Japan Travelogue Series: Café Lumiere

Kakigōri (かき氷) is a Japanese type of shaved ice dessert. It differs from a snow cone because it is flavored with syrup and condensed milk. The ice in Kakigōri is fluffier and smoother, much like newly-fallen snow, and is best enjoyed eaten with a spoon rather than directly from the paper cone.

Kakigōri is traditionally hand-cranked in a machine with sharp blades that turns a block of ice into a finely shaven consistency. Though electric ice shavers can also be used, many kakigōri street vendors are still using hand-cranked machines during hot summers. Kakigōri is one of Japan’s best loved desserts. It’s sold at festivals, most restaurants, and convenience stores all year round.

Café Lumiere takes shaved ice desserts like kakigori to the limit! The favorite summer dessert is covered in fluffy merengue then lit up on fire turning it into a blazing beauty! It’s an original way of enjoying the dessert and having an amazing kick out of the experience. Café Lumiere uses rum for the bonfire dessert, and they also offer a variety of unique flavor combinations such as caramel and strawberries to seasonal varieties like apples and rum raisins with fresh custard cream and mascarpone cheese. The menu also offers sandwiches and cakes aside from kakigori. Let’s eat!