☆おねぎ☆
In 1986, Echire opened in Osaka's Shinsaibashi area, and in 2003, they opened a cafe called "Kura." Currently, the Shinsaibashi location serves as a business office and there are no storefronts. The owner and chocolatier, Hideo Uematsu, has built the business on his own. The Kura main store is located within the commercial facility "Ren," which consists of a main building and a warehouse. Originally known as the "Komori Residence," the mansion was renovated into a commercial facility. In 2012, the main building, warehouse, and front gate were designated as tangible cultural properties. While Ren is located just a minute's walk from Osaka Metro Matsuyamachi Station Exit 3, it is situated on the upper plateau, requiring visitors to climb pedestrian stairs to reach it. Inside Ren, across the street from the pedestrian stairs, is the Kura main store, a chocolate specialty shop converted from the warehouse. The name "Echire" is derived from the name of a cocoa deity with a bizarre appearance mentioned in ancient Mayan texts. The shop uses couverture chocolate from the Belgian Callebaut company. The Kura main store has two floors. Upon entering, customers will see a showcase on the first floor. Customers can opt for eat-in or cafe use by informing the staff at the showcase on the first floor. The middle of the first floor features a staircase leading to the second floor, where there are tables available for eat-in. The second floor has counter seats and table seats for eat-in, with the kitchen located on this floor. Despite being inside a warehouse, the interior has a mountain hut-like atmosphere with an open space from the first to the second floor. The cafe area is illuminated with incandescent bulbs, and while there are windows for natural light, tables near the walls without windows may appear darker. The shop has received the "Sweets WEST Top 100" award on Tabelog in 2022, 2020, and 2018. I visited with the intention of trying their original parfait. The menu offers a parfait set starting at 1815 yen (tax included) and includes original, Dia Pearl, and Lemon Chocolate parfaits (seasonal) with the option to add a chocolate drink for an additional 110 yen. Other drink options include coffee, tea (Ceylon, Earl Grey), Chocolaty (a chocolate-scented tea), and herbal tea. There is also a cake set starting at 1265 yen (tax included) with options to add a chocolate drink for 110 yen. Cake options include Diplome Cake, Banana Fudge Cake, Holy Bear Mousse (Bitter & White), Honey Chocolate Brownie, Lemon Chocolate Cake (seasonal), and Lemon Chocolate Mousse Cake (seasonal). The original parfait is priced at 1265 yen (tax included), but I opted for the parfait set at 1815 yen (tax included) with a hot Ceylon tea instead. Upon arrival, I was seated at a small table on the second floor, along with two other groups who had arrived around the same time. The tables by the wall in the corner of the building were quite small, suitable for only one person's order.