Kagayaki Pâtisserie 菓々YAKI 022-353-7334

Website:  http://tabelog.com/miyagi/A0401/A040102/4014179/

Address:  仙台市宮城野区岩切分台1-4-4　ルシアンKATOビル１F.   Located about 400 meters from Iwakiri JR Station on the JR Tohoku Line.  Or if driving, just off of Route 35 coming from Route 8, behind the COOP Market.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open: 11 am – 7 pm.

One of my best friends, Yvonne, recommended this unique restaurant to me some months ago, and although she gave a very enticing description of the fare offered at Kagayaki, I just couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of bread being served as a meal. 

Since this restaurant was Yvonne’s idea, I asked her to join my wife and me for lunch on a recent Saturday afternoon to delight in these baked goodies.

There were four different meal options on the menu, including one brunch set, and all came with a salad and soup.

Let me get the soup and salad out of the way.  Actually, there’s not much to talk about.  They were both pleasing, but nothing to write home about.

Soup

I went with the B set for 680 yen, which included the following three types of bread:

-Shrimp and broccoli with white sauce gratin:  Maybe it was because I’m a picky eater, but I really didn’t care for this.  I like broccoli and I’m usually okay with shrimp, but I wouldn’t normally order anything that came with white sauce or gratin.  I guess it was to be expected that this would be my least favorite. 

-Buttered potato with corn:  This was quite good, as it reminded me of my beloved corn bread.   I could’ve gone for another slice of this!

-Herb and green bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese:  This pizza-tasting slice was also very savory.

エビとブロッコリーのホワイトソースグラタン、

じゃがバタ焼きもろこし、プロヴァンス

My wife and Yvonne (both non-picky eaters), both ordered the Brunch Set for 680 yen, which came with the following bread selections:

-Italian Blue Cheese and Miyagi zucchini:  My better half stated that this was her favorite, and she really enjoyed devouring this one.  Yvonne also expressed that she preferred this slice over the other three. 

-Small fish and tomato:  Nope, my wife didn’t care for this one, but still, she cleaned her plate.  My normal-eater friend wasn't impressed with this one, either.   Perhaps the restaurant might want to rethink this dish.

-Herb and green bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese:  This was the same slice that came with my set, and it was a winner of the 'good taste' award by unanimous decision.

ブルーチーズとズッキーニ、プロヴァンス、
小魚の和風トマト

We all opted for hot coffee for an additional 200 yen, as well as ordering dessert.

My wife decided upon a slice of chocolate cake.  I pleaded for a taste and found it to be nice, but not very sweet.

Chocolate Cake

Yvonne went with a strawberry sundae (350 yen), and I went with a banana chocolate sundae, only to be informed that they were out of bananas.  They offered me a choice of any other fruit substitute for a 50 yen discount.  I requested strawberries instead and it went well with the chocolate sauce.

Strawberry Sundae

Psuedo-Banana/Chocolate Sundae w/Strawberries

I recommended Kagayaki to a friend of mine, Keiko (another non-picky eater), and she purchased three loaves of bread to take home, I believe at a cost of 1200 yen each.  She mentioned that, unlike me, she liked the shrimp and broccoli the best, with a chestnut and mushroom loaf coming in second.  I’m guessing she thought the cheese bread came in third.

If you get a chance, sit by the window to catch a glimpse of the bullet train streak by every now and then.

There’s plenty of parking if you travel by car and the restaurant itself is quite spacious.

I recommend Kagayaki due to its uniqueness, as I’ve never run across a meal such as this.  If you’re looking for something different, try some unconventional slices of the staff of life.

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Café Mozart カフェ モーツアルト 022-263-4689

Website:  http://tabelog.com/miyagi/A0401/A040101/4002447/

Address:  仙台市青葉区一番町3-１１－１４　丸和ビル３F.   Located on Ichibancho between Chuo-dori and the Forus Department Store, on the third floor in the building next to the KFC.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open everyday from 11:30 am to 11 pm, but lunch lasts only till 2:30 pm.

