Pancake Days (Tokyo, Japan)

This was my second time visiting Pancake Days, the first time being well over a year ago. Pancake Days is located in Harajuku, in the same block as Milk Cafe which I wrote about last week.

As indicated by its name, the main focus of the menu is pancakes. They do, however, offer a small selection of other food like gratin or stew with rice. Pancakes are available both sweet and savory. It seems to me that most customers order the sweet sets (such as maple cream, banana, caramel and nuts), but what's special is that the options under the "meal" section of the menu are made to be suited for both pancakes or rice.

Which is why I ordered the beef stew and pancakes set. Who would have thought to put the two together? It was around lunch time when I went, so I was leaning towards the savory side but couldn't give up the pancakes either.

The beef stew and pancakes ended up going really well together, I was very pleasantly surprised! The beef wasn't as tender as I would have liked, but the stew had a nice texture and the pancakes were fluffy and just the right size. Soft butter and specially packaged "Pancake Days" maple syrup were provided, along with a small serving of shredded cabbage flavoured with a few drops of vinegar, and a small scoop of potato salad on top. Although the cafe latte that I ordered as part of the set wasn't up to par in my opinion, I would definitely have the beef stew and pancakes combination again.

The shop interior is brightly lit during the daytime, thanks to the natural light coming in from the large windows. Cups and simple decor on the windows are in vibrant colours, and cutely shaped lamps hang from the ceiling. Although floor space is quite small, the whimsicality makes up for it. It's a very refreshing atmosphere, and I ended up staying there for almost 2 hours just eating, reading, and smiling at the little girl who was lip-syncing to the Taylor Swift music playing in the background.

Pancakes Days is definitely a place I would go to over and over again -- but I would probably stick to weekdays, as I hear there is a line up on the weekends.


Details:
Name: Pancake Days
Type of Dining: Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert
Address: 6-6-2 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (2nd floor)
Access: 3 minute walk from Tokyo Metro Meijijingumae station, or 5 minutes from JR Harajuku station
Website: http://www.pancakedays.jp/shop/harajuku/

Milk Cafe (Tokyo, Japan)

MiLK cafe is located on a quiet side street near Harajuku. Although it was a Friday, maybe because of the summer holiday, many places around the Omotesando area were quite crowded even well past lunch time. A friend and I came across this cafe while walking around in search of a quieter place where we could relax and talk, away from the din (or more importantly, the heat).

It has a peaceful ambiance, with wooden interior and exteriors and plenty of green, making it very easy on the eyes. Mostly natural lighting is used with soft drapes hanging overhead. Delicate, golden bells are placed at every table for customers to ring when in need of service. Coasters and napkins are also decorated with the cafe's elaborate logo. My favourite part of the dining experience, however, is the snippets of Disney's Alice in Wonderland projected onto a wall at the side while customers dine, muted and in black and white.

Unfortunately, the special of the day was already sold out by the time we arrived, but I eventually decided on the omelet rice. The egg was cooked to a soft, fluffy texture and placed on top of rice flavoured with a bit of ketchup, and surrounded by a sweet, denser sauce.

Something else worth mentioning is the interior of the restroom. With empty, Victorian picture frames hanging from the walls, a wide mirror, and various toiletries for girls in need, I was surprised by how much effort they had put into the decor. As an extra surprise, a small, white animal slept in a cage just outside of the two restrooms (a ferret, perhaps?). The cafe seems to also have a sister store, Salon de Milk -- a hair salon where you can get your hair cut and coloured.

All in all, it was an unexpected but pleasant find on an extremely hot, summer afternoon.


Details:
Name: MiLK cafe
Type of Dining: Lunch, Dinner, Dessert
Address: 6-6-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Access: 2 minute walk from Tokyo Metro Meijijingumae station, or 5 minutes from JR Harajuku station
Website: http://www.milkcafe.jp.net/

Nata de Cristiano's (Tokyo, Japan)

I decided to take a short afternoon walk from Harajuku to this hidden gem. Due to my numerous trips to Macau I have eaten countless Portuguese egg tarts in my life, but this was my first time trying one in Tokyo.

Nata de Cristiano's is a very small shop near Yoyogi Park. Its interior consists of a counter and some stools, with the kitchen in the back taking most of the space. Outside is a wooden bench and two small tables for customers who want to enjoy their pastries on the spot.

They do offer a small variety for their menu, but as expected, their egg tarts seem to be the most popular. I ordered two of their signature Portuguese egg tarts to go. Although rather small in size compared to egg tarts I've had before, when I ate them a few hours later at home, the crust was still very crispy and not too greasy. The egg filling was also just the right amount of sweetness.

They're the perfect afternoon snack for 200yen apiece. I'd come again!


Details:
Name: Nata de Cristiano's
Type of Dining: Snack (Portuguese)
Address: 1-14-16-103 Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Access: 2 minute walk from Yoyogikoen station
Website: http://www.cristianos.jp/nata/