📍Japan, Nara
Super high-speed freshly made Q mochi 🍡🌱
Nakatani-do in Nara is located at the end of the Higashi-muki shopping street and is a popular spot recommended by many travel websites. The highlight is the high-speed mochi-making performance that attracts the attention of tourists.
When I passed by that day, the previous performance had just ended, and I wasn’t particularly craving mochi, fearing the filling might be too sweet. Before I knew it, I found myself drawn to the queue of people and got in line 😆
The line moved quickly!
🍩
Order items
🫘 Mugwort red bean filling mochi (¥200):
They sell it for immediate consumption (wrapped simply in paper) and in boxed form; both options are priced the same.
I highly recommend having one fresh out of the preparation; you’ll get a warm mochi that has just been made.
Taking a bite was truly amazing!
It was my first time experiencing a mochi skin with such a light texture. Unlike many that leave a heavy feeling in the mouth and are really chewy, the mochi here can be chewed just a couple of times before swallowing. With a hint of mugwort fragrance, it is super delicious~
The red bean filling is also cooked quite soft, without any grainy texture, and the flavor isn’t overly sweet.
🍄
Would I visit again: Yes!
Surprisingly delicious 😋
✏️
Note:
🔸 Cash only 💰
【Taoyuan/Delivery】NONO Pastry Workshop
The boss is a very easygoing person.
He enjoys experimenting with new items, and each dessert has its own unique characteristics.
I truly recommend everything 🤤 You can check the item descriptions below for my insights.
Some desserts are not suitable for delivery to other counties and cities.
However, there are two seats available on-site, so if you have the chance to go to Taoyuan, you can dine in.
You can also watch the boss make desserts through the glass (?
If you're interested, you can make a reservation in advance to avoid discovering on-site that something is sold out or has been reserved by someone else that day.
Additionally, they accept orders for wedding cake gift boxes, full moon gift boxes, corporate orders... and other bulk orders (I'll let you in on a secret: you can ask about urgent orders too; the boss works super fast...)
◽ Pistachio Strawberry Mille-Feuille✨ $220 (I realized afterward that I didn't take a picture)
＞ This combines two very popular ingredients right now - pistachio whipped cream with a different filling that's thicker; the surface of the mille-feuille is caramelized to a crispy texture, and we choose strawberries (or raspberries) according to the suitable origin based on the climate. Any that aren't sold on the day have to be discarded... If you see it, you have to buy it!
◽ Earl Grey Chestnut Fresh Cream Roll✨ $165 per piece
＞ Made with Japanese fresh cream air-freighted to Taiwan every week, it's refreshing in taste. The cake has a distinct Earl Grey fragrance and a higher proportion of egg yolks, plus honey for fluffiness and softness. At the top, there's Mont Blanc chestnut filling and candied chestnuts, with chunks of chestnut mixed into the fresh cream roll; only the candied chestnuts are particularly sweet, and the cake and whipped cream don’t become cloying; it's a well-layered combination.
◽ Wagashi Sugar Pudding✨ $90 (I took it to-go)
＞ Uses the highest grade of sugar in Japan—sanbon sugar, generously adding vanilla pods to enhance the overall aroma. The texture is similar to crème brûlée, delicate and melts in your mouth, with caramel that is pleasantly bittersweet!
◽ Original Layered Egg Tart✨ $90 (Pistachio flavor available for $120)
＞ I love hearing about layered egg tarts; the sound they make when peeled apart is super crisp! The filling is smooth, with vanilla seeds settled at the bottom. There is less stock available before public holidays, so remember to reserve in advance!
Here are some recommendations for room temperature snacks✨
◽ Assorted Romia Cookies
＞ Contains three flavors: original, Earl Grey, and cocoa. These are handmade cookies made with quality ingredients, thin and crispy, with a hint of sweetness. The middle uses caramel almonds, adding some texture. There are also individually sold flavors in small jars!
◽ Salt Flower Chocolate
＞ Also handmade cookies, they have a rich bite to them, and the added salt enhances the cocoa aroma.
◽ Berry Snowballs
＞ Round shapes with a crispy texture, coated in strawberry powder, offering a bit of sourness that is quite refreshing.
◽ Pearl Sugar Puffs
＞ Mini puffs! They are crispy and just right for a single bite (if you eat these while binge-watching, you might end up finishing them all...).
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📍 No. 495-3, Minsheng Road, Taoyuan District, Taoyuan City
☎️ 03 335 1212
⏰ 13:00–19:00 (Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
🚌 Bus Stop Name: Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation
🅿️ Street parking spaces, Times Taoyuan Dahua 8th Street parking lot
🍩 A traditional candy shop from Kagoshima, exclusively demonstrating freshly baked donuts
In Hakata Nakasu, it's easy to be drawn to this steamed bun shop, which actually originates from Kagoshima. The most famous item here is the steamed bun made with Kagoshima ingredients (different from Taiwanese buns, it has a texture similar to steamed cake).
The highlight of the Nakasu store is that you can see the freshly baked donuts being made on-site; they are still hot when you get them, with a dense, old-fashioned taste.
Additionally, you can also purchase "Kyakuran Somen," which is recognized as one of Japan's three famous sweets. Despite its name including "somen" (noodles), it's actually a sweet treat with a strong egg aroma.
Although the business is thriving and many people come to buy it in boxes, I personally am not quite accustomed to the texture and flavor of the famous steamed buns. I also prefer the crispy texture of fried donuts, so I wouldn't particularly recommend it.
Braces Person Review: Clean Independent Restroom Recommended
During this trip to Japan, to make up for the regrets from my last visit, my friend and I specially lined up to dine at the restaurant as soon as it opened. This place is quite popular and there’s usually a long wait during meal times; in fact, some dishes even sell out early, so arriving early was definitely a wise choice. This time we ordered the following dishes:
Shrimp & Dill Cream Sauce Pasta (¥1210)
This creamy pasta paired with shrimp and dill is simply perfect, with a fragrant aroma. The noodles are chewy and well-coated with sauce, and when paired with the accompanying bread, each bite is rich and satisfying.
Fruits Fruits Mille Crepe (¥2076)
This mille crepe features strawberries, oranges, kiwis, mangoes, and bananas. Each layer of fruit offers a delightful balance of sweet and sour flavors, and the whipped cream is perfectly proportioned, not overwhelming. The fruits are fresh and juicy, making each bite a delightful surprise, especially for fruit lovers.
Shine Muscat Mille Crepe (¥2178)
The natural sweetness of Shine Muscat grapes permeates each layer of crepe, accompanied by light whipped cream, providing a refreshing and not overly sweet experience. The grape aroma and sweetness blend perfectly, making this mille crepe a dream choice for dessert lovers.
Beverages
The coffee latte and English milk tea that accompany the meals, although standard in performance, fit well with the strong contrast between the main dishes and desserts, serving as a nice buffer during the meal.
Overall, the meal cost a total of 5599 yen. The exquisite dishes, paired with a comfortable atmosphere, made the overall experience quite worthwhile. Especially the mille crepe, whether it's the grape or the fruit version, leaves a lasting impression. Next time I come to Japan, this restaurant will definitely be on my must-visit list again!
🔅 Actual Dining Date: 2024/10/18
I had never tried this must-eat mille crepes in Tokyo, and this time I was determined to try it! Due to the schedule, I couldn’t dine in, and I visited for takeout around 3 p.m. on that Friday. There were about 10 groups waiting to dine in. Below are the items I took out.
▪️ Mille Crepes ¥980
The cake itself was quite large. According to the description, it consists of six layers of crepes (with five layers of fruit), primarily seasonal fruits. Bananas and kiwis seemed to be the standard, and in addition to those, there were also two layers of cantaloupe; the other layer I can’t recall. Overall, the taste was dominated by the fragrance and sweetness of cantaloupe, paired with fresh cream, making it very smooth! Unlike the currently popular A-line mille crepes, Harbs barely uses sour fruits, but it’s not overly sweet either (I do have a sweet tooth).
▪️ Pear Pie ¥830
Since I came all the way here, it would have been a pity to just get one item, so after much deliberation, I chose this one (though all the other cakes looked good too...). The pears on top had a sugared feel, not too sweet or sour, with a great texture and generous portion. What surprised me the most was how delicious and fragrant their pie crust was!
