Tag: cafe

Desserts that will make your heart melt in Seoul (Vol. 1)

Here is a collection of desserts that will make your heart melt in Seoul (Volume 1). ♥

Earlier I published Volumes I & II of desserts that will make your heart melt in Tokyo, so I figured I would do the same for my 2nd (3rd?) home which is Seoul.

I will be writing a full article series on my experience in Korea within the next coming weeks.  Here is a collection of places I stumbled upon which I highly recommend:

「 T A P E 」

Located near Itaewon Station, this bakery and cafe was the first place I stopped at on my most recent trip to Seoul!  CAFE TAPE is famous for its beautifully frosted galaxy cakes which resemble avant-garde paintings.  The cake I chose had a fluffy texture and truly tasted out of this world.  I also ordered an iced coffee to balance the flavor.  The inside of the cafe has a unique metallic decor which resembles a spaceship.  I was really impressed by the quality of desserts here and would gladly come back here again!

Stylenanda 3CE PINKPOOLCAFE

Pink Pool Cafe is a super trendy dessert bar located on the 5th floor of Stylenada (a popular cosmetics and fashion mall) in Myeongdong.  They feature a sweets buffet and a number of fashionable cocktails you can order.  Inside the cafe sits a swimming pool and deck chairs with neon signs you can take pictures of to your heart’s content.  I enjoyed eating the coconut mousse and pink cherry martini–both of them were made with high-quality ingredients.  Even though I came here in winter, I definitely felt the tropical vibe!

Haitairo

While wandering around Hongik University, I discovered the cutest little ice cream and coffee shop called Haitairo.  Though it’s famous for its ice cream made with fresh honey, I decided to try its hot menu items since I came here during the winter.  One day I tried the mochi with hot soy milk which was actually surprisingly good.  The mochi melted a bit liked marshmallows when I dipped it in the warm milk and had a really sweet taste.  I came back a few days later and tried the hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and an adorable smiling popsicle cookie.  This was my favorite because it not only warmed up my body, but also my heart.

Sona Dessert Cafe

Situated in the heart of Gangnam, Sona is a fancy dessert cafe that simply cannot be passed up.  The strawberry champagne ball filled with edible flowers is to die for.  I also ordered another seasonal strawberry dessert that was extremely elegant in its display.  Both desserts were very light so I could finish both.  Definitely come here if you are a lover of aesthetic foods like I am.

Banana Tree

Banana Tree was one of the first cafes to start the flower pot dessert trend with the adorable shovel spoon.  Now you can find this style of dessert in Tokyo and other big cities, but I originally tried it here in Seoul.  I enjoyed “digging in” to my miniature flower pot filled with delicious pudding.  I see from their website that they have recently added new flavors and designs, so be sure to check this place out if you are in Gangnam.

FRANK

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Last but not least, one cannot pass up the opportunity to try rainbow cake in Seoul!  I am proud to have tried both galaxy cake and rainbow cake in this country.  I decided to go to FRANK in Itaewon since it was close to where I was staying at the time.  I enjoyed the super powdery frosting and the delicious texture of the cake, much like I did at TAPE.  It’s hard for me to choose a favorite because every cake I’ve had in Seoul is flavorful and delicious.  I want to try them all!

Thank you for reading Volume 1 of my dessert recommendations in Seoul.  Volume 2 is now published!

Take Your Heart: Visiting the Persona 5 Cafes in Japan

One of the best perks of living in Japan and being a gamer is having the ability to attend the amazing pop-up cafes that are available here for a limited time only.  During my stay here, I have been fortunate enough to been able to dine at both the Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal Cafes held at two different locations.  Making a reservation for these cafes can sometimes be a bit difficult as they are quite popular, but I will be sharing my experience in this post to hopefully help and inspire other people to come and visit!

The Original Persona 5 Cafe at Pasela Resorts (Shibuya)

If you’ve played the game, you’ve probably seen a building called “Pasela Resorts” located on the map.  That is because ATLUS had a collaboration with the popular karaoke chain Pasela Resorts in Shibuya from 10/14/2016 – 11/23/2016 with the series.  The original Persona 5 Cafe was located on the 2nd floor of this location and required winning an in-person lottery to attend (meaning it was so popular at the time that you could not make a reservation online).

