How to enjoy fancy kakigori

Summer is coming and in Japan summer means kakigori. I recently found a café in Kichijouji that offers a very unique version of kakigori, flambeed kakigori.  

It is called Café Lumiere and easily accessible from Kichijouji station.

When I went I was able to get a seat immediately but there were notes on the wall on where to line up, so I assume the café can get quite crowded.

Flambeed ice might sound contradicting at first but they found a way to make it work. The kakigori is covered in a layer of meringue that is shortly flambeed. The Café has several different versions of their flambeed kakigori that change seasonally.

I recently tried the Sakura version. When you order a flambeed kakigori the café staff will flambee it directly at your seat. Get your phone or camera ready to take photos and videos.

The inside of the kakigori looks like this. Besides the typical water ice, it is also filled will all kind of yummy things, like mascarpone, cream cheese, raspberry mouse and cookies. You could also say it is a kakigori parfait.

I personally found that flambeeing did not add to much flavour, so I guess it is done for the visual impact.

The kakigori is served with different sauces that you can pour on top according to taste. What kind of sauces you get depends on the flavour of the kakigori you ordered. The price of the flambeed kakigori is between 1200 Yen and 1370 Yen which is not exactly cheap. 

But you do get to enjoy a unique eating experience and the portions are quite large as well. Nevertheless, I didn’t fill full after eating one as it mostly is just water ice.  

Café Lumiere does only offer a limited choice when it comes to main dishes so you might want to grab something before you enter if you feel hungry. When it comes to drinks they offer a huge selection of coffee and tea.

Besides the flambeed kakigoori you can also get regular kakigori that is a little cheaper but still decorated with a lot of detail to make look stunning.

If you have eaten enough of the standard Kakigori you can get at summer festivals why not try this new approach that is not only very instagramable but also tastes really good. 

Café Lumiere address: 

〒180-0003 Tokyo, Musashino, Kichijoji

Minamicho, 1 Chome−2−2

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How do you like to eat your kakigori?