Your Perfect Break In The Day

Time for another fantastic Kyoto coffee shop!

I introduce to you Kamogawa Café, a coffeehouse bookended by Kyoto Imperial Palace and the Kamo River.  If you want to get off the beaten path, Kamogawa is where you go.  After winding through roads and a park, past a pre-school and many-a house, we bumped into it.  Oh look, our destination. 

Kamogawa is simple.  They serve lunch sets, but as far as I could tell, they focused on their brew.  I.e., few espresso drinks.  I had no beef with this; their coffee was delicious.  It had a truly full body, and didn’t leave any room for disappointment.

The Loft!

My favorite thing about Kamogawa, however, was not their coffee.  It was their set up.  The ambiance was fantastic.  Their shop includes a big open area in front, with large color tiled windows.  But they also had a nook in the back and a loft!  Genius.  We give this shop an A in warmth and coze.  It was so comfortable that we both fell asleep!  I guess we felt at home. 

Kamogawa was perfect for a break in our day.  We left refreshed from rest and great coffee, and would definitely go back. 

Sarasa Nishijin Cafe

About a month ago, we went to Kyoto, Japan’s former capital and a city full of great history.   And really unique coffee shops.  It’s telling when your travel research includes finding the most interesting specialty coffee shops.  It helps you obtain a more local feel of a city.  We hate being too tour oriented. 

We came across Cafe Sarasa Nishijin, an indoor onsen turned coffee shop.  And the shop is unparalleled when it comes to uniqueness.  It even still had tiled walls, but had a comfortable feel.  We loved it.  The shop was spacious – which, trust me, is hard to come by in Japan – but had ideal nooks and crannies to relax in.  We chose a great sofa spot with a coffee table.  Ah, just like home. 

Their milk chai was to die for.  I feel no more words can appropriately express how good that cup of tea was.  Mmhmm. 

And they had great FOOD.  This is a feature we’ve lost in many American coffee shops – we’ve settled on pastries.  But when the best atmosphere to do homework, relax, read, write, etc is the coffee shop – and one could camp out for hours on end - I think meals are a must.  You can see my husband’s and my priorities when it comes to our food choices.  He went for a salad with a delicious bun pizza and chunky fries, while I opted for their decadent raspberry cheesecake.  Both hit the spot.  And I swear, I stole no fries … . . . . 

A Jewel In The Heart Of Ginza

My husband and I often stumble.  We wander a place to get to know it, and that works in Japan, because wherever you are, there's always something to see.  

Last weekend, we decided we wanted to see Ginza.  My husband quickly looked up a kissaten before we left home and we wandered the area until we found it.  Midst the posh, high-fashion scene was Café de l’Ambre, a cozy, hole in the wall full of old Japanese men.  Excellent.  It was rustic as can be, even down to the scale they used.  I think they pulled it out of the year 1947. 

Their menu was extensive, and included only coffee, which is all they serve.  They have blends from all over the world, from South America to East Africa to Sumatra, which is what my husband chose.  I had their café au lait, which was well-balanced and subtle.  Perfect for a rest in the middle of a busy afternoon.

Their beans were freshly roasted (notice the tiny little man in the tiny little room working his magic), and of course, freshly ground.  Their drip method was almost artistic.  Each barista poured water over a cloth filter of grounds – ooooh soooo slowly – while swirling the filter to properly bring out the flavor and aroma.  Their focus was almost humorous.  We love people who take coffee that seriously!  

And it paid off.  We received about 3 ounces of Sumatra in a tiny little cup.  The small amount sufficed, because it was full of body and flavor.  I’ve had my share of specialty coffee, but I was pleasantly stunned by how it filled my mouth.  Oh, this is how coffee should taste. 

Cafe de l'Ambre will be somewhere we go again and bring guests.  Next time you're in Ginza (I think I need some Japanese readers!), make this a priority.

Post #1 of the coffee blog.  Ready go.

We.  Love.  Coffee.  I take a Japanese language class every Wednesday, and last night my husband's and my coffee obsession shone through.  When asked what kind of company I would like to own, it came to my head in .0048 seconds.  Kohi no mise!  Coffee shop!  Easy answer as it's been our long-time dream.  When asked what I did last week, I discussed how I went with a Japanese friend to Kappabashi, Tokyo's Kitchen Town, and bought a coffee mill that made my week and a professional french press.  One of the other students laughed at my unmistakable coffee love.  Carrie san wa kohi o dai suki desu!  This girl really likes her coffee!  

So here we are.  Curt and Carrie Gaynor.  Exploring the world of specialty coffee and drip methods.  And documenting it here.  We're finding that coffee can be rich.  It can be thick and flavorful and as my husband says, it can make your lips 'zingle.'  Which apparently means a rushing tingle.  Intense.  Coffee is an art, and everything matters.  Roast.  Ratio.  Age.  Grind.  Even the water, for crying out loud.  It's delicate in every step of the brewing process, even storage.  And we're finding it's only good if it's made by hand.  It should be good enough to take black.  

Japan is the world's 3rd largest importer of coffee beans, after the United States and Germany.  So there's a lot to find here.  We've already trekked up hills, wandered around neighborhoods, and struggled through menus of some of the greatest specialty coffee shops of Japan.  We've marveled at the flavor filling our mouths and how 3 ounces of really great coffee has the potential to make you feel it all day.  Wherever we travel, we will find those great coffee houses.  See the journey here.  And hopefully you'll still be with us when we settle back in the great US of A (cue Minnesotan accent) and open a little jewel of our own.  

Here's to the bean.