Yamashitacho

After eating our way in Yokohama Chinatown and then taking a stroll to Yamashita Park, my friends and I wanted to get some coffee before catching the train back. I had suggested going to Starbucks as I had accumulated a whole bunch of drink coupons from purchasing Starbucks 2023 Sakura Collection tumblers. However, my friend's niece pointed out that Doutor Coffee Shop (DCS) was located nearby and just next to the train station. DCS originated in Harajuku in 1980 and has grown to over 1000 locations throughout Japan, with the majority in the Tokyo area. Impressive. They obtain quality coffee beans worldwide and even has a coffee farm in Kona. DCS is a European style coffee shop and this location is quite spacious. They have 2 dining sections where the farther section is a dedicated smoking area. You order at the counter and it was a warm afternoon so I opted for an iced matcha latte. I also wanted something sweet and my eyes immediately landed on the Mont Blanc, my favorite dessert to eat when in Japan. We also got a couple other desserts. It didn't take long for the staff to make our drinks and plate our desserts. We secured a table for 3 and after we sat down it was time to dig in. THE VERDICT: Despite DCS being a franchise, I was impressed on the overall experience with their quality control. First of all, I enjoyed my iced matcha latte as you could see the different layers in the drink. I love that whole milk is used as it tastes so much better. The matcha flavor came through and the sweetness was tamed. Much appreciated as I need to watch my sugar intake so I don't get lectured when I visit my PCP. I really hit home run with the Mont Blanc. For starters I'm a big fan of puréed chestnut and was pleasantly surprised with the semi sweetened whipped cream inside. Then, my ears perked up when I heard the crunch on the bottom crust. It was so good that I highly recommended my friends to try. It was a bad move on my part because that meant less for me to eat. Haha... I also tried the other desserts and was also a fan of the crunchy chocolate mille crepe cake. The dark chocolate layers in between the crepe gave that crunchy texture that made you want to go back for more. The dessert was not sweet (to American standards) but just sweet enough for the Japanese palate. The Hokkaido pumpkin tart was dense but it was also delicious as you could taste the pumpkin sweetness. Would have appreciated a dollop of unsweetened freshly whipped cream to offset the heaviness of this dessert. I couldn't help but glance at their smoking section as this location had a secluded area that allowed patrons to enjoy their coffee while smoking. I understand operations in Japan differ from USA but commend DCS for being so accommodating. Overall, a delightful first experience where I wouldn't hesitate to visit other locations at DCS. The prices were comparatively reasonable and the venue was clean. 2023 #30