Okay, so I’m a little late in posting this one.  But some time ago while enjoying the Pre-Aoba Matsuri festivities, I decided to search for a new eatery for this blog.  I strolled around Chuo-dori and Ichibancho looking for that hidden gem that I had yet to experience.  Most of the restaurants I saw seem to violate my rule of "less means delicious" when it came to their advertising.  Most places went with loud and flashy, trying to attract attention, which probably meant that they're not very good.  I saw two young ladies perusing a small, indiscreet blackboard sign, and all three caught my eye (for different reasons).

Café Mozart possesses a very casual and comfy atmosphere.    The theme of the cafe seems to be that there is no theme at all.  None of the furniture matches.  Separated into two different dining areas, there are a few coffee tables with relaxing looking armchairs, a sofa, and also a piano.  In the section I was sitting in I saw ten different types of tables, including long tables for a group or for individuals to share.   

On this day, the lunch menu provided only three options:  a shrimp, squid, and mushroom cream pasta (Yuck!  I don’t do squid or cream.  I’m a picky eater!).  A bacon with cream cheese sandwich (I don’t like cream cheese).  And a basil chicken pasta with vegetables.  I went with the third option for 900 yen, which came with the pasta, salad, and a beverage.  I also splurged for dessert and chose the chocolate cake for an additional 250 yen.

たっぷり野菜のバジルチキンパスタ

The pasta was light, buttery, and tasty.  I especially enjoyed the crisp yet tender chickpeas disbursed among the pasta.  And speaking of tender, the slightly seasoned chicken melted in my mouth!  My only complaint would be that the succulent chicken was not in abundance.

The salad, due to its very pleasing sesame dressing, was quite refreshing.

The chocolate cake had a walnutty taste with a hint of sweetness to it, and by itself was just okay.  But when I mixed it with the accompanying cocoa powder, chocolate sauce, raspberry sauce, and the whipped cream, it was delicious!

This went extremely well with the rich, flavorful coffee.

ショコラ・デ・モーツァルト

A fine selection of coffees, teas, and desserts are also on the menu.

All in all, I’d say that this was a very light meal that, with the dessert, satisfied my hunger.

There are a number of other Café Mozarts in Sendai, so this review pertains only to the one on Ichibancho.

This Café Mozart seems to attract a younger crowd, as I noticed that I was the oldest one in the place, but this seems to be a great place to take a break from the shopping crowds and enjoy a coffee or a light meal no matter what your age.

Hmm.  I saw this on the menu but I'm not sure what this coffee tastes like.  

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I’d just like to mention a few things …

First, I would like to thank you for reading A Picky Eater’s Guide to Sendai Grub.  This has been a labor of love for almost two years now, and I knew when creating this blog that my target audience of English speakers interested in Sendai eateries would be quite limited.

So imagine my surprise last week when I realized that I broke through the 20,000 hit barrier, with almost half of those from Japan.

Thank you so much!

Please continue reading and sending me your restaurant recommendations.  I truly appreciate it!

Now on to the foodie part …

I would like to give a special shout-out to La Pousa Restaurant on the top of the SS30 Building in downtown Sendai.  We organized a surprise birthday party for one of my best friends, Yvonne, last weekend and I was really happy that the restaurant provided a cake free of charge for the occasion.  That was a very nice touch!

I’m happy to report that this coming weekend, Friday, September 13^th to Sunday, September 15^th, my favorite Happy Happy Melon Pan Truck  will be offering its baked buns of heaven in its regular spot in front of Daiei Department Store.  

And if you still have a sweet tooth, Baskin-Robbins 31 Ice Cream Double Scoop 31% discount campaign runs from September 13^th till the 23^rd.

The bigger, better, brasher Oktoberfest is making a return engagement to Nishikichō koen from Friday, September 13^th till Monday, September 23^rd.  Sure you had a preview of what Japanese beer guzzling is like when the smaller, tamer beerfest came in June, but the September event is usually larger and livelier.

