The rainy season has finally arrived in Tokyo. The rainy season has finally arrived in Tokyo, and the weather has been gloomy.

Skin is sticky, make-up is off, hair is unruly... And frustratingly, it's just a few weeks of Shinbou. Once that's over, summer will finally be in full swing! And speaking of things to eat in the summer... Watermelon, somen noodles, and popsicles!


So, I went to "PALETAS," a store specializing in "popsicles," which I have been curious about for a long time!

The store has locations in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture and Kichijoji, Tokyo, but this time we visited the Kichijoji store. Take the north exit of the station and walk along Kichijoji Street for about 7 to 8 minutes, then turn left at the end of Tokyu Department Store, and you will find the store in a slightly secluded area.


Paletas ice cream is made without synthetic additives or disinfectants, and is made with the utmost attention to "safe ingredients" and "natural taste. The ice cream has often been introduced on TV and in magazines, and is so popular that on Saturdays and Sundays, numbered tickets are handed out.

The author visited the restaurant around 3:30 p.m. on a Wednesday, and there were more than 30 people waiting. Wow... As I was surprised, a customer right behind me declared the restaurant "sold out today"! Oh no, just in time!


It is said that many customers line up before the store opens and buy in bulk as soon as the store opens, and popular flavors (especially "Sangria," which is in short supply) are sold out in the morning. If there is a flavor you want to try, we recommend that you visit the store before noon... First thing in the morning if possible!


The turnover time was fast for a To go restaurant, and it took only about 15 minutes for me to be ushered into the restaurant.

I looked into the showcase with a sense of excitement... Nah, it's not there! Almost no flavors! Only three flavors remain: "Mixed Yeast", "Strawberry Bitter Chocolate", and "Kuri Matcha"... So I did my customary "All of them, please! "

I couldn't eat three by myself, so I ate only the strawberry bitter chocolate on the spot and took the other two home to share with everyone in the office.


Bite into it and you'll find a rich cocoa flavor! It has a smooth texture and after melting in the mouth, it has a strong aftertaste. It has a strong bitterness and a mature taste.

and out of it came frozen bright red strawberries! The crisp and cool texture adds a refreshing sourness to the rich sweetness of the cacao. Chocolate alone might be too rich... The strawberry accents were just what I was looking for!


Now, let's try the two kinds that I brought back to the office as souvenirs. When I opened the cold pack, I found the popsicles packaged one by one.


First, sample the Mixed Yeast! This flavor contains apples, oranges, pineapples, kiwis, and grapefruits. The entire ice cream seems to be flavored with apple juice.



Each bite is an assault of fresh frozen fruit! It is as if the fruit is frozen as it is. The frozen pineapple and orange melt with the heat in your mouth, and the fresh fruit juices are released. You can even enjoy the "crunchy" texture of the kiwi seeds!


How about "Kuri Matcha" on the other hand? You can see a lot of reddish-brown grains that appear to be azuki beans kneaded into the deep green ice cream.


I bit into it and... A large chestnut came out from the smooth and rich green tea ice cream! Luxury~!


The subtle bitterness of matcha green tea, and the dusty "Japanese" sweetness of azuki beans & chestnuts. Isn't this the best combination? For me personally, the chestnut maccha was the most delicious of the three flavors I tried this time!


The paletas are so elaborate in flavor and exquisite in taste that they are too extravagant to be called just "popsicles". I vowed to get in line first thing in the morning next time to try more flavors! I'll be back again and again!

Incidentally, the new Paletas CIAL Sakuragicho will open on July 16. Check it out if you're in the neighborhood!