How far would we go for a piece of morning toast? All the way to Kyoto, if it's shaped like a cat and comes with its own little shichirin (small charcoal grill). As if anyone needed more reasons to visit Japan’s former capital, Kyoto’s exCafe has partnered up with shokupan company Neko Neko to offer Instagrammable toast sets on its breakfast menu.
exCafe, which features traditional tatami floors and a zen garden, has always been a popular tea time venue with treats like kakigori shaved ice dessert and frothy matcha tea accompanied by mochi. Now, it looks like breakfast hours will be the hardest time of day to get a table as the Neko Neko toast sets are only available from 8am to 10am daily.
The set costs ¥1,280 and comes with two sticks of dango (mochi dumplings) and a slice of toast. You can pop them onto your personal shichirin grill and toast them to your liking. Instead of the usual spreads like jam or peanut butter, the breakfast set comes with rather unusual condiments: soy milk butter with red bean paste, and fruit with whipped cream.
Every room in the cafe is uniquely beautiful with quintessential Japanese interiors. On a clear day, however, you’ll want to grab a seat outdoors, where you can enjoy your breakfast overlooking the zen garden.
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