理想形のピザトースト。 : cafe hip karuizawa

There's a café known for its delicious pudding near the Minami Karuizawa intersection on Karuizawa Prince Street.
As a pudding lover, I knew I had to go, but it took me a whole year to finally get the chance to visit.

The café is located on a gravel road just before the traffic guidance electronic display board on the way from the outlet to the Minami Karuizawa intersection. It might make you wonder, "Is it okay to go in here?" (It's on a narrow path just before the Yasuke Sushi restaurant.)

The parking lot had a cute wooden number plate and seemed to accommodate six cars. It mentioned that if the lot was full, you could park in the free parking area along Prince Street.

As I entered, I was greeted by a high ceiling. There was a large table for about six people right away, and further inside, there were counter seats in front of the kitchen, along with stairs leading up to the second floor on the right. The exposed reinforcement steel in the interior looked really cool, with LP record covers displayed on the wall of the stairs.

Once upstairs, there were four seating areas: two tables for two facing the high ceiling, a round table at the back, and a sofa seat with a small window, all oriented towards the outside, allowing customers to avoid direct eye contact. I sat at one of the two-person tables with a view of the ceiling, checked the menu, and placed my order.

- Café au Lait JPY 650
A generous serving of café au lait in a large mug is delightful. It has a comforting, mild flavor.

- Pizza Toast JPY 800
When the pizza toast arrived, I was quite surprised. It was much more dynamic than I had imagined. I had a knife and fork, so I used the fork to cut into it. The crust was crispy while the bread itself was fluffy. It was topped with lots of cheese, onions, bell peppers, and diced bacon. The bacon was incredibly delicious! I took a piece to taste. The smokiness was medium, and the fat was very sweet—a type of bacon I just love. This pizza toast, with its appearance, ingredient size, taste, and texture, is my ideal! The carrot salad served alongside also had a mild acidity and left a strong positive impression. When I had my husband try a piece, he seemed to really enjoy it too. I will definitely be back for this.

- Chestnut Pudding JPY 650
And now, for the pudding I was eagerly anticipating.
As soon as it touched my tongue, a wonderful chestnut aroma spread through my mouth. Then, I faintly sensed the flavor of roasted green tea. The sweetness was moderate, allowing the chestnut flavor to shine through. It was deeply delicious.

- Bitter Cocoa (Iced) + Ice Topping JPY 650
Ordered by my husband.
He mentioned it was a high cocoa type of cocoa, so he requested ice as a topping. He said, "The slightly bitter and rich cocoa pairs perfectly with the ice."

- Keema Curry JPY 1,200
I had a bite of this. The spice level was mild, but it had a strong spice flavor. Although I’m not very knowledgeable about spices, it seemed to contain distinctive cumin, cardamom, and allspice.

- Pudding JPY 600
I exchanged a bite with the chestnut pudding. This pudding had a strong egg flavor. It was delicious! The caramel sauce was sweet with a bit of bitterness, balancing well with the pudding.

I came primarily for the pudding, but the pizza toast hit the nail on the head. The pudding was quite delicious too, and I’m glad I discovered such a great place. I would love to stop by again the next time I visit Karuizawa.