Shaved ice (kakigori) is one of the most popular things to eat in Japan. In this feature, we introduce a dessert shop that is famous for its delicious shaved ice. The shop is Kuriya Otona Kurogi (廚 otona くろぎ) in Parco Ueno, just a few minutes on foot from the station.
Kurogi is an upscale Japanese restaurant known for its delicious dishes made using high-quality ingredients and prepared using unique cooking techniques. Apart from Japanese food, this restaurant has also set up several dessert shops, and one of them is Kuriya Otona Kurogi.
The appearance and interiors of the store are simple yet elegant.
Once you enter the store, you can clearly see the design elements of a high-end Japanese restaurant.
The Signature Kakigori
We chose to order the most popular shaved ice: Kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) with kinako (roasted soybean flour). Let’s find out what makes this shaved ice so popular.
The shaved ice has a soft texture and is not coarse or grainy.
As you can see, the portion is quite large. Not only the amount of shaved ice, but also the amount of toppings is quite satisfactory. The bowl feels extremely heavy and is actually difficult to hold in just one hand.
Red bean paste, cream, and kuromitsu are tossed onto a pile of shaved ice, creating a layered flavor.
The topping is the restaurant’s specialty cream sauce, which helps suppress the sweetness of the shaved ice. It is a unique texture, almost like that of mousse.
Other Menu Items
Besides shaved ice, there are also other Japanese desserts such as warabi mochi and Japanese-style parfaits. For those who aren’t into sweets, you can also order cute toasted sandwiches.
These toasted sandwiches are made fresh upon order, so they can be too hot to eat straightaway. The staff always reminds customers to be careful when eating these, especially when giving them to small children.
The freshly baked bread is toasted to be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the combination of ham and sauces hits the right notes.
You can also enjoy a cup of coffee while watching people wander around through the windows.
Don’t miss out on this unique Japanese dessert store when you’re in Ueno.
