When you think about it, it’s odd that we consider pancakes to be breakfast when really, they’re obviously dessert. I mean, “cake” is right there in the name. They’re doused in syrup. They’re dessert.
Clearly, Japan is firmly in favour of this argument — aside from the fact that pancakes were featured a Japanese show about dessert, Coffee Tengoku (which specializes in pancakes) doesn’t even open until noon.
My biggest niggle here is the price. Technically, an order of two small pancakes costs ¥550 (about $6.50 Canadian). However, you need to order a drink as well. You can get a combo with a coffee for ¥1000. I’m not a coffee drinker, so I ordered a hot chocolate instead… for ¥620. That would be a fairly insane amount to pay even if this was the best cup of hot chocolate I’ve ever had.
It was not the best cup of hot chocolate I’ve ever had. It tasted like the powdered stuff you can buy at the supermarket. Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, your best bet is probably to go for the combo. At least you’ll save a couple of bucks.
As for the pancakes: they’ve quite good. They’ve got a denser, cakier texture than traditional pancakes, with a very light crispiness on their exterior. They come with a small container of maple syrup, though they’re actually fairly sweet on their own. Still, even with the syrup, they’re not overly sweet (and the salted butter on the side helps to cut some of the sweetness).
They’re a bit overpriced, mostly thanks to the drink requirement, but they’re solid pancakes.
Location: 1 Chome-1-41-9 Asakusa, Taitō-ku, Tōkyō-to 111-0032
How to find it: There’s no English on the sign, but look for the big picture of a coffee mug.
Featured in: Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman, Season 1, Episode 5