This was quite a heart-racing lottery, but I was determined to win!  I remember arriving at 10am, lining up with around 100 or so other people on a 6 floor spiral staircase in front of the cafe, and drawing a ticket from a box.  Fortunately, I drew a winning ticket!  However, many people were unable to win.  I went on a Saturday morning due to my hectic work schedule at the time, but perhaps if you went on a weekday you would have a better chance.

Even though I went alone, I had a ton of fun!  I ordered the Ann and Joker drinks as well as the Leblanc curry and dessert pizza.  Being in a room surrounded by other Persona fans filled my heart with joy.  This was one of the first themed cafes I had been to, so it really left a good impression on me.

Persona 5 Royal Cafe at SEGA Collab Cafe (Akihabara)

3 years later I made it to the Persona 5 Royal Cafe in Akihabara–but this time with friends!  Since this was a collaboration held at the SEGA Cafe, the reservation process was much easier.  Online reservation in advance was possible, but you could also look at the cafe’s available seats and walk in on the day you wanted to go if there was space.  That is what we did as a group of six, and we all managed to sit together!  Between all of us, we were able to order almost every item on the menu and swap coasters.  This time they had coasters of both the new P5 art and chibi versions of the characters given randomly with every purchase of a drink or food item.  This cafe lasted from 11/2/2018 – 12/1/2018.  Though I have not played the game yet, I am super excited to now!

If you have missed the dates for these cafes, fear not!  Whenever a new game, movie, or even musical are announced, usually these cafes pop up and you can always search for the special merchandise online.  I hope to attend many more Persona Cafes and events in the future, as it is one of my favorite series that has taught me much about how social relationships can affect you and the world around you!

Laugh of the Day

On our way up to the SEGA Cafe, we noticed a very special claw machine game filled with dozens of Anns… and one sole Ryuji!  What a lucky fellow–if only it were Morgana instead!

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Ryuji Sakamoto is in heaven.

Tokyo’s Extremely Charming Mipig Cafe

Earlier last week I had the pleasure of going to Japan’s very first micro pig (dubbed “Mipig”) Cafe located in Meguro.  What exactly is a micro pig, you ask?  Micro pigs are miniature pigs that are specially bred to be smaller in size and have friendly, dog-like personality traits while they are young.  They have sparked somewhat of a controversy online due to many people wanting them as pets but not being prepared to look after them when they rapidly grow in size.  Though the Japan Times cautions pet owners the risks of owning a micro pig, they are legal to own in this country and can live a healthy lifestyle if properly cared for.  When I entered the cafe, I was happy to see it was clean and that the pigs were both energetic and welcoming of human company.

The Mipig Cafe currently has 2 locations in Tokyo (Meguro and Harajuku) and can be booked in timeslots of 30 or 60 minutes by making a reservation online.  We decided to go to the Meguro location simply because it has less traffic.  Once you arrive, you will be given simple instructions on how to interact with the pigs, and be asked to order a drink around 600 yen.  We also ordered cake for ourselves as well which was surprisingly delicious.  The cost to enter the cafe is 800 yen per 30 minutes, which is quite affordable compared to other animal cafes.  I had previously held a baby pig while I was in Korea, but this was my first time ever seeing them run around:

Interacting with the pigs is quite easy and fun.  As you can see from the video, basically they will come to you!  They are very curious creatures and love to be petted and fed.  We bought some feed for them and instantly they ran over towards us (the food can be purchased for 100 yen and I recommend buying it for them).  Taking pictures of them proved to be quite difficult as they love to move and run around, but I went more for the experience since it’s quite easy to take photographs of baby pigs at farms and zoos.

What happens to the micro pigs when they outgrow their micro status and become adult pigs?  According to the official Mipig FAQ, they are eventually be adopted to a new family after they have acquired social training and sufficient human interaction at the cafe.  That is why I think this cafe is a great place to interact with the pigs without having the risk of being unable to suit their needs as a pet owner.  Though the controversy of breeding these pigs still remains, fortunately there seem to be a growing amount of resources in Japan to educate pet owners on proper care.

Desserts that will make your heart melt in Tokyo (Vol. 1)

Here is a collection of desserts that will make your heart melt in Tokyo (Volume 1). ♥

This city has no shortage of of aesthetic foods so I will continue to share cafes that I stumble across in future posts!

