Meyers Bageri Cinnamon Roll: On my recent trip to Scandinavia, the one item I was on the look out for was cardamom buns. Unfortunately, a handful of the bakeries I tried to go to didn't work out. Most of them were closed for the month of July as part of their summer holiday (could you imagine if people did this in the US?!), which I only sadly discovered after going to them in person. It was a reminder not to trust Google Map opening hours as bakeries often share that they're closed through their Instagram feeds. Ba... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended bakery cinnamon bread roll 3.5 meyersbageri
Mont Thabor Turtle melon pan: I stopped by a bakery on my way to the train station and stumbled upon turtle melon-pan, which some may remember was the original avatar of Tasty Snacking until I designed my own. Having never seen one in person, I had to try it. The bread has a fairly standard dinner roll flavor, which is to say pretty neutral, while the "shell" of the turtle is sweet and reminiscent of Chinese pineapple bun, though less rich. It doesn't taste like melon (I believe it's called that for its appearance rather... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese bakery bread montthabor turtle melon pan 3.5
Mont Thabor Ohina-sama Pastry: This week, I moved to a new part of Tokyo and left Azabu-Juban, the neighborhood I was living in for 3 months. One of my favorite parts of Azabu-Juban was its variety of small historic businesses: there was the original taiyaki shop, a nuts and beans shop that's over 100 years old, and this bakery, Mont Thabor, that opened in the neighborhood 40 years ago and has since expanded to several locations. The bakery overall was a solid neighborhood bakery - the prices are reasonable, and the pro... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended azabujuban bakery sweets japanese montthabor ohina-sama pastry 3.5
Mont Thabor Hokkaido Milk Bread: I found the picture I took of the Hokkaido Milk Bread from Mont Thabor, a neighborhood bakery in Azabu Juban in Tokyo. One characteristic I've noticed of most bakeries in Tokyo that aren't chains like Starbucks is that they don't normally have any seating, with the idea that customers purchase items to eat at home. Unlike America, where it is normal for people to eat or drink while walking, in Japan, this is considered rude, so even if you purchase say a soft drink at a convenience store, ... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended desserts bread bakery azabujuban japanese montthabor hokkaido milk 3.5
Nezu No Pan Mugwort Bread with Red Beans: My friend purchased two different mini loafs from Nezu bakery Nezu No Pan, whose bread has a texture unlike any I've had before. The outside of the loaf is a normal thin crust, but the inside is stretch and chewy, a bit like mochi but definitely lighter (for example, you can easily break off a piece). This bread has a vivid green color and slightly bitter herbal flavor from mugwort, a plant used to flavor some Asian desserts (the only other time I had it was also in Japan, and it was used ... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional japanese nezu tokyo bakery nezunopan megwort bread red beans 4.5
Nezu No Pan Lemon Poppy Seed Bread: The other flavored bread that I received from the bakery Nezu No Pan, located close to Nezu Station in Tokyo, is a lemon poppy seed loaf. It's pleasantly acidic, with a lemon flavor that's both sweet and sharp but not overly so, as the flavor is mellowed out by the pillowy, chewy bread. The texture somehow combines the best of mochi-like chewiness with the moist, soft consistency of freshly baked bread. A standout combination – the flavor alone is definitely one of the best lemon breads I... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional tokyo nezu bread bakery baked nezunopan lemon poppy seed 4.5