Sweets lovers from throughout the Kansai region make pilgrimages to this little café in residential Sennan to experience the ‘world of fruits’ conjured up by the pair of sisters who run Bake Icoi. Peaches, strawberries, mangoes and many other seasonal fruits are used in kakigori shaved ice in summer and turned into filling for crêpes and various pastries in spring and autumn. Made entirely from domestic ingredients, the colourful sweets excite both the eyes and the taste buds.
One of Bake Icoi’s most popular specialities is the autumn-only Batata, a grilled sweet potato cooled in a fridge for two to three days and then deep-fried in rice oil. The type of potato used changes according to availability and season; on our visit, the delightfully soft, saccharine spuds were of the Silk Sweet variety grown in Ibaraki prefecture.
Make sure to check their Instagram for opening days before heading over.