One of my best finds in Asakusa got to be Kaminari Issa. Actually I go into to take a look only, only find the lots of goodies in here. I walk into this shop because I like the zen and soothing green tones of the place to fit the matcha theme of the shop. The stone mill at the entrance catches my attention too. And I end up getting some of my Japan Trip’s best buys from here!
While looking around and just enjoying the vibe here, not really looking for anything to buy, a guy sales assistant, full of smiles, comes up to us to offer samples of the shop’s matcha chocolate, which is お濃荼とほうじ荼チョコレ—ト. This is where I turn from a window shopper to big buyer, sort of.
I’m not a chocolate person actually, but since the sales assistant is so friendly and polite, I decide to give it a try. At first taste, it is distinctively chocolate and then the magic happens. Amazingly, the clean clear taste of matcha start to develop, inciting a wow from me. This is so incredibly good that I immediately get a box.
With coincidence greatly gained in the products of this shop, I decide to also get the financier to try. And it’s one of the best decisions I make in this trip because this is the best Financier I ever have. It is so moist and incredibly buttery. In fact, the taste of butter develops to be more pronounced I bite more into it. The aroma of matcha is so distinct, juxtaposing perfectly with the sweetness of baked wheat. Perfect!
Since I trigger buying impulse, I decide to get some light snacks for my colleagues. And 雷門 上磯部4種ミックス, a kind of puffed rice snack, is my choice. I didn’t think puffed rice snack will be exceptional but this snack totally change my mind. It is surprisingly and awesomely good! It is super crunchy. At first, the taste is of that of light puff rice, and then it develops into a sweetness plus a hint of umami that I go, Wow!” The matcha one amazes me with that hint of refreshing astringent vegetal clear taste that lifts up the taste of the earthy flavour of puffed rice. And the seaweed one is full of umami.
The First Flush Tea is so amazingly good too, being fragrant, absolutely clean and pure in taste.
Thoughts: Lovely Surprises
1 Chome-15-9 Hanakawado, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0033, Japan
