Category Archives: Cafe

{  MOSDO  }

MOSDO
MOSDO
MOSDO

The first Mosdo in Tokyo opened yesterday! (On April 1st, 2012).

Mosdo – Sounds familiar but not sure what it is? Well, it’s a collaboration between Mos Burger and Mr. Donuts. It’s a dream come true for Mos burger and Mr. Donuts fans. It’s located 1 min from Ebisu West Exit, which is a really great location. I think that this collaboration has a high potential to be successful.

Although Mosdo doesn’t serve Mos Burger’s hamburgers or Mister Donut’s regular donuts, they have a variety of panini type sandwiches and sweets that you can enjoy. We got the ham and cheese panini (320yen) and Walnut Cookie Sandwich (190yen) to go. They were both just OK, but what can you expect for the price. I really want to try the Maple Butter Hotcake (280yen) next time, which you can only eat at the cafe.

Gotta admit, this place is kind of exciting!

Address // 1-10-7, Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-6408-9877
Website // http://mosdo.jp

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{  Brown Rice Cafe  }

Brown Rice Cafe
Brown Rice Cafe

Brown Rice Cafe serves basic vegetables that somehow taste so good. There is no fancy presentation or elaborate cooking technique. They just serve you normal veggies but they draw out the strong natural flavor of the organic vegetables and it tastes so sweet and fresh. You can really tell this cafe puts a lot of effort into choosing the best seasonal ingredients from local farmers. I would say this is a dream cafe for anyone who believes in sustainable and local supplies.

Their menu doesn’t really have proteins, but the dishes are so filling that you almost forget you’re only eating vegetables. We love their “specials” that go for 2100yen. Aside from your meal, it includes a small dessert and drink. I really wish more places like this existed because it not only tastes good, but also happens to be good for your body and for the environment.

Address // 5-1-17, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5778-5416
Website // www.brown.co.jp

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{  Cafe Yokohamaya  }

Cafe Yokohamaya
Cafe Yokohamaya

You’d never think of going into this coffee shop if you were just passing by, but it’s the quintessential traditional Japanese coffee shop that you can imagine seeing in the movies. Nothing fancy, it’s just a small coffee shop but it serves the perfect cup of coffee. The best thing about this place is their master/owner and his wife. They have run the shop for over thirty years and they haven’t let the waves of different trends in Japan influence it. For thirty years they’ve kept their menu simple and only serve three items: Hayashi Rice, cheese cake, and Tarte Tatin (Apple Pie). They make them all from scratch fresh daily and it’s really an impressive dedication to their craft. Go for lunch, you can get Hayashi Rice, coffee, and a small dessert for only 900yen.

This kind of old school coffee shop is very rare in Japan nowadays with Starbucks taking over everywhere, but I hope it doesn’t disappear because it’s not just the food and coffee that makes it special, but the character and dedication to quality that the master and his wife bring to it. If you’re wondering why their coffee is so good, it’s partly because all of their coffee beans are sourced from local growers and he doesn’t serve any beans that are more than a week old.

PS: The owner named this place Yokohamaya because that’s his hometown :)

Address // B1F, 1-11-2, Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3586-7486
Website // n/a

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{  Lion no iru Circus  }

Lion no iru Circus
Lion no iru Circus
Lion no iru Circus

This hidden cafe is called “ライオンのいるサーカス” which translates to, “a circus with a lion”. I know it doesn’t really make much sense, but that’s Japan for you :) If you look carefully, you’ll find some lion’s hidden throughout the cafe. The ambiance is very cute and cozy, but their chairs are pretty uncomfortable to actually sit in.

This place is famous for their tsukemen pasta. Instead of the sauce being on the pasta, you dip the pasta into the sauce. It’s actually pretty tasty and I purchased the add-on spice for 50yen which was worth it. The holiday brunch set includes a main dish, drink, and dessert for 1280yen. If you’re hungry, you can pay 200yen to get more noodles, which I wish I had done because it wasn’t enough food for me. Their “Lion salad” was 900yen and it was good but not great.

Overall a really cute place to hang out and chill with your friends or loved ones.

Address // 2-3-1, EbisuMinami, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-6452-3657
Website // http://tabisurucafe.com/ebisu/index.html

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{  Muji Cafe  }

Muji Cafe
Muji Cafe

If you haven’t checked out Muji, you definitely should. It’s a great store that has everything from stationary and clothing to furniture and food. Some of the larger Muji stores also have a cafe attached, called Muji Cafe. The store that’s located in Yurakucho/Ginza is one of the largest Muji stores in Tokyo and it also contains the largest Cafe Muji i’ve ever seen. It’s a great place to have a light lunch or a tea/coffee break if you’re doing a shopping session in Ginza.

As you can see from the photos above, the cafe also includes a bakery section with a variety of delicious baked goods. If you’re going to buy something from the bakery, I would recommend their number 1 seller, the pretzel croissant with red bean.

Address // 3-8-3, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5208-8241
Website // www.muji.net/shop/cafemeal.html

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