I tried the following link and clicked on the upper right-hand corner to download coupons for this event, but it wouldn't let me login, even with a password.  Maybe you might have better luck.

However, if you’re really in the mood for German food and drink at a cheaper price, just walk on down Jozen-ji dori to one of my favorites:  Brunenheim!

Again, thank you for reading!

Pizzeria Padrino del Shozan ピッツェリア パドリーノ デル ショーザン 022-213-9220

Website:  http://www.shozankan.com/pizzeria/

Address:  仙台市青葉区上杉2-1-50 勝山間１F.   Located about a 15-minute walk from Kita-Yōbancho Subway Station.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Lunch:  11:30 am – 2 pm.   Dinner:  5:30 pm – 10 pm.  Closed Mondays.

I was really excited about dining here considering this restaurant was recommended to me almost two years ago by a number of acquaintances, but until this particular day I was unable to fit it in.

This pizzeria was originally situated inside the Shozankan Wedding Palace but has since relocated to being adjacent to the palace as of August of this year.

Padrino is one of the few Sendai restaurants to offer outside dining, although the majority of tables are inside.  And about the inside; the interior is beautifully decorated creating a very pleasant eating experience.

The service was impeccable, as we were offered water outside on a hot day while waiting to be seated.  And wait we did, for about twenty-minutes, as the place seems to be very popular.  We were also given detailed menus while waiting, and since they offer a wide variety of pizzas, it was nice to peruse each selection and decide on our meals even before entering.

For the starter, my wife and I shared a Componata (680 yen), cold stewed vegetables in a tomato sauce dressing.  This went very well on such a hot day and tasted delicious.  This place looked promising!

カポナータ

I went with a Margherita Pizza with cherry tomatoes (1200 yen), and paid extra for the rucola (300 yen) and ham (500 yen) toppings.

マルゲリータ　フィレットとルコラと生ハム

My wife went with a basic Margherita Pizza (1000 yen).  All pizzas are 28 cm in diameter, and our pizzas arrived looking fantastic!  Upon first bite, I thought, “Hmm. Not bad, but I bet it gets better.”  I kept tasting and tasting and, no, I was wrong.  It didn’t get any better.  In fact, I really started to notice its shortcomings.  

マルゲリータ

The proscuitto ham was good, but almost a little too salty.  The rucola and cherry tomatoes did not have the same freshness of the veggies at amo la Pizza.  And the mozzarella cheese was pretty tasteless, and almost seemed to become rubbery as the pizza began to cool down.  

The crust had a bit of flavor, but I would rank Shiogama’s Pizza La Gita and, of course, the aforementioned amo way above in the flavor department.

But because the restaurant was packed, I wondered if it was my pickiness that was causing me to be so critical.  I asked my normal-eater wife what she thought of Padrino, and her response was, “I don’t think we need to come back here again.”

So that pretty much summed it up.

There is a paid parking lot available across the street, and Padrino presented us with a service ticket that covered the entire cost of the parking, which was a nice gesture.

I do think you should try this for yourself, as many others seem to enjoy  Padrino.  Please let me know if you have a differing opinion of this restaurant.

**I must apologize for the not-so-perfect photos.  I had forgotten my camera this day and these photos were taken with my wife's ketai.

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Spica Bread & Bagel - Rifu スピカ 022-356-0264

Website:  http://spicabagel.blog44.fc2.com/

Address:  宮城県宮城郡利府町青葉台2-1-120.   Located … somewhere in Rifu?  Sorry about this, but I was driven to this neighborhood and then we walked through a residential area to get here, so I couldn’t find it again without looking up my own map that I posted below.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open: Thursday thru Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

Thanks to my friend, Tony, who introduced me to this very hidden slice of yumminess.  I’ve only visited once but I was quite impressed with what I devoured. 

This is a very small mom & pop operation (although the mom & pop are rather young) run out of their home.  Spica offers a wide variety of bread and bagel vittles, but the menu changes on a daily basis.  

