ハラミ串
[Overall Review]
Located about a 5-minute walk from Minowa Station towards the residential area, this cafe opened in February this year in a renovated first floor of a house. It is a cafe that focuses on coffee in a renovated old folk house style, offering a limited breakfast menu of 10 servings. This review will focus on the breakfast. Although still a new establishment, the building itself has a mix of old and new elements. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. The breakfast consisted of two types of rice balls and miso soup, a very basic yet well-prepared meal. The coffee that followed was also excellent. The Tokyo downtown area is currently experiencing a rush of openings for cafes renovated from old folk houses, but I really enjoyed the taste and atmosphere of this place.
[Tokyo's downtown area is a treasure trove of renovated old folk houses. There are regular openings of such cafes. While I would usually pass on a typical old folk house cafe, this one offers a limited breakfast menu for 10 servings. The cafe is located in a standalone house in the middle of a residential area not far from Minowa Station. It opens at 7 am every day except Fridays and Saturdays. The interior has a rustic log house feel with a counter for 4 seats and a large table for 9 seats. The woody interior is quite charming with plenty of potted plants and dried flowers, and stained glass windows. The lighting is also carefully chosen. I visited on a Sunday morning around 9 am. The cafe is run by a woman. The background music is R&B, adding a stylish touch. The menu mainly focuses on various coffees, teas, soft drinks, and so on. There doesn't seem to be any alcohol available. Now, onto the breakfast, which was still available when I arrived! After paying at the pink telephone counter, I waited for a bit. The breakfast consisted of rice balls and miso soup for 700 yen. There were two types of rice balls - salted and komatsuna-kombu. The rice was a blend of brown rice. The meal also included miso soup and pickles, a refreshing combination. The rice balls were quite large and fluffy. When you bite into them, the chewy texture and flavor of the brown rice germ are really pleasant. The miso soup was generous in portion, with ingredients like beaten egg, enoki mushrooms, eggplant, and onions. The addition of onions enhanced the sweetness and umami. Just the rice balls, miso soup, and pickles alone were quite satisfying, but this time I also added an Americano (560 yen) after the meal. It was described as strong, heavy, and bitter. I had it black, and it really lived up to that description. It was perfect for a morning cup of coffee.]
[Final Thoughts]
I was surprised to find such a lovely cafe in the residential area of Minowa. I might become a regular here due to its cozy atmosphere. While I only used it for breakfast this time, this cafe also serves delicious coffee. It may be a hidden gem that is useful for various occasions. Today's bill came to a total of 1,260 yen. Thank you for the meal.