Roll Ice Cream Factory

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Roll Ice Cream Factory opened just 2 years ago in central Harajuku and has a colorful array of flavors and toppings that you can mix together to form quite beautiful creations.  Similar to the New York style of roll ice cream, you choose the base flavor you want and watch them craft it into tiny little rolls.  I chose the “American Dream” combo and added a taiyaki to the top of it for fun.  This is patriotism at its finest!  Roll ice cream isn’t quite the same as soft serve ice cream, but it still is worth trying at least once in your lifetime.  They also have matcha and delicious chocolate rolls that you can try as well.

Harebare Pecori

For some of the most monstrous milkshakes in Tokyo, stop by Harebare Pecori in Shinjuku!  Here you will find colossal shakes with ice cream, cotton candy, lollipops, cookies, whipped cream, and many toppings to completely satisfy your craving for sweets.  Finishing one shake by myself proved to be a challenging quest, so I suggest you share one of these with a friend.  I enjoyed the massive amounts of whipped cream and the creative placement of all of the toppings.

Milky Way Cafe

Now this place is classic.  Likely if you’ve researched desserts in Tokyo, you’ve come across Milky Way Cafe in Ikebukero.  This cafe has a different parfait for each sign of the Zodiac, and the quality of the food is really amazing too.  You really can’t go wrong with anything you choose here because the presentation is amazing.  I loved the mini chocolate cake on top of my parfait!  It definitely made my day worth the trip.

Micasadeco & Cafe

This place became a meme due to its wiggly jiggly fluffy stacks of pancakes.  You can wobble the plate and the pancakes will still stick together as if they are compelled by a magic force.  I highly recommend taking a trip to Micasadeco & Cafe in Shibuya if the opportunity arises.  I think these are some of the fluffiest pancakes I’ve seen in a while.

Patisserie Potager

If you are looking for cakes with interesting flavor combinations, look no further than Patisserie Potager!  Here I found tomato cake and avocado pudding as well as other unlikely French-Japanese fusion cuisines that tasted amazing.  Most of these desserts are lighter on calories than regular cakes so they are a healthier option.

Sakura Cafe Mukojima’s Tokyo Skytree Parfait

Like Tokyo’s infamous landmark, this Tokyo Skytree parfait at Sakura Cafe Mukojima mimics the real thing standing at 63.4 cm high, as the actual tower is 634 meters tall.  Loaded with jelly, ice cream, fruit, mochi, and a giant soft-served ice cream cone, this dessert does not disappoint!  I ordered the matcha flavor, but there are other fruity flavors available for purchase.  I was very impressed with how they balanced all the ingredients to make it stand up.

Nanaya

On the subject of green tea and ice cream, Nanaya is another store that should not be missed because it has 7 different intensities of green tea ice cream and other flavors.  I ordered three scoops and tried #1 (the weakest flavor), #7 (the strongest flavor), and the green tea rum raisin flavor.  In my opinion, the less intense and lighter flavors tasted the best.  The store name “Nanaya” means “Shop of 7 (flavors)”, so be sure to choose wisely!

Dominique Ansel Bakery (Now Closed)

Previously I wrote an article on Dominique Ansel Bakery in Omotesando praising their delicious pastries, but I am very sad to see that they have closed their Tokyo branches as of summer 2019.  I will never forget the delicious hedgehog cake I had for my birthday last year, as well as the Zero Gravity Chiffon Cake that was light enough to float in a balloon.  I am hoping that they open a similar cafe in the future!

Thank you for reading Volume 1 of my dessert cafe expedition in Tokyo.  If you have any recommendations, please drop them in the comments!  I will be writing Volume 2 very soon!

 

Adventures in Adelaide (Southern Australia)

Since a huge part of why I traveled to Australia was to see wildlife reserves and nature, my friend and I decided to fly to Adelaide for 4 days from Melbourne since this is the place where he grew up.  Like Perth, Adelaide is considered to be one of the smaller and more remote cities of Australia, but it actually has a number of unique attractions worth seeing.  Not only is it one of the two places in the country where you can hold koalas at the Cleland Wildlife Park, but it also has a yearly event called the Fringe with a number of theater and festive events.  Though my time here was very short compared to Melbourne, Adelaide left a huge impression on me and I hope to visit here again in the future!

