Bread

Japan 2007: Bakeries!

5/28/2008 07:25:00 PM

A selection of breads and pastries, a latte and an ice tea at Andersen Bakery, Ueno station, Tokyo.

We ate an incredible amount of bread and pastries whilst in Japan. Little bakeries were everywhere, selling high quality pastries, yummy bread rolls and coffees of varying quality. And they were cheap! Loaded up with a few pastries and bread rolls, we were ready to face hectic days of sightseeing and shopping. Great food for the budget traveller.

My favourite bakeries were Andersen Bakery (Ueno Station), and Kobeya Kitchen, although there are many others. Follow the warm smell of bread and look for the brightly-lit stores with trays and trays of baked goods.

The Andersen bakery in Ueno station, Tokyo, is huge, and turns out thousands of products every day. Whilst we were in Tokyo, we'd often start the day there, buying everything we wanted, eating what we could, and saving the rest for later in the day. Incidentally, Andersen Ueno was the only place in Tokyo I found that did a latte I liked - not scaldingly hot, not super bitter. When I wasn't at Andersen and needed a caffeine fix, I'd stick to coffee in a can, or cafe au laits. Yum yum.

Marble cupcake with marshmallow, Andersen
Madeleine! I also saw lots of places selling little round cakes called "madeleines", which I thought was interesting. I guess it's just a madeleine batter baked in a round tin.

Apple Turnover, random bakery
Cheese pastry!!! YAY!
Apple turnover. apperu taanova no naka

Selection of breads from Kobeya Kitchen - chocolate scone, Portuguese Pão de queijo (cheesebread), sugar raisin bun. Boss Rainbow Mountain Blend coffee in a can. Travelling food for the shinkansen.

Chocolate cake from Andersen.

Sausage bread, Garlic gread, random bakery in Shibuya station


And a useful phrase just in case you get stuck:

Where is the bakery? panya wa doko desu ka?

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9 comments

  1. man, I want some of that chocolate cake! It was so good! Can we go there again? I even remember the tabels we sat at, haha.

    The bakery in Kyoto, across the orange temple, was good too. But Andersen's beats it!

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  2. But...do you rike madeleines??

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  3. All those pastries look amazing. Love that sausage bread!! Will definitely have to commit that phrase to memory in case I ever find myself in Japan... :)

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  4. Oh yeah, oh yum... so much golden pastry! It's a look that seems really unique to the few Japanese-style bakeries that are popping up even here in Melbourne. I really haven't tried much from them yet. Any recommendations?

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  5. is the bread like bread top or is that not japanese? i have never thought bread and then Japan, how suprising!

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  6. Sandra - I can't wait for us to go back to Japan. Andersen's is the best!

    Risa - I rove maderines!

    Laura - See? My blog is fun AND informative. :P

    Cindy - I haven't had much from the Asian bakeries in Melbourne, except for Bread Top, which is totally Hong Kong style and not Japanese. I don't really like it - too fluffy and sweet for my taste, but my parents like it! I've heard that Beard Papa is good, and I like the puffs at Puffy Cookie, but they're dangerously addictive!

    Ran - I think BreadTop is from Hong Kong. In general, bread in Japan is sweeter, whiter and softer than Australian or European bread, especially in the supermarkets. However, at the speciality bakeries, I found heaps of good pastries and crusty bread rolls! (Usually white bread, but still yummy).

    xox Sarah

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  7. Oh yeah, those puffy cookies are addictive! Didn't think I'd like them at all, then some friends brought them to a picnic and I was converted. :-D

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  8. Anonymous9:22 PM

    This so reminds me of my trip to Japan!

    Dan and I often ate at bakeries - a quick brekky or light lunch. Those cakes and pastries just hit the spot!

    I was very much tempted by all the sweet things, whilst Dan went with anything with a sausage in it :-) I must admit I did shudder at the excessive use of mayonnaise on some products - I have an aversion to such things ;-)

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  9. Just look at those wonderful treats! Okay, now I really have to go to the bakery :D

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