Overall, I quite liked this mille crepe shop. The fruit was very sweet and fragrant, and the fresh cream was smooth. The pie was also nice. It’s a pity that I couldn’t dine in because it seems like the dine-in atmosphere would add to the experience. I would love to try other cake flavors next time!
📍 Kamakura Chacha Komachi Street
🔅 Actual Visit Date: 2024/10/16
How can you visit Japan and not have matcha? This time, I visited the famous Komachi Street near Kamakura Station. I checked out several places but ended up trying two. One of them had 3 branches as I walked from Kamakura (if I remember correctly?) and I had an ice cream there.
▪️Premium Unique Flavored Matcha Soft Serve ¥690
Personally, I found it smooth with just the right concentration of matcha—not too bitter. If I were to rate it on a scale of 1 to 7 from my past matcha experiences, I'd say it's between 4 and 5. They don't sprinkle too much matcha powder on top, which prevents it from being too overpowering.
On that weekday just before noon, there was only one person working, so if there's a crowd, you might have to wait a bit after ordering. There's a small seating area to enjoy the ice cream, and trash bins are available. After walking around for a while, it's quite nice to grab one and enjoy the air conditioning. I heard their panna cotta is famous, but we had other plans, so I didn't buy it. Later, I found out they offer samples, but it was a Japanese person purchasing at the time (you have to ask for it 🥹).
Overall, they offer many convenient payment methods, and the seating area is nice. The matcha is tasty and smooth. The downside is that the wafer is quite ordinary, which is a bit disappointing. But as for the soft serve itself, it wasn't particularly astonishing—maybe because I've come to expect that you can't really go wrong with Japanese matcha.
🌸 Enjoy "Umegae Mochi", a special product of Dazaifu Tenmangu, at a luxurious Japanese confectionery shop. It also makes a great souvenir!
When visiting Dazaifu, everyone is sure to try Umegae Mochi, a confection said to have been offered to Sugawara no Michizane, the deity of learning at Tenmangu Shrine in ancient tales. With dozens of shops selling it along the approach to the shrine, I was attracted to this trendy and upscale-looking store when facing a choice dilemma.
Although the store has a subtle luxurious feel, the price of Umegae Mochi is the same as at other stores, 150 yen. Despite the name containing "ume" (plum), there are no plums used in the ingredients 😂. Made with Japanese glutinous rice and red bean paste from Hokkaido, it's freshly grilled with a slightly crispy exterior and a soft, sweet interior, exuding a nostalgic flavor that's enjoyable every day!
This shop also uniquely offers a refreshing "Plum Cider", made with plum syrup created by students from Fukuoka Agricultural High School using plums from Dazaifu. The weather was quite hot that day, and about half the people chose to buy it.
They also offer a six-piece souvenir package, perfect for taking home to share if you're leaving the country on the same day! Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience it this time, but on the 17th and 25th of each month, they have special one-day limited flavors, with different packaging and shopping bags. Don't miss it if you happen to visit on those dates!
🔅 Actual Visit Date: 2024/10/16
*Please do not repost or use the photos commercially without permission.
At Kotoku-in near Hase Station in Kamakura, there's a Great Buddha statue, and this shop offers a chibi version of the Buddha. It's the only place nearby where you can get this design. What's cool is that each flavor represents a luck you might want to open, so you can choose the flavor for the luck you want! But I simply picked the flavor I wanted to eat 😆
▪️ Special Selection Hokkaido Tokachi Maihime Red Bean ¥220 (Health Luck)
Sweet Red Bean Paste
▪️ Custard ¥220 (Popularity Luck)
I chose the basic must-try in Japan: red bean & custard. The portion was satisfyingly large, very impressive. The red bean version was delicious, as Japan's red beans are truly tasty! Not overly sweet either. The custard was surprisingly not too sweet, but quite standard. What I really enjoyed was that the dough was moist enough with a slight chewiness; the fragrant skin complemented the filling perfectly.
Overall, it wasn't overwhelming, but it had plenty of character. I personally really liked the outer skin. There's a lot of food to try on this street, so if you're passing by, it's worth buying, especially if a couple of people try different flavors together—it's even better (share the luck 😆).
