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So what do you do when your foodie friend is back in town? You immediately choose a cute café for lunch of course! The choice fell on Salon Ginza Sabou located on the basement floor of the upscale shopping center. The entire floor is dedicated to different restaurants and I marked at least three I would want to check out next time (story of my life in Japan). Salon Ginza Sabou is part of a Salon Adam et Rope, a retail shop selling anything from clothes to household accessories and even a few food items. Their café is located beyond the store and features a well-lit spacious interior with wood accents. Since all individual tables were already taken, we were seated at a long communal wooden table, which very much reminded me of the dinner I had in Tokyo DEN.
Menu at the café specializes in Japanese teishoku sets which typically comes with a main course, plus rice, vegetables, miso soup and pickles. You can also order individual dishes like a very enticing rice with curry, teriyaki chicken bento, or vegetable miso gratin. Most importantly, the café also features a selection of green teas and Japanese sweets for a desserts. We opted for karage (Japanese version of deep-fried chicken) set. Chicken was cooked perfectly: it was crispy on outside without excess greasiness, while the meat itself was flavorsome and juicy. I particularly liked the pickles as well and I mixed my soft-boiled egg with the rice. Rich miso soup was a moreish yet light finish to the savory meal, and we even got couple of cubes of agar jelly drizzled with syrup and soy powder.
Of course I also had to try their signature dessert. It is served in a traditional wooden sake cup. The beautifully textured dusted first layer is in fact a white chocolate which you have to break through to discover a flavored parfait with layers of a soufflé, Warabi jelly, ice-cream and rice cracker. It comes in signature matcha flavor, as well as the seasonal variation, which in October was pumpkin flavor.
Both the presentation and taste were excellent, and since our set included unlimited green tea, I was practically in heaven. I think this café is a great option if you want to eat something traditional and delicious without paying arm and a leg for it. It can also be a perfect spot to have Japanese green tea and wagashi dessert. The place offers a pleasant ambiance, plus an opportunity to go (window) shopping before or after!
