Ed Uyeshima
Google
Parfaits are really popular in Japan, especially among packs of young girls desperate for Instagram selfies with their fancy desserts. My husband and I had been to Ginza Sembikiya before and really enjoyed the fresh fruit parfaits and sandos there. Yet another YouTube vlogger had rhapsodized about this spot next to Shinjuku Station, so we dropped by after dinner. From a futuristic-looking lobby, we took an elevator to the fifth floor.
We were surprised to find it fairly empty even though Shinjuku was as crazy-busