プリンセスマイラー
Before the end of the rainy season, the scorching heat continued in the summer of 2023, and this year, the "Lavi Ice" at the patisserie "Lavidouce" in Akebonobashi has started. On a weekend, when passing by the front of the store, I stopped by and found that the ice had started, so I immediately tried it. This famous store is also available at "Patisserie" in Shinjuku Takashimaya, located along Yasukuni Street near Akebonobashi Station. There are no signs of ice outside, so you wouldn't know there was an ice menu just by looking from the outside. The only sign is for "Freshly Brewed Blended Coffee." There is an eat-in space inside where you can enjoy cakes and shaved ice "Lavi Ice". The combination of shaved ice at a patisserie may be surprising, but the delicious shaved ice is worth visiting every year at this time. I visited just before 2 pm on Saturday, and the number of cakes in the case had decreased significantly. There are 3 shaved ice flavors on the menu, "Black Sugar Chestnut", "Condensed Milk Strawberry", and "Maple Cheese", all priced at 1,100 yen. I placed my order at the register, paid, and then went to the "salon" seat. There is a space with chairs lined up by the window, where you can enjoy sweets while looking at the greenery outside. There is also one table seat along the wall. I sat by the window and waited for the shaved ice. ■ Lavi Ice Black Sugar Chestnut (1,100 yen) The mountain of ice is adorned with chestnut cream, crumble, and powdered sugar. The black syrup is made of black sugar and is generously poured. The finished look is like snow piled on a mountain, very beautiful. When I tried it, the chestnut cream had a rum-flavored taste, a strong adult flavor with a hint of alcohol, and the crumble was a nice accent. The black sugar syrup is thick and stays on top of the ice, providing a rich sweetness. The ice was very well shaved, with a fluffy texture and a good mouthfeel. The black sugar syrup was evenly spread throughout the ice, allowing me to enjoy it until the end. ■ Lavi Ice Condensed Milk Strawberry (1,100 yen) The shaved ice covered with strawberry jam, fluffy whipped cream, and powdered sugar. It's finished in a shortcake style, and indeed, the combination of whipped cream and slightly sour strawberries is like a shortcake. The whipped cream was delicious, and although the menu is called condensed milk strawberry, the cream is soft and goes well with shaved ice. My husband and I thought whipped cream-based sweets wouldn't go well with shaved ice, but this shaved ice was different. Both the chestnut cream and whipped cream not only tasted good on their own but also surprisingly delicious when combined with shaved ice. This year, there has been a trend of high-priced shaved ice at specialty shops, with shaved ice exceeding 2,000 yen becoming more common. However, this shaved ice is just right in size and price, making it easy to enjoy at around 1,000 yen with this quality. It was so delicious that my husband and I kept talking about the shaved ice throughout the day. The shaved ice season has just begun this year, and I definitely want to revisit during the season.