Trader Joe's Yuzu Ripple Coconut Frozen Dessert: This vegan coconut-based "ice cream" is one of the best things I've ever had from Trader Joe's. The coconut base is more neutral than other vegan frozen desserts I've had, making the acidic yuzu ripples the dominant flavor. It seems to be flavored with both yuzu zest as well as marmalade-like yuzu "ripples" that add a satisfying chewy texture. Perfect for hot summer days. 4.5/5.0
exceptional vegan desserts icecream traderjoes yuzu ripple coconut frozen dessert 4.5Lotte Chocolate Caramel Choco Pie in Ginza : The iconic snack Choco Pie from Korean brand Lotte is available in most places shops in Japan. This particular Ginza chocolate caramel cake flavor is part of a special edition "around the world" series which takes iconic desserts from various cities around the world. For example, it previously featured the NYC cheesecake. I've never actually heard of a Tokyo-specific chocolate caramel cake (and a quick Google Search comes up empty). This is a very decadent Choco Pie, with chocolate cake i... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese desserts inegaya lotte chocolate caramel choco pie in ginza 3.0Tokyo Milk Cheese Strawberry Cream Puff: Catching up on some reviews I never wrote back when shops were still open. This is a cream puff shop right outside of the Akihabara train station in Tokyo. They have regular cream, chocolate, and strawberry flavored cream puffs, as well as some seasonal flavors. I purchased the strawberry one, and it was quite good - the pastry was flaky and dusted in powdered sugar, and the strawberry cream inside was smooth and pleasantly sweet. Definitely decent for a chain shop and a quick snack. 3.5/5.0
akihabara japanese desserts creampuff tokyomilkcheese strawberry cream puff 3.5Mont 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 3.5Tsukishimaya Imagawayaki waffle dessert: In my neighborhood in Tokyo, there's a very small to-go stall selling a traditional Japanese dessert called Imagawayaki, which is a wheel-shaped waffle/pancake with red-bean filling. Here, you can purchase a custard version as well, each for just over a dollar, and they're made fresh right in front of you with a heavy-duty cast-iron mold. I really enjoyed the crispy coating and slightly chewy interior. The pancake itself had a nice wheat flavor, which was pleasantly surprising because I e... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended desserts azabujuban japanese tsukishimaya imagawayaki waffle dessert 4.0Usagiya Dorayaki: I first learned of the Japanese snack Dorayaki from Doraemon, a cartoon for kids about a robot cat whose favorite snack is the red-bean filled pancake. Since watching Doraemon as a child, I've enjoyed eating Dorayaki in the states mostly from the refrigerated aisle of grocery stores, where the packets always contain silica gel to maintain freshness. I was excited to try freshly made ones at Usagiya, a famous confectionary shop in Ueno specializing in this dessert. For a little under two d... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese ueno desserts redbean usagiya dorayaki 3.0