Latest news with #TakuyaInaba
SoraNews24
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
What did our Japanese reporter think of his first visit to American cinnamon roll chain Cinnabon?
Takuya knew that his visit was destined to be sweet, but exactly how sweet…? Our Japanese-language writer Takuya Inaba has been enjoying the American TV show Adam Eats the 80's (2022), in which the host devours anything hot in the 1980s with a heaping side dose of nostalgia. In particular, the episode where he eats a Cinnabon cinnamon roll piqued Takuya's interest. He could almost sense the overly sweet sugar shock of the roll through his TV screen. He decided the only way to quench his curiosity was to visit Cinnabon and try one of the famous pastries for the first time. ▼ Founded in Washington State in 1985, Cinnabon is commonly found at shopping malls across the U.S., where its presence is revealed by the heavenly wafting scent of cinnamon on the air. Luckily for Takuya, Cinnabon exists in a number of locations throughout Japan, often paired with Seattle's Best Coffee. He promptly headed to the nearest Futako-Tamagawa Rise Shopping Center location in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. His excitement intensified when he entered the store and saw rows of showy cinnamon rolls. It was as if his American '80s food dream were coming true right before his eyes. Takuya started off with the Cinnabon Classic for 540 yen (US$3.69). It was a thing of beauty, with the cream cheese frosting flowing over the sides of the pastry. It wasn't until he held it in his hand that he realized just how enormous it was. He continued to watch in amazement as the frosting dripped dangerously lower. His fingers couldn't hold it for long, though, because it was still piping hot. With premonitions of a scalded tongue, he decided the safest way to consume his prize was to cut it open to allow some steam to escape. The inside was unexpectedly pretty, with layers of the roll clearly visible in a spiraling pattern. Takuya finally took a bite and was spellbound by its delicious sweetness. If he had to describe the taste in words, he would go with 'THE American' (verbatim). Curiously, there wasn't a heavy aftertaste, and the dough was plenty springy and soft. He also appreciated the fact that the cinnamon flavor wasn't too strong, but added just the right balance of spice to stimulate his appetite. Despite its size, Takuya still had plenty of room, so he next decided to spring for a convenient cup version called Roll on the Go (480 yen). This one featured a cinnamon roll pre-cut into bite-sized pieces in a paper cup. He appreciated the fact that his fingers didn't have to get sticky while eating this one. Even that addition didn't leave Takuya fully satiated, so he peeked at the menu to see what kinds of special flavors there were. First, the Caramel Pecanbon (600 yen regular/420 yen mini size) was a done deal. It looked so pretty with its flowing caramel frosting and pecan nut topping. Once he took a bite, he could only laugh because it felt like every cell in his body had been jolted awake from the sheer sweetness of it all. People could probably get addicted to this exact taste. Second, the Red Cherrybon (620 yen regular size/450 yen mini size) as his last order was a no-brainer. He thought it looked somewhat seductive with its drizzling of deep crimson cherry sauce. It also turned out to be his personal favorite, with the sour cherry flavor causing him to lose all remaining sense of sanity until he had devoured the whole thing. Luckily, coffee paired very well with all of the sweetness and helped settle his stomach at the end of this gastronomic adventure. We haven't gotten word yet if Takuya's still recovering from his Cinnabon-induced food coma, but whenever he wakes up, he can probably raise his blood sugar again through Lawson's current double-sized food offerings. Sweet, sweet dreams, Takuya! All images © SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
SoraNews24
04-05-2025
- SoraNews24
Is Tokyo's obviously for-foreign-tourists wagyu sukiyaki crepe delicious enough for a local?
We could be falling into a tourist trap in Asakusa, or we could be falling in meaty love. One of the latest developments in the Japanese restaurant scene is the emergence of 'inbound food,' culinary creations targeted squarely at foreign tourists from overseas with plenty of money in their pockets thanks to the weak yen. Moreover, a lot of inbound food is meant to cater to customers whose purchasing power outstrips their familiarity with authentic Japanese cuisine, often cramming luxurious ingredients with internationally famous names into places where they're not generally found in meals made by Japanese chefs for Japanese diners. Naturally, you're most likely to encounter inbound food in neighborhoods that attract a lot of foreign tourists, such as the area around Sensoji Temple in Tokyo's Asakusa district. And sure enough, on a recent stroll through Asakusa our Japanese-language reporter Takuya Inaba spotted a very inbound-y looking offering at cafe called Anna's Crepe, which also has a takeout window. 'PREMIUM WAGYU JAPANESE BLACK BEEF,' announced the store's sign in all-cap, giant-font text, displayed much more prominently than its Japanese-text equivalent. The sign then goes on to indicate that this is a 'shoulder loin sukiyaki crepe,' name-dropping another Japanese foodstuff that's known around the world. This is obviously an inbound-oriented crepe…and yet, Takuya was intrigued. So he decided to roll the dice on this rolled-up luxury item, and ordered a Premium Wagyu Japanese Black Beef Shoulder Loin Sukiyaki Crepe with two slices of beef for 1,580 yen (US$10.90), about three times as much as you'd usually pay for a normal takeout crepe in Japan. ▼ Though looking at the rest of Anna's Crepe's options, even their sweet ones are pretty pricey. To Takuya's pleasant surprise, the wagyu crepe the staff handed over to him looked even tastier than the one in the photo. Sukiyaki is traditionally eaten by dipping the strips of beef into raw egg just before eating them, so the crepe is topped with an egg yolk, and it was perfectly rounded, with an enticing orange-gold hue. Takuya started by breaking up the yolk so that it could seep into the rest of the crepe… …and then it was time to take the first bite. It was startlingly delicious. Takuya had been braced for the possibility that the strips of wagyu beef would be tiny, just enough to cover the crepe's opening at the top. Instead, they stretched all the way to the bottom tip of the cone, delivering marvelous meaty mouthfuls from start to finish. This wasn't a case of quantity without quality, either. The beef was tender and juicy, and between the flavor and amount, Takuya started to feel like 1,580 yen price was justified, and that it might even represent a surprisingly good deal for what you get. The crepe even has a bit of a mid-meal twist waiting for you. In addition to wagyu beef, egg yolk, and lettuce, it also has gochujang, the fermented red chili paste often found in Korean cooking. While gochujang isn't at all a standard condiment for sukiyaki, its presence here, which comes on stronger in the lower strata of the crepe, means that the first half of the meal feels like eating sukiyaki, and the second feels like eating bulgogi. So while Takuya, a native Japanese guy who's not even a domestic tourist when he's in Tokyo, clearly isn't the target market for this crepe, he's glad he gave it a shot, and next time he might just have to splurge for the even more premium three-slice version. Location information Anna's Crepe/ アンナのクレープ Address: Tokyo-to, Taito-ku, Asakusa 2-6-14 住所 東京都台東区浅草2-6-14 Open noon-5 p.m. Closed Mondays (unless Monday is a holiday, in which case closed the following day) Website Photos © SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