After landing, the first thing I noticed about the city was the beautiful trees and architecture of the houses.  Though the spring season had just begun, the temperature here was much warmer than it was in Melbourne.  We were staying with a friend who conveniently lived near the airport so it was fortunately convenient to get around by using Uber and the trams.  Since the weather was in our favor we decided to go to Glenelg Beach and soak up the sun for a while.  This beach is perhaps one of the most popular because it is near Jetty Square that is filled with shops and boutiques.  I enjoyed the laidback atmosphere here and managed to relax a lot.  It was just what I needed to rejuvenate myself.

All of the food we had here was absolutely amazing.  I had a delicious chai latte sprinkled with cocoa powder at a cafe called Cibo, which I highly recommend.  Though I currently reside in Japan, I was curious to try the sushi here so we decided to eat at the conveyor belt sushi chain Kintaro.  Surprisingly, their sashimi selection was quite tasteful, and I enjoyed the heaping amount of sauce they put on my avocado crab sushi.  Next up were the Japanese Wasabi Doritos we found at Coles Supermarkets.  They were almost overpowering, but worth it for the meme factor.

We spent a lot of our time here catching up with friends, watching anime, drinking at home, and relaxing, but we were still able to see a lot of the city in the time that we spent here.  My friend went through his anime figure collection and found his Rei Ayanami piece that was actually the top of a pachinko machine in Japan, so it was definitely worth the trip.  One of my favorite landmarks here were the silver balls, or “gintama” as you would say in Japanese:

Apparently they are quite a popular meetup spot in central Adelaide–kind of of like a miniature version of the bean in Chicago.  We also visited an anime store called Shin Tokyo which surprisingly had quite a good selection of goods (way better than where I grew up in Michigan), and hilariously I found stuffed kangaroo balls at a souvenir shop nearby.  There was also something mysterious for sale for $15.  This city seemed to be full of humorous content for some reason:

Another awesome place I highly recommend checking out is called MOD.  This is a futuristic museum with interactive exhibits that will help you discover “hedonism”, or the pursuit of happiness.  They had various happiness simulators here; including one that gave you believable compliments to boost your confidence, and another that had classic games like Solitaire and Minesweeper that would auto-win the game for you with just the press of a button (but it seemed like a fair game at first).  They also had surveys regarding what makes the ideal workplace, and we found some interesting results (see the picture of the coffee cups for reference).

I jokingly called this museum the teamLab of Adelaide, because some of the exhibits have similar concepts with lighting and projected images.  I was actually really impressed with the technology they used for their giant globe that you could spin and interact with.  You could create your own character using touch screens to live out various scenarios through the Symbiosville simulation.  In this exhibit, you will learn through trial and error how to keep you and the people around you happy.  I think this is a vital skill in life.

In my next blog entry, I will talk about my experience hanging out with kangaroos, koalas, and other wildlife in Adelaide.  I hope that more people will make the journey out to this city, because it truly is an interesting place!

Sweet Twist: A Vintage Ice Cream Store in Shimokitazawa

Trying unique and adorable ice cream stores scattered across Asia has become a huge hobby of mine. As I was thrift shopping for clothes in Shimokitazawa (which has much better selection than the overcrowded Harajuku), I stumbled upon Sweet Twist–a vintage ice cream store selling a variety of soft cream, gelato, and crepes with customizable toppings.

Like most sweets stores in central Tokyo, the store is tiny, but the bright pink exterior and colorful signs advertising a variety of desserts seemed extremely inviting.  Not to mention the fluffy mascot that’s printed on all of the cups is the epitome of cute!

I decided to try the strawberry topped soft cream first. Like the name implies, the ice cream is extremely light tasting and sweet. The strawberry topping tasted much like strawberry chocolate so I really enjoyed the taste. Since the portion size I ordered was small (I regret not doing the 2 scoop option), I decided to try the raspberry gelato as well. They have a variety of flavors like green tea, coconut, chocolate fruits, etc. and you can choose extra toppings for just 50 yen. I liked the ice cream slightly better due to its sweetness, but I imagine everything here is really good!

