamy and stronger in favor.

A butter sandwich consists of butter/cream cheese filling with raisins, in between of two butter cookies. I think the cream with raisins part to be a bit too sweet. I don't mind the tiny scent of rum, however, I find it too hard to eat without any drink to drown the sweetness. The biscuit didn't help either, as I think they are made from brown sugar. I forgot to take the picture of the butter sandwich before my friend finished the whole 20-pieces box, so the picture of it is founded online. [credit: http://item.shopping.c.yimg.jp/i/j/946kitchen_m-2]

My Japanese friend seems to have enjoyed the Hokkaido's butter sandwich more than the Aso's ones, but somehow, I prefer the weaker taste one from Aso. I found it easier to eat, as I could only eat half of the Hokkaido's butter sandwich before having to put it down to get a glass of milk to lessen the overly sweetness of the biscuit.

Overall, I find this Rokkatei Butter Sandwich not to be overly exciting, or enchanted in anyway. However, Japanese people seems to like it, as it is a very well-known snacks and can be found outside of Hokkaido. I was super surprised when I was a small box of this butter sandwich in Daimaru Osaka-eki. It was a bit of a bummer because the friend's family whom I ordered it for lived in the Kansai area, and I wanted to find something that they can't normally find in the Kansai area.

Oh yeah.. This darling costed quite a penny in my opinion.. 20 pieces for ￥2,300.

You can find out more information on Rokkatei's Butter Sandwich from: https://www.rokkatei-eshop.com/eshop/contents/top/ (sorry, only in Japanese)

白い恋人 White Chocolate Langue De Chat (Cat's Tongue)

2011-11-11T22:39:00.001-08:00

A couple of weeks back, I received Mary's Fancy Chocolate, and Ishiya's White Chocolate Langue de Chat, known as 恋人 (koibito), meaning love ones in English.

I opened the fancy chocolate first, and actually left the 恋人 in its' bag until this week while I was writing my marketing paper. Hence, the marketing book that is underneath the box. (I apologize for the picture's quality, 3am is not the best time to take picture so to speak.)

To be bluntly honest, I would exchange a particular 'love ones' for this white chocolate cat's tongue anytime. The white chocolate is smooth, and creamy, while the langue de chat is crispy, literally TO DIE FOR. I love eating these with a glass of milk. I could continue myself to eat this all day, yet I have to stop myself from eating the whole thing all at once. In a way, I'm trying to cherish and making this box of Hokkaido 'sweetheart' lasts.

From my research, a box of 24 pieces costs ￥1,480. There is also a milk chocolate langue de chat available. Definitely worth a try.

Blueberry Cream Pie (original baking)

2011-10-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

I put my baking hat on, and baked a SUPER easy pie on a lazy Sunday afternoon... Actually, it was more of a rush as I had to make dinner as well. I made this pie, and Nutella Cookie, which I will share on another day, to celebrate my newly brought portable oven!! :)

Anyway, I have been using this recipe on many occasions, using my friend's oven, as a 'thank you' gift for a few people. The feedbacks had been relatively good, so I thought I would share this recipe with everyone. It's easy (very hard to screw up!), fast, and delicious.

The crust is a bit salty, but when combine with the sweetness of the cream, and a bit of sourness of the blueberry, it's brilliant! I think it's a great after-meal dessert, which only take an hour or less to whip up.

I first got this recipe from the internet, and start changing it accordingly to my personal taste. Anyway, hope you all will enjoy it. :)

The Lady & Son Blueberry Cream Pie (I edited this recipe from Paula Deen’s book which I got from the internet.. couldn't remember the website >.<) with No Roll Pie Crust

No Roll Pie Crust

1 ½ cups All-purpose flour

2 tablespoon Sugar

½ teaspoon Salt

½ cup Oil

2 tablespoons Milk

Mix dry ingredients together with a bowl. Made a well in the center, and add the oil and milk. Mix with a fork till it makes a ball. Flatten and press into the pan in pie crust shape. Bake at 190°C for 10-12 minutes, or till golden brown.

Lady & Son Blueberry Cream Pie

140 g. Cream cheese

1 cup Icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)

240 mL Heavy cream

½ cup White sugar (granulated sugar)

½ bag Frozen blueberry (or 2 small cans of canned blueberry)

1. Beat cream cheese with icing sugar

2. Beat the heavy cream with white sugar until it forms soft peak, but it also depends on how hard or soft of a texture you want the cream to be.

3. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.

4. Spoon this mixture into the cooled pie shell and top with blueberry pie filling.

5. Refrigerate until well chilled.

NOTE: After a few tries, I thought the pie tastes better after a night in the refrigerator, but that’s just my personal opinion.

Until next time ;)

Calpis steamed bum

2011-09-04T08:06:00.002-07:00

It has been a long time since I've post my last review. I apologize for such delay, but life has been.... quite unpredictable. After exams, I returned home, Bangkok. Then, the earthquake and tsunami happened, which is so devastating. I then started the second semester of my first year, and I barely had anytime. Anyway, I'm back, and hoping to post at least 3 times a month. I've also started a part-time job (バイト) at Mister Donuts, in the bakery, so I do all kind of stuff like dip the donuts in chocolate, put in the cream and custard, etc.