On the lucky day I ventured in, the pickings were slim since I turned up after noontime and most of the baskets of baked goods were already bare.

I was starving so I opted for a bagel pizza (230 yen) with semi-dry tomatoes, herbs, and cheese, sprinkled with olive oil.  Did I forgot to mention that, picky me, I’m not crazy about bagels (nor cheese)?  But due to my aforementioned pickiness, this seemed to be the best option available.

Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised!  The bagel didn’t have the rock hard texture that I dislike about your average bagel, and the combination of the dry tomatoes, herbs, and olive oil was fantastic!  It was a bit messy, as I had to dodge the dripping (delectable) olive oil.

セミドライ トマト と チーズの ベーグル Pizza

I also savored a scrumptious cranberry scone (140 yen).  The dough was indeed very flaky and flavorful!  I can’t believe that supermarkets sell crappy, factory manufactured tasteless dough products for the same price.  I also forgot to mention that scones as a category would not top my list of favorite desserts, but this one was great!

クランベリーザクザクスコーン

According to their blog (address above), they hold events on the 4^th floor of PARCO Department Store in downtown Sendai from time to time.  If you have an opportunity to venture to Rifu, I highly recommend Spica!

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Poporo Gelato Shop - Matsushima ポポロ・ジェラートSHOP 022-354-6322

Website:  http://www5b.biglobe.ne.jp/~mikazuki/poporo/top.htm

Address:  宮城県宮城郡松島町高城字浜３８－３.   Located just off Route 45 near Matsushima Dai-ichi Elementary School.  About a 15-minute walk from Matsushima JR Station (not to be confused with the more touristy Matsushima-kaigan JR Station.  Although, it’s about a 25 to 30-minute walk from there).

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open:  Their website states 10 am to 7 pm from April to October, and closing at 6 pm from November to March.  But in reality they seem to close at 5 pm all year round.

My friend, Helen, recommended this gelato shop to me a couple of years ago, as she knew that I drove out to Matsushima on a weekly basis.   But because I’m bad at directions I could never find the place.   

I changed my route one day, and lo and behold, there it was!  Actually, it took me quite a few trips down that route to notice the giant ice cream cone on top of the building.  Apparently, I’m oblivious to the obvious.

Poporo advertises itself as using 100% all natural ingredients to make the highest quality, homemade Italian gelato.  I’m no authority on gelato (though I did try my best to become one during my trip to Venice), but this mom-and-pop gelato shop offers up some creamy, rich gelato.

My two favorite flavors are the chocolate and chocolate chip (stracciatella).  Pretty plain, huh?

But I’ve also tried the vanilla, which wasn’t sweet enough for my taste buds, and the choco-banana, which tasted much more banana than chocolate.

Vanilla and Chocolate on a double cone

Overall, I would say that Poporo’s gelato is not nearly as sweet as traditional ice cream, yet it is much creamier, which seems to suit the Japanese palate.  My wife loves the Jersey Milk flavor and thought that my vanilla was great.

One complaint I would have is the taste of the cone.  I ordered a double cone for 330 yen because it appeared to be the best value (as opposed to a single cone for 280 yen).  But every time I’ve ordered the double cone, the cone tasted, shall we say, not exactly from an unopened box.  More like a day-old cone.

I’ve been more satisfied ordering a single scoop in a waffle cone (300 yen).  And even then, this is no sweet Baskin-Robbins 31 Ice Cream waffle cone, but at least much fresher than their standard double cone.

Check out their website for their list of 33 flavors of gelato and sorbettos, though not all are available at the same time.

A small sampling of their offerings.

There are a couple of tables inside with air conditioning, and a good sized parking lot.  You can also order 500 gram packs of ice cream to take home.

If you’re visiting Matsushima and are hankering for something cold and creamy, I highly recommend Poporo Gelato Shop!

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Daily’s Muffin デイリーズ・マフィン 022-778-5438

Website:  http://dailysmuffin.jp/

Address:  仙台市青葉区上杉3丁目 1-10.   Located about a 10-minute walk from either the Kotodai-koen or Kita-Yobanchō  Subway Stations, somewhat near the NHK Building.

