Cream Puffs And Cotton Candy...What More Does A Girl Need?
When I started planning my trip to Japan, my excitement was at an all-time high. My Instagram collection labeled Japanese Bites was packed with some of the craziest and most beautiful food I'd ever seen. From 3D latte art, gold leaf soft serve and a unicorn parfait that will make your mouth drop, Japan has it all.
While I put forth a valiant effort, I was unable to hit up ALL the things I wanted to try. Disappointing, I know but I was happy with what I checked off my list.
Planning a trip to Japan or perhaps have a penchant for unusual bites? These are three establishments that need to be on your radar.
Shirohige's Cream Puff Factory is one place not to be missed. Located approximately thirty minutes (by train) outside of Shinjuku, Shirohige's is off the beaten path. Knowing that these cream puffs were a top priority, we hopped on the train and went to what felt like were the outer most suburb of Japan. Departing the train station, we both noticed an odd calmness to the area. The area was void of clamor and people. To be honest, we were so shocked, we weren't quite sure what to do, except soak it in
The cream puff factory is approximately a 15 minute walk from the train station, just long enough to work off a few bites of that heavenly cream puff.
As we made it to the top of the hill, we noticed the sign above and a few people noshing. Clapping with delight, we made our way inside.
Patrons have the option to sit in the cafe and enjoy lunch along with their coveted cream puff or they can pop over to the bakery where there's an endless assortment of totoros.
You will notice that each cream puff is embellished differently. Each notates a different flavor of cream or custard. While the custard and chocolate are available year round, other flavors like strawberry( featured above with the pink flower) are seasonable and depend on the harvest.
Having more time I would have ordered one of each flavor, but these little guys are to be eaten the day they are purchased. Seeing as I had dinner at Nihonryori RyuGin that evening, I thought it would be a little ridiculous to entertain more than two.
One thing to note, I saved one of my cream puffs for the following day and it tasted as fresh as ever. Lesson Learned: even though you are encouraged to eat them the same day they are purchased, you can push it...just a little.
After we finished having coffee at Reissue Cafe (last seen here) we wandered around Harajuku. Trying to keep my head above water in the sea of people, I continued to see these magical Unicorn Cotton Candies floating around. Before I could pull up google maps, I stumbled right into the middle of the Totti Candy Factory fan club. Filled with excitement, I bounded up the staircase and right into the queue. From gumballs to glow worms, Totti makes any candy enthusiast's dream come true. Of course, yours truly couldn't leave without purchasing some of the adorable cake pops and the largest Unicorn Cotton Candy possible.
Yes, I realized I was being touristy AF, but I owned it and loved every minute.
I know many of you are wondering if I ate the entire cotton candy. I had my fair share, but shared it with my girls. That's WAY too much sugar for one individual to consume!
Tip: If you are simply looking for the Unicorn Cotton Candy and don't care to have the full Totti experience, there are several cotton candy vendors throughout the streets of Harajuku that can make your sweet dreams come true.
As a food blogger and someone who considers themselves in the "know" when it comes to food, it's hard to believe I've never had bubble tea. The reactions I received when sharing this fun fact with my friends was downright comical. Yes, these drinks are available in Nashville, but if I am being honest, they weren't on my radar.
After wandering through the bamboo forest in Arashiyama, I worked up quite the thirst. While waiting for my girlfriends to finish up at the shops, I began wandering.
Spotted-the cutest cotton candy restaurant I've ever seen with the name Fluffy. SOLD!
Curiosity got the best of me and I went to check out the offerings. Fluffy specializes in cotton candy, tapioca and coffee; patrons can have any combination of the three. Even with such modest menu offerings, I had the hardest time choosing. After several minutes of indecisiveness, I ordered the Café Latte. A drink of this caliber merited a few photos, but it wasn't long before I took my first sip. O.M.G. All I could think of was "why have I not tried this sooner?"
On the walk back, I got stopped by multiple people inquiring about my drink and when I met my friends their mouths dropped! I really enjoyed my Fluffy Tapioca Café Latte but similar to Shirohige's, I would have ordered multiple beverages. So many options, such little time.
Tip: Beverages start at ¥300 and top out at ¥500. I paid with cash, but I don't recall if they accepted cards or not.
You all may be thinking "what an ungodly amount of sugar you've consumed! "And you're right. It's much more than what I consume at home. However, when I am on vacation, I love to sample as many things as possible. In my opinion, when you are on vacation, all bets are off and calories don't count!
Until Next Time!