The World I Haven't Seen Yet in a Café in Omori, Tokyo, Japan

I heard about a wonderful café in the next town over from where I live, a place I hadn’t visited before. It seems to serve high-quality coffee and homemade sweets. Intrigued, I decided to go there by bus.

First of all, the appearance of the café was quite unique, welcoming visitors with a large brown door. However, the door wasn’t the actual entrance. Instead, there was a narrow pathway next to it that led to the café.

The café is called “2198.” It truly felt like a hidden gem.

I took a seat at the counter and ordered a cup of their blend coffee and a homemade pudding. The mistress carefully measured the coffee beans and ground them using an electric grinder. Then, she placed the ground coffee into a cloth dripper. I was a bit surprised by how much coffee she used—it seemed to be more than twice the amount I typically use in my own kitchen.

I don’t usually like coffee that is too strong, so I was a little worried. She poured hot water over the coffee grounds using a kettle with a tapered spout, adding the water gradually.

The coffee she served had a pale color, a deep aroma, and a surprisingly light taste—much lighter than I had anticipated. It was, without a doubt, one of the most exquisite coffees I have ever tasted.

This experience inspired me to want to brew such fine coffee at home. My first step will be to buy a cloth dripper.

Additionally, the cup and saucer she used were beautiful, and the pudding she served was delicious, with a reduced sweetness that suited my taste perfectly.

I definitely want to visit this café again.

2198

2-19-8, Sannou, Omori, Tokyo, Japan

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