Recently, during 春, spring, I have discovered that Yamasaki (ヤマサキ) made a seasonal bun (during winter, there was a strawberry bun, which I LOVE), and for spring, they made a Calpis (カルピス) series. At first, my friend and I thought it would be interesting to give it a try, as we both love Calpis Water. After tasting, I however was tremendously disappointed.

I tried Calpis steamed bun, but there are various kinds such as sandwich bread, or soft round type bread which are usually eaten with butter.

The texture of the steam bun was nothing particularly different than other steamed bun, the smell of the Calpis however was quite strong. I found that the taste of the Calpis was too strong for my liking, and I would have preferred for the Calpis smell and taste to have been minimal.

However, my Japanese friend loves all of the Calpis series bread, especially the steamed bun, so maybe it was just me, and my friend who could not stand the strong smell and taste of the Calpis in the bread.

I would obviously not buy any of the Calpis bread series, but I urge those who can gets their hands on, to give it a try. Quite a unique experience, if I may say.

Have a good summer holiday everyone! Beppu is going through a typhoon at the moment, the wind is SOOO strong I swear I would fly away if I was 5-10 kg. lighter! :P

Papico パピコチョココーヒー

2011-03-06T07:28:00.001-08:00

Once again, I went missing for a month and a half. My excuse is life got really busy, and I was behind in testing out new sweets.

Even though it is still winter (冬) in Japan, that doesn't mean I would stop trying sweets that are stored in the freezer. In other word, ice-cream or ice-block.

You could say that Papico is one of the most common ice-block I see APU students eat. Mostly not during winter though.

To explain the ice-block in a simple description, Papico is a mixture of frozen chocolate and coffee.

As for the taste (味) of the product, I think it's... seriously delicious! The ice-block isn't too sweet, and I have a sense that during summer, I will purchase this product, daily. (hopefully, only once a day, as I don't think I can afford more...)

The price range of Papico is around a hundred yen. I think it's a price worthy.

As for eating ice-cream or anything that will freeze your brain, I don't suggest in doing so unless you are as crazy, or more, than I am.

パピコは本当に美味しかった。やばいなぁぁぁぁ。

Till the next time kiddies!

Tokyo Banana (東京ばな奈)

2011-01-15T08:12:00.001-08:00

It has been awhile since I've updated, and I apologize for that. College seems to have got the better of me, and wow, it's 2011. Happy New Year everyone.

During the Christmas break, most of my friends went back home to celebrate the holiday with their family, however, some did leave to travel to various parts of Japan.

Luckily, some friends did managed to travel to Tokyo for their holiday, and when they came back, I got to taste Tokyo Banana from the first time.

I have never been a fan of banana made sweets. It may have been caused by the fact that I had to swallowed down banana flavored Bactrim many times when I was a child. However, Tokyo Banana isn't one of those sweets.

At first, the cream inside the soft cake did give me the impression of the Bactrim, but it was soon overridden by the deliciousness of the snack itself.

Within 20 seconds, I was able to consume not one, but three pieces of Tokyo Banana I was given.

I later found out that there are other kind of products that are classified as Tokyo Banana such as Tokyo Banana biscuits. I adore those because they were so good, especially the chocolate ones. (with banana cream filling of course)

If I do go to Toyko, I certainly will bring back a whole lots of Tokyo Banana.

わっふる (Waffles) Poudre

2010-11-19T07:15:00.000-08:00

Today's post is going to be different from the earlier ones. Instead of focusing solely on a snack, I'll be talking more about how to get to the place where the snack is.

APU → Oita

From APU, you have to take a bus (Line 50 or 51) to Beppu Station (別府駅). If you don't have a student ticket then it cost 430 yen.

Then, you catch a train to Oita （大分）which cost 270 yen. (540 yen for a round trip)

Even before you get to Oita, to do some shopping therapy, you can see that it is pretty expensive just to get there.

But the thing is... it's good to escape a small city such as Beppu once in a while. Just to change the scenery.

わっふる (Waffles) Poudre

On my first time in Oita, I did not dare to try the waffles as I found out it was not ice cream inside the waffles, but cream. Some of you may wonder why that is off putting for me, but I have never been a big fan of cream.

However, on my third time in Oita, I finally had the courage to try on the dessert because its' picture on the menu is so appealing.

The shop is located in the shopping area, very close to the Oita Station. If you see 'Zeus, The Amusement' building, it is right next to that.

I chose a very basic flavor waffle, milk cream waffle. It is the cheapest on the menu and it only consist of cream, while others have fruits or some kind of pastes in them.

Half of the waffle cost 150 yen, and I thought that was pretty expensive. Usually, I don't mind the price as long as it is somewhat filling or worth its' price.

Close by to the waffle shop is a Starbuck store, so my friend and I went in for some hot drink on a somewhat cold day.

I ordered a hot cocoa, which cost 410 yen. I would pay for this than buying the 110 yen canned one, because those ones taste like water. Seriously, I don't know why they are so watered down, but all of the canned cocoa I've tasted so far are certainly not what I've expected them to be, and that's in a bad way.

Despite the price of my afternoon snack, I thought the waffle went really well with the hot cocoa. When eating with hot drink, I thought the milk cream in the waffle was smooth, and not too overwhelming. It was simply perfect. By the last bite, I was contemplating whether to run out of Starbucks and get another one. Overall, I was happy with the waffle despite its' maddening price.

Here are some pictures I've taken while I was in Starbucks.