1年ぶりにキャラメルポップコーンジェラート : Mukayama Seisakusho cafe Esuparukoriyamaten

Just like last August, I enjoyed the popcorn gelato again. This cafe and caramel specialty shop is located inside the Koriyama Station Souvenir Hall. It seems that they discontinued their lunch menu, which is really disappointing. I also love their Western-style dishes and hope they will bring it back! The popcorn gelato features vanilla ice cream topped with caramel popcorn, generously drizzled with caramel sauce. It's simple but incredibly delicious. The iced coffee is not sweet, which makes it a perfect pairing. By the way, it seems that they no longer offer a stamp card for rewards. It's a shame since I was collecting stamps! Maybe they'll provide JRE points instead?

After lunch, I wandered around the station and decided to have some tea at a cafe. I ended up choosing this place again. Since I wanted a light dessert, I opted for the popcorn gelato instead of pancakes or cake. It's caramel popcorn from a specialty store, so it was delicious as expected. The refreshing milk gelato topped with caramel popcorn and a drizzle of mildly sweet caramel sauce gives it a luxurious flavor. And all of this is reasonably priced at JPY 660! The next day, I returned to buy some souvenirs and purchased langigure and mini baumkuchen. I collected points and received a piece of langigure. (I wish I had received a different item since I had already bought the langigure.) Perhaps it was the only option available. I’ll be back to enjoy lunch, the cafe, and souvenirs again! You can earn JRE points here as well!

After hanging out with a friend, we arrived at Koriyama Station a bit early and decided to have dinner here. Since we entered an hour before closing, the place was quite empty. I ordered the various mushroom Japanese-style pasta and a homemade ginger ale. My friend chose the doria and an iced caramel macchiato. The food is far more delicious than most Western-style restaurants or family diners, which is why I love this place. While everyone else was enjoying pancakes, I always opt for meal options like pasta, doria, gratin, and omurice. Today, I just completed the stamp card at Mukayama Seisakusho, and for the next visit, I’ll receive a JPY 1000 discount! (^ -^)v

★ I ended up stopping by after all! (^o^) I intended to just have a light tea today, but I ended up eating cheesecake! They had both warm and cold options, and the staff recommended the warm one, so I went for the warm cheesecake and hot tea! The complimentary caramel was served with black tea. The cheesecake was fluffy and light, dissolving instantly in my mouth. It wasn't very filling, which is nice. I’d love to try buying a whole one someday!! ★ It's been three months. I returned home for a grave visit! I had Neapolitan spaghetti for lunch. For my drink, I ordered an Iced Caramel Macchiato. The complimentary caramel was black sesame flavored!♪♪ ★ It's been a month! I visited for lunch. I tried the gratin for the first time! It was a lavish gratin with lots of cheese, white sauce, and mushrooms!♪♪ The head chef here is really talented. (^o^) Everything from pasta to omurice is delicious. I brought home caramel pudding and black sesame pudding~ (^o^) ★ Arrived at Koriyama for a late lunch! I barely made it just in time for lunch. There was a chilled noodle menu that caught my eye, but when I asked, they had sesame sauce, but no lemon soy sauce left, so I went with the omurice instead. The fluffy, gentle, and delicately made omurice was quite tasty. The accompanying lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and sprouts were sweet and fresh. The diced onions inside the omurice were sweet too. You can tell the vegetables are fresh! (^o^) I had orange juice as my drink! Happy it was 100% juice. The complimentary caramel was in Earl Grey tea and delicious! (^o^) It was a bit disappointing that the staff could have been more attentive to the customers, but I was still satisfied! ★ I stopped by with a friend while waiting for the shinkansen. Since I was full from lunch, I only ordered drinks, both opting for an Iced Caramel Macchiato at JPY 600. The complimentary caramel was Earl Grey. It was cold, smooth, and delicious! (^∇^) ★ I decided to have a light tea while waiting for my shinkansen. I looked at the menu and ordered the intriguing "Affogato" for JPY 650. First, I received the complimentary caramel. Today, it was perilla flavored caramel. It was cool and melted immediately in my mouth. Finally, the affogato arrived! They poured hot espresso over cold vanilla ice cream. The strong bitterness of the espresso paired perfectly with the slightly milky, sweet, sherbet-like vanilla ice cream. This blend of bitterness and sweetness was just delightful. Once again, I made a great choice! (^∇^) There’s never a wrong decision at Mukayama Seisakusho Cafe!! I collected enough stamps for a free caramel donut on my way out!♪♪ ★ I returned home for the Obon festival, bringing a friend along with me. Today was a lunch visit! I wanted to redeem myself after having a disappointing Neapolitan spaghetti at the festival yesterday! I ordered Neapolitan spaghetti and iced coffee. The complimentary caramel today was perilla flavored. It was rich and mellow with a significant sesame flavor!♪♪ The Neapolitan spaghetti had good height and a generous portion! The chewy thick noodles were coated in sweet ketchup, and it was absolutely delicious! (^∇^) A successful redemption! Since this is a caramel store, I initially thought they only did sweets, but their meals are also high quality!♪♪ This tastes just like a proper restaurant!! I’m eager to try the gratin and omelet as well! (^∇^) ★ It’s been half a year since I returned home, and when I checked the station, the souvenir shop I always used had undergone a major renovation, and the whole store had changed at once! Koriyama’s three major sweets! "Sanmangoku", "Kashiwaya", and "Kanno-ya" are all still here, along with Mukayama Seisakusho & Cafe, the Fruit Shop Aoki, Aoki Juice Bar, and the same group’s Le Verger making their debut! It’s a miracle that new Koriyama sweets shops have gathered inside the station! It's a great help that I can casually buy them at the station! (^∇^) Since I had a bit of time before the shinkansen, I took a light break here. What I ordered was the Iced Caramel Macchiato for JPY 556 and the complimentary pancake! You can add the complimentary pancake for +JPY 400 when you order a drink. First, the complimentary cold caramel was served. Today, it was espresso caramel. I was told by the staff to enjoy it while it's cold. The iced caramel macchiato, when mixed well, has a delightful caramel aroma with a slight bitterness. It’s not too sweet, perfect for adults. You can choose between whipped cream or salted butter for the pancakes. I chose salted butter, and poured some more luscious caramel sauce over it. This too was not overly sweet, just right. Perfect for brunch! (^∇^) Actually, I came yesterday and tried their delicious salted caramel popcorn for JPY 630, so I bought two bags. One for my friend's boyfriend! The other one as a treat for my friend! Since I’m planning to visit often, I had them make me a stamp card! I couldn’t buy pudding this time, so I hope to take some home next time!