プリンセスマイラー
On a day when I went shopping in Ikebukuro on my day off, I had breakfast at "Takase" in front of Ikebukuro Station. The western confectionery shop "Takase" in front of Ikebukuro Station East Exit has a cafe and restaurant, and on the second floor cafe, they offer a morning service. When you go up the stairs to the second floor, you will see a showcase of nostalgic food samples. From parfaits and shaved ice to sweet red bean soup and cakes... it's like a cafeteria where you can choose your favorite. As soon as you enter the store, you will see the cakes in the showcase. The cakes sold on the first floor can be enjoyed in the cafe on the second floor. I visited on a Sunday morning around 10 o'clock. Despite the early hour, the store was almost full. Customers of all ages, including families, were there, creating a lively atmosphere. The atmosphere inside the store is nostalgic, with a huge air conditioner reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s. Morning set menus are available between 9:00 and 11:00 on weekdays and weekends. There are four types of sets: B, C, D sets, and a morning cake set. There used to be five menu options. In addition, there are various cake sets, shaved ice, and parfaits. Although cakes in the morning were tempting, my wife ordered the B set with toast (650 yen) and I ordered the D set with a hot dog (720 yen). First, coffee, salad, boiled egg, and "koshi-an" that comes with the B set were served. I heard it was a service, so I requested it. With this, you can make a sweet red bean paste toast. The salad had tomatoes and lettuce with French dressing. Soon, the toast was also served. The toast was about 6 slices thick and beautifully toasted to a golden brown. The standard portion is one and a half slices of bread (3 pieces), with strawberry jam and butter. The toast was perfectly toasted, crispy on the outside, and moist and fluffy inside, very delicious. You can enjoy it with just butter or add sweet red bean paste for extra sweetness. My husband's hot dog that he ordered was also served. A simple combination of lettuce, cucumber, sausage in a hot dog bun, you can also request ketchup or mustard, but we had it without any sauce. The hot dog with delicious bread had a satisfying taste, especially when eaten with the boiled egg. My wife found the bread so delicious that she couldn't resist asking for seconds. This morning set includes free refills of coffee, and the B set comes with all-you-can-eat toast, which is a nice bonus. We added one more serving (2 slices) of toast, had coffee refills until 11 o'clock, and leisurely enjoyed our morning. Having breakfast in a traditional cafe like this is special, and the bread, whether it's white bread or hot dog buns, is delicious. The toasting technique makes it even more delicious, far better than breakfast at home. We chatted about how it would be nice to have breakfast at Takase when we have errands in Ikebukuro, and headed home. Definitely a place we will visit again.