Apart from the Buddha pastries, they also sell dango and ice cream, with many options to choose from. Although it's a tourist area, the prices are quite reasonable!
📍Afternoon Tea • LOVE & TABLE
🔅Actual dining date: 2024/10/14
*Photos are not to be reproduced or used commercially without permission
This place has been all the rage in Taiwan! I made a special effort to visit right when it opened. The popular time slots (from noon to afternoon tea) require queuing, and there's also a chance that the mille crepe flavors you want to try could be sold out, so I decided to come early! As soon as I sat down, I saw the other tables had enormous mille crepes!!! I couldn't resist ordering two, and here's a brief introduction.
▪️Fruits Fruits Mille Crepe ¥2076
▪️Shine Muscat Mille Crepe ¥2178
(Both mille crepes come with a choice of one tea drink)
▫️Café Latte +¥150
▫️English Milk Tea Blend
I ordered the fruit mille crepe I was most interested in and the seasonal Shine Muscat grape flavor (which sounds amazing), and they were really delicious!!! Both were so good, with a perfect balance of sweet and tart from the mixed fruits. There were strawberries, oranges, kiwis, mangoes, bananas, and the whipped cream was just the accompaniment. Although some might say the banana proportion was a bit high (there really was a lot), I didn't think it affected my overall enjoyment!
The grape version was bursting with freshness… the grapes were incredibly sweet!! This version had a bit more whipped cream, and overall, it was a delightful combination of creaminess and grape sweetness. Two people could share one without it becoming too much, leaving you reluctant to finish it 😂 Good thing we ordered it!
I found the coffee and tea drinks quite standard, but I thought the cake was generously sized and delicious. With a drink included at this price, it’s quite worth it!!
▪️Shrimp & Dill, Cream Sauce ¥1210
▫️Comes with bread
Since it was my first meal of the day, I chose a savory dish to steady my stomach. Initially, I thought it might not be very impressive, but it turned out slightly better than expected. The flavor was decent, and the portion was quite large, with a piece of bread included. The sauce for the pasta was quite tasty.
Overall, I highly recommend this place!!! (At the time, I hadn't yet been to the famous Harbs, but after trying it, I love both places, haha.) Although there are many branches, you have to specifically choose the LOVE & TABLE series to get the mille crepes. I didn't get to try the dreamy strawberry mille crepe that many people love, but I thought the grape one was very good too! The environment was comfortable, and the staff that day were adorable (?). After visiting the Meiji Shrine, it's a great spot to walk over to.
The long-awaited Japanese cream puff brand Beard Papa was my first experience. 🧔🏼 This time I visited the Mitsui Outlet store, located in the center of the food street, looking like a pop-up shop. 🤣 Although it’s small, the service speed is really fast, and there are also seating areas set up nearby.
Passing by, I was attracted by the advertisement on the wall, and the latest flavor is Thai Milk Tea, which sounds wicked and special. The lightning cream puff I wanted to try was sold out, and since I wasn’t sure which flavor was tasty, I decided to try a bit of everything. I must say, the price per item is quite high. 💰 I personally like the pineapple crust more than the regular Japanese cream puff, as the texture is richer.
As for the difference between regular Japanese cream puffs and black Japanese cream puffs, it’s probably just the appearance, which looks cooler, but they taste exactly the same. For a budget-conscious choice, it's best to stick with the basics.
The newly launched Thai milk tea flavor isn't overly sweet like many other drinks, but more focused on the tea aroma, with the sweetness perfectly balanced. However, the original vanilla custard is even more refreshing; eating it cold is very satisfying—simple is indeed classic! I award first place to the vanilla custard in the pineapple crust. 🌿 However, the flavor didn’t make me feel it was particularly special or irreplaceable. >< Given the price, it seems there are better options available (I’ll lean towards the “full box” deal at 4 pieces for $55). 🙂↕️
Japanese Cream Puff
Thai Milk Tea $75
Vanilla Custard $65
Black Japanese Cream Puff
Thai Milk Tea $80
Vanilla Custard $70
Pineapple Cream Puff
Thai Milk Tea $80
Vanilla Custard $70