Map:  Scroll down below.

Open:  Tuesdays thru Fridays, 8 am till they are sold out, which is early. Saturdays open from 11 am.  

Closed Sundays, Mondays, and Holidays.

I normally don't rush to judgment (ok, maybe I do sometimes), nor do I usually add eateries to my Favorites list casually, but Daily's Muffin definitely deserves a place at the top after my extensive research in the last few weeks.

Recently, my friend, Fong Xiong, introduced these wonderful muffins to my colleagues.  Unfortunately, there were only three muffins and a staff of seven that day.  To be fair, I cut a quarter of a banana/nama-chocolate muffin for the road.  Arriving at my destination, I partook of my small sampling. 

Heavenly!

I've never had a great muffin in Japan and was astonished as the creamy, sweet chocolate blended so wonderfully with the banana muffin.  I also felt selfish as I was then upset that I took only took a quarter of the muffin and not half.

The following week, Fong announced that he would be returning to Daily's Muffin and asked the staff if they would like anything.  I think he was sorry he asked.  Everyone in the office started rattling of their choices of muffins.

When Fong (a.k.a. The Muffin Man) returned, we didn't get what we wanted.

At that time, we didn't know that Daily's Muffin changes their menu on a weekly basis.  Alas, my lovely banana/chocolate muffin could not be had!

Fong chose a Royal Milk Tea with Caramel Muffin for me instead of my preferred banana/nama-chocolate.  But I don't like milk tea and I'm not crazy about caramel.  He gladly offered to take it himself if I passed on it, but I felt a bit adventurous.  I mean, how bad can a muffin be?

It wasn't bad, at all.  In fact, it was delectable!  If this is what milk tea tastes like, I may have to start drinking it.

In the following three weeks, three members of our staff and two students individually ventured to the Kamisugi shop to delight in these baked goodies.

Combined, our staff has probably purchased close to 50 muffins in this short period of time.  By the way, we don't have a large staff.

Speaking of which, there are a few things that I’d like to mention.  Unfortunately, these scrumptious muffins are hard to come by, as the shop closes as soon as they sell out, and they sell out quickly!  On this week’s visit at 12:45 pm, the shop was already sold out of muffins and the kind shopkeepers were just waiting for me to pick up my order so that they could close up shop.

First, the amiable proprietors are a young couple who opened Daily’s Muffin just four short years ago.   
Secondly, this is a bit of a difficult coffee shop to find, as their is no clearly visible signage indicating that a muffin shop is at that address.  Oops, did I forget to mention that you can savor their rich, deep coffee along with their savory snacks on the premises?   
Oh, the price: muffins are 290 yen.  

Here is the website for their menu:Lastly, I strongly advise you to peruse their menu online and then call to reserve your muffins for the day, otherwise, you’ll most likely be out of luck.

http://dailysmuffin.jp/menu.php

Doesn't exactly look like a muffin shop, does it?

Here are a few of the muffins either I, or my friends, have devoured.

プレーンマフィン

The plain muffin (vanilla & sugar):  Always a safe bet.  Sooooo delicious!

Oreo Cookie and Chocolate Chip Muffin

I didn't eat this one, but my friend, Rie, swore by it!

I'm not exactly sure what this was???

This was my dear friend, Yvonne's, choice for the day, a お楽しみマフィン, but neither she nor I remember what it was.  But it looks great!

Chocolate/Orange Muffin

This Chocolate/Orange combo was good, but it had been sitting in my car for seven hours, so it was a bit dry by the time I was able to taste it.

サクランボ／生チョコ Muffin

This Cherry/Nama-Chocolate muffin was listed as the お楽しみマフィン on this day, and I have to say that this was the best of the best!

Lemon and Caramel Muffin

I'm not crazy about caramel, but this was great, with just a hint of lemon.

桃のコンポート＆ロイヤルミルクティ Muffin

This Peach/Milk Tea muffin was my wife's selection, which she raved about!

