Dessert for lunch again! Welcome to Wagashi Ensa・和がし圓左, a super cute cafe that has been on my wish list for a while. I got one of the sweet sets that includes sweet, frothy matcha, strawberry amazake ice cream, (from left to right) konpeitō・金平糖, mizu manjū・水まんじゅう and minazuki・水無月.
Konpeitō is a confetti-like sugar hard candy that is fun to eat and very classic. Mizu manjū is soft jelly with ultra-light and smooth red bean paste inside; minazuki is a denser mochi-jelly with red beans, both are usually eaten in the summer.
This was a lovely set, a lovely cafe. I hope more people go try it, I was there at prime lunchtime and was the only person there. That is something that always breaks my heart a bit in Fukuoka. There are always about a dozen extremely popular, trendy places (that are often very good and their reputations well-earned) that attract all-day line-ups. Sure it’s nice having the place to myself, but I do wish these entrepreneurs were more supported by their communities. Nearly everywhere else is a ghost town. Long after city restrictions were lifted, so many precious, cool, interesting and innovative or classic places closed down. I know Fukuoka isn’t the only city, nor is Japan the only country this happens in, but I do find it a bit discouraging at times. Eat local, shop local, it is so rewarding!
Tea, Sweets and Trails 