The interior design with the neon pink flamingo and framed photos of Audrey Hepburn and other nostalgic icons was also a pleasant experience to take in. This neighbor hood has a lot of vintage shops that you should definitely check out if you have the chance.  I will definitely be back here in the future to try more delicious flavor combinations!

Gudetama Sushi Cake in Singapore

Sushi cakes that actually taste like cake.

This looks exactly like grilled tamago sushi… But it’s actually made of cheesecake! Instead of soy sauce and wasabi, maple syrup and a sweet cream that is colored to resemble wasabi comes with your order. Though I knew what I was ordering, this still came as a very impressive feast for the eyes.

You can find this amazing sushi cake dessert at the Gudetama Cafe in the Suntec Mall of Singapore. Dedicated to everyone’s favorite lazy egg mascot hailing from Japan, this cafe has a beautiful egg-shaped interior decor and some very original menu items.

Though I’ve been to the Gudetama Cafe in Osaka, this one is actually bigger and has more menu items! This restaurant serves many different dishes including burgers, pastas, teas, and desserts in decent portion sizes.

The Suntec Mall is on the way to the famous Gardens at the Bay in Singapore, so this is the perfect place to stop for some food before you go. I hope you have an eggscellent time here!

Vegan Lunch at Ain Soph. Journey, Shinjuku

Recently my hobby has been trying out vegan restaurants in Tokyo because their vegetables taste a lot fresher than most places, so I decided to stop by Ain Soph Journey which is right near my boxing gym in Tokyo.

I ordered the vegan taco rice salad and tiramisu cake. Both exceeded my expectations! The taco rice had delicious fresh avocado and tomato, and the “meat” tasted like salsa which was the perfect dressing. The tiramisu cake was very light and creamy! This was definitely one of the best lunches I’ve had here in a while.

Sometimes it’s hard to find a good salad in Japan because they often use cabbage leaves that taste extremely bitter, or sprinkle bits of meat and corn on it which throw off the texture. Fortunately I’ve been finding a lot of luck at local vegan restaurants and my body had felt a lot better. I’ll be sure to share my findings in the future!

Eating Pikachu’s Booty at the Pokemon Cafe ϞϞ(๑⚈ ․̫ ⚈๑)∩ 🍽

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The Pikachu carbonara topped with a fried omelette and crispy tortilla tail is a one of a kind culinary experience.

The Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo is home to many themed dishes, but this one takes the cake.  Or carbonara, in this case.  This dish was available for the Let’s Go Pikachu promotion in late February 2019.  I am excited to see what kinds of dishes they come up with next.

Meeting Totoro at May’s Garden House Restaurant (Bangkok)

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A creamy Totoro cake takes cover from the rainfall!

Escaping to a secret garden and meeting Totoro was not something I had in my original trip itinerary, but when traveling abroad many unexpected things can happen! As someone who is both a avid anime fan and loves themed restaurants, I was thrilled to discover a Totoro restaurant in central Bangkok.  I decided to go there my 2nd day in Thailand as soon as it opened!

May’s Garden Cafe is a lovely dining experience with its artistically crafted stained glass windows, portraits of Miyazaki characters hanging on the wall, and also its outdoor garden where you are free to leisurely roam.  With an expansive menu featuring mostly Thai food and Asian cuisine, there are a large variety of dishes to choose from.  I decided to order the Pad Thai Omelette and the Totoro cake pictured above, and was amazed at how delicious the cooking was!  Unlike other themed restaurants, this food is extremely authentic and uses a lot of fresh ingredients, vegetables, and spices to create culinary delights.

This restaurant was officially opened by Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki after he visited Thailand and met a vendor named May selling the best chicken wings he had ever tasted on the street (according to Coconuts Bangkok).  Inspired by how hard she worked to feed her family, he hired her as a chef and her wings are on the menu!

I’ve been to the Hayao Miyazaki Museum and Cafe in Tokyo, but this restaurant in Thailand has a bigger menu and much more of an atmosphere to it.  I did not make a reservation here because I walked in as soon as it opened, but it is recommended to do so in advance because it is quite popular.

If you get the chance, please visit this cafe to meet a life-sized Totoro and dine on some authentic Thai cuisine!  The garden awaits you~

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A life-sized Totoro is here to be your neighbor!