抹茶／生チョコ Muffin

This was also listed as the お楽しみマフィン for this week.  I usually don't like maccha-flavored foods, but this was wonderful!


My dear friend, Takayo, graciously gave me her mango/caramel muffin topped with coconut shavings.  This was a triple threat, as I don't care for mango, caramel, nor coconut shavings.  But to my surprise, this was amazing!  However, I forgot to take a picture.

And they just don't sell muffins.  Various chiffon cakes, cookies, and brownies are available daily.

Brownie

This brownie was good, but I would have preferred it a bit sweeter.

Oatmeal/Chocolate Chip/Almond Cookie

I guess I'm used to the sweeter Betty Crocker Oatmeal Cookies I make myself, but for 150 yen, and considering it's difficult to find an oatmeal cookie in Japan, it's not bad.

I hope you get to experience the mouthwatering flavors of Daily's Muffin, but at the same time I'm afraid you may take my muffins.  

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Some Recent Items

If you haven’t already heard, the Tohoku Oktoberfest 2013 is in full swing at Nishikichou-koen just north of Kotodai-koen, and will run until Sunday, June 16th.  This festival is open everyday from 4 pm to 9 pm, but opens at 11 am on the weekends.

Here is their website:
http://www.oktober-fest.jp/2013tohoku/index.html

There are usually two Oktoberfests held in Sendai, the smaller, less popular one in June, and the bigger, genkier one in September.  My wife and I decided to stroll on over today to check out the scene and we were quite surprised at how big this year’s June festival is, and how lively it has become.  All the tents were packed with Deutsch-loving Japanese people.

Sure it’s a lot of overpriced food and drinks, but it’s great to see people having a good time!  Of course, we heard the standard “Roll Out the Barrel” from the German polka band, but it was funny to hear them play the theme to the Benny Hill Show.  What was funnier was watching a woman in heels run through the tent while they were playing this tune.  Seemed fitting to see someone scuttling across with this background music.

From the Konig Ludwig food/beer stand we tried the German potatoes (500 yen) and the 3 types of sausages platter.  The German potatoes were not bad, but nothing special.  The sausages were pretty good, but definitely not worth the 1400 yen price.

ジャーマンポテト

グリル3 種盛り合わせ。Tasty, but 1400 円？ 

Instead of satisfying our cravings for German fare, these tidbits merely enticed us more, so we headed down to one of our favorites, Brunenheim, which was down the street.

At Brunenheim we had some real German potatoes (710 yen), tasty garlic toast (530 yen), and a platter of potatoes with four different grilled sausages that tasted much better than the links at the Oktoberfest, and at a lesser price (1080 yen).

ガーリックトースト

グリルソーセージ

A poster outside of Brunenheim.  Cracks me up every time.

And if you head down to either the Oktoberfest or Brunenheim on Sunday, June 9th, be sure to stop at Kotodai-koen for the Jazz Promenade in Sendai.  I heard a few fantastic jazz groups today playing some familiar tunes.  It reminded me how great it is to live in Sendai where you can go downtown and be entertained by talented people for free.  I love Sendai!

Also, if you haven’t seen the TV commercials, Baskin-Robbins 31 Ice Cream is running a Happy 4 You! campaign that allows you to purchase four mini-scoops of ice cream for only 400 yen.  These mini-scoops have 40% more volume than the double small scoops.  I believe this campaign will run until June 28th.

My Happy 4: Rocky Road, Chocolate, Cookies n' Cream, Chocolate Chip

And this Thursday, June 13th, marks the return of the Happy-Happy Melon Pan Truck in front of Daiei.  Please click the name to read about my previous posts about their delicious melon pan.  The truck will be parked at Daiei till Monday, June 17^th.

UPDATE:  I forgot to mention that next Saturday, June 15th, from 10 am till 3:30 pm at Kotodai-koen is the 食肉まつり.  I don't know what this is exactly, but a meat festival doesn't sound bad to me.