Sakae-ya Main Store has been renovated? In any case, it is written as Namban Orai. The interior of the store is almost the same as before, and the dining area is the same. Only Mont Blanc can be eaten in, so I ordered Mont Blanc. There are only two choices, but one of them was sold out, so there was no choice. It was the chestnut Mont Blanc. There is a Namban Orai sauce in the center without any sauce. They recommend trying the sauce on the side for a different taste, but everything is so sweet that it becomes overwhelming. The Namban Orai inside is also sweet, and it's actually unnecessary. Adding the sauce on the side, but the sauce is weak in flavor and doesn't add much. The self-serve coffee (extra charge) also takes a long time, so it can be tiring when there are other customers (laughs), and you may lose the desire for refills. The dining area is too simple and not comfortable. I returned the plate properly and left immediately! Self-serve is good, but the taste and price don't match. It would be better if they allowed you to eat the cake you bought for dine-in, so that even those who don't like Mont Blanc could enjoy together. It's just inconvenient, honestly.

I had been curious about the café on Nanban-ohkaido in Iizuka for a while. The freshly squeezed Mont Blanc was amazing! It had Nanban-ohkaido at the bottom, followed by whipped cream, then the Mont Blanc on top, topped with candied chestnuts and meringue cookies. It also came with Anglaise sauce for a change in flavor. I love Japanese chestnuts, but the Gold Sweet also looked delicious. The coffee set for 1,100 yen was a great deal. The coffee was self-serve with free refills. It was a nice place to relax and chat. It takes about an hour by car, but I will definitely go again. They also had a wide variety of other sweets at Sakae-ya.

Work in Iizuka City. After finishing work post lunch, I happened to come across "Namban Orai Sweets-Bistro Main Store" while moving around in Iizuka City. The store seemed to be the flagship store of Sakae-ya, a famous local sweets shop in Chikugo. It appeared to offer eat-in options as well. Let's have some dessert here before heading back. I parked my car in the spacious parking lot and entered the store, where a variety of Sakae-ya sweets were displayed. The café space was located in a nice wooden building with a retro vibe on the right side of the entrance. The café entrance had the words "Namban Café" displayed. The specialty of the store was the "Namban Orai" which is a well-known local baked sweet with a 30-minute freshness guarantee. I chose the "Freshly Squeezed Mont Blanc with Japanese Chestnut Set (1,100 yen, tax included)". I paid at the counter in the store and then moved to the adjacent café building. The café building, with its exposed wooden architecture, high ceilings, and a chandelier with a Taisho-era retro feel, offered a luxurious ambiance. The seating included 2-person and 4-person tables, but since it was a weekday at 1 pm, there were few customers. By occupying the large communal table in the center of the floor, I was able to enjoy a leisurely time. The coffee was self-service from a machine, with the option for refills. The coffee was delicious, and I could have two cups without any hesitation, which felt like a good deal. The glass-walled workshop allowed me to see the process of piping the Japanese chestnut cream, which could be interesting for children. The dessert was served. Based on Namban Orai, it featured chestnut custard with a stringy chestnut paste covering it. The meringue and chestnut skin added texture and the separate sauce provided a flavor change. The freshly made dessert with a drink included for 1,100 yen was a great value. I had a luxurious time that I would want to recommend to others when in Iizuka. It was lucky to stumble upon this place and I enjoyed it. Thank you for the meal.

I heard there was a specialty store that sells traditional Japanese sweets, so I decided to check it out! They had the regular traditional Japanese sweets, but they also had freshly made ones with different toppings in the showcase! Some had nuts on top, some had cream, some had sugar, and they all looked so appealing. I usually like the regular traditional Japanese sweets, but I also enjoyed the ones with toppings. They were delicious! The expiration date is treated the same as cakes, so they are best enjoyed on the same day.

▷Freshly Squeezed Mont Blanc / Sweet Potato ¥1,000 *Comes with Coffee ▷Freshly Baked Nanban Orai 4-piece BOX ¥1,005 (featuring Amaou strawberries, Yame matcha, cashew nuts, marron glace) On April 28th, Sakae-ya Honten reopened as "Nanban Orai Sweets-Bistro," offering a chic and sophisticated atmosphere where you can enjoy a variety of baked goods, cakes, wine, and of course, the classic Nanban Orai. In the cafe space at the back, we tried the freshly squeezed Mont Blanc this time! There are two flavors available: Japanese chestnut and Gold Sweet (sweet potato), with the option to add self-serve coffee for an additional ¥100. The Mont Blanc features the rich sweetness of Kumamoto's Gold Sweet, paired perfectly with an Earl Grey sauce on a Nanban Orai base. The portion size is generous and the price is very reasonable. We also picked up some freshly baked Nanban Orai on our way out. They are considering offering lunch in the future, so we look forward to what's to come!