kinako-anko
On May 4, 2021, during Golden Week in Kyoto, I made a daring move by adding soba after enjoying a seasonal lunch suitable for Children's Day, with a belly as big as the last month of pregnancy. I visited the Nishiki Market Shopping Street in Kyoto. In these times, there were few tourists, so I could leisurely stroll through the arcade while browsing the goods. The first place I stopped by was "SNOOPY Tea House Kyoto Nishiki Store". Last summer, when I stayed at "Yufuin Tamanoyu" in Yufuin, I visited the nearby "SNOOPY Tea House Yufuin", so I was surprised to find one in Kyoto as well. The restaurant was on the second floor, and I was captivated by the cute Snoopy-themed curry and omelet displayed in the menu showcase on the first floor, but I couldn't eat anymore. I got the following items from the takeout corner on the first floor:
- Snoopy's sweet potato steamed buns (2 pieces) for 702 yen
- Mikasa dorayaki with red bean paste for 324 yen
I will enjoy these during dessert time after dinner later in the day. The paper box with Snoopy illustrations contained two sweet potato steamed buns shaped like Snoopy's head, with charcoal kneaded into the black agar for the ears, eyes, and nose, making it extremely cute. Since it had no mouth, when I cut it with a small knife, it didn't look cute at all; it actually looked a bit scary. The dough made from rice flour and sweet potatoes was originally supposed to be fluffy and soft, but it had a dry texture, and the red bean paste was not very tasty, being a moisture thief. The "Mikasa" dorayaki with Snoopy's face stamped on it was also disappointing, as the dough was thin, and there was a small amount of red bean paste in it, making me feel like it wasn't worth the 300 yen. I was drawn to the cute Snoopy and ended up buying the steamed buns and dorayaki, but it seems that the shops targeting tourists are expensive and the taste is not as good as expected. Bon appétit!