The ice cream shops around the world, such as Haagen-Dazs and Thirty One, are delicious and popular, but the old-fashioned ice cream shops loved by the locals are also irresistible.
Ice is calling!
A 2-minute walk from Kamiyacho Station on the Hibiya Line in Minato-ku, Tokyo, there is a long-established ice shop "SOWA" that has been in business since 1955, shortly before the Tokyo Tower was built.
In the Toranomon area surrounded by government offices such as Kasumigaseki and the Imperial Palace, it was originally offered desserts for banquets at nearby hotels and cafes. The ice cream and sorbet produced at the factory adjacent to the store are said to be made with a "light but rich mouthfeel" in mind as a dessert that concludes the course.
◆ Somewhere nostalgic storefront
Once you enter the back alley from the main street, you can see pastel blues, pinks, and large soft serve ice cream. Do you feel nostalgic for the slightly faded storefront? There is a handwritten signboard in front of the entrance of the shop, where seasonal menus are introduced.
There is a standing counter in the store where 3 to 4 people line up, so you can eat at the store right after you buy it. There is also a bench in front of the shop, so you can sit down and eat. Of course, To go is also OK.
Somehow nostalgic atmosphere
The products are handmade at the factory next to the store
The daily soft serve ice cream of the day was mango
◆ Move to a lot of ice cream ...
The 20 kinds of ice cream displayed in the store are just a mess. Since they are all handmade, the items in stock will change from time to time.
Everything looks delicious!
I ordered the pistachio I was interested in and my favorite cheese cream. Normally, one flavor is 160 yen (150 yen for vanilla), but if you combine the two, you will get a 10 yen discount. You can get it in a waffle cone for 350 yen.
Pistachios have a rich scent that spreads the moment you put them in your mouth, but they do not remain at all. Certainly, it's a nice taste to eat after cooking. This day was also after lunch, so it was perfect for rehearsing. On the other hand, cheese cream has a light sweetness and a faint cheese flavor that goes well with pistachios. Of course, the waffle corn was delicious and I ate it in no time.
After all I like waffle cones!
◆ A wide variety of seasonal items and souvenirs
It is also attractive that there are many products that change from time to time, such as daily soft serve ice cream, sundae and parfait that are sold for a limited time, and To go products such as ice dorayaki and monaka that are perfect as souvenirs.
The popular seasonal product "Strawberry Land" is a mixture of light soft serve ice cream and strawberry sauce that uses "Amaou" luxuriously, and it has a sweetness and acidity like raw strawberries. I want to go eat again next year!
See you next year
Japanese-style flavors such as red bean paste and matcha are eye-catching for Monaka and Dorayaki. "Ogura Anno Aisudorayaki" is amazing in its thickness. The fluffy and slightly sweet dough and the lightly creamy bean paste ice cream go well together. A dish that makes you happy even when you are hungry.
This thickness ...! The fluffy dough is irresistible
Even so, how many do you eat a day? But it's delicious so it won't stop. It's a dilemma that always happens when you meet delicious sweets.
◆ Ice shop you want to visit again
The long-established ice shop "SOWA" is a little older than Tokyo Tower. You will want to go there again and again to meet the handmade taste that has not changed since ancient times and the taste that changes according to the season. This shop is recommended for dessert after meals. The store's blog and Twitter (@sowa_icecream) also update information on "Today's daily soft serve" and new product information, so be sure to check before you go to the store.
The ice cream made with soy milk was also excellent!
