Anime/manga-themed café’s baked goods run the range from cute to crazy, just like Chiikawa itself.
Osaka is famous as one of Japan’s best foodie destinations, with kuidaore, “eat until you drop,” being a rallying cry of gourmands in the city. As of this month, you’re going to want to leave at least a little room for the adorable treats of the brand-new Chiikawa Bakery Osaka.
This will be the first Chiikawa Bakery west of Tokyo, and as part of the grand opening celebration the Chiikawa Bakery Osaka is cooking up an exclusive Chiikawa Takosen Burger, with the bun shaped like the beloved anime/manga character.
Takosen is an Osaka snack made by putting takoyaki (octopus dumplings), themselves already an Osaka specialty, on top of senbei (rice crackers) and covering them in sauce and mayo for a mix of crisp and creamy textures.
If you’re looking for sweets, the bakery is happy to satisfy those cravings too, with such temptations as the custard cream-filled Chiikawa bun…
…or a mini loaf of Chiikawa bread with honey mixed in with the batter before baking.
The bakery even has something for wagashi (Japanese confectionary) fans, with Chiikawa turning into the “Kuri Manju Bread,” a bun filled with chestnut-infused sweet bean paste.
Joining Chiikawa in this Osaka venture are pals Hachiware and Usagi, and they too have cream bread versions, Hachiware’s with a chocolate filling and Usagi with a caramel one.
They also get the mini loaf treatment, once again with Hachiware’s featuring chocolate but with Usagi’s pivoting to cheese bread.
The trio also serve as muses for financier almond cakes, with matcha and coffee-enhanced flavors too.
And since Chiikawa isn’t just a cute franchise, but a strange one too, there’s also the Rou Bread. Named after the in-series Rou Ramen restaurant, the Rou Bread appears to be a bun stuffed with such a towering quantity of noodles, pork, cabbage, and corn that it needs to be served in a ramen bowl to catch any spilling fillings (and yes, you get to keep the bowl).
For those wanting to pick up some permanent cuteness, Chiikawa Bakery Osaka T-shirts and tote bags will also be available.
Though the Chiikawa Bakery is a takeout-only establishment, reservations can be made through the shop’s website for priority admission. With how phenomenally popular the character is, the non-priority line can get very long at the bakery’s Tokyo branch, and the situation will almost certainly be similar in Osaka. Note, though, that there’s a 1,000-yen (US$6.30) charge for reservations, though that amount is converted into a credit that you can use to pay for food items.
Chiikawa Bakery Osaka will be located within the Kitte Osaka entertainment complex in Osaka’s Umeda district, and its grand opening is scheduled for June 26.
Bakery information
Chiikawa Bakery Osaka / ちいかわベーカリー OSAKA
Address; Osaka-fu, Osaka-shi, Kita-ku, Umeda 3-2-2 JP Tower Osaka Kitte Osaka 3rd floor
大阪府大阪市北区梅田3-2-2 JPタワー大阪 ＫＩＴＴＥ 大阪 3F
Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Website
Source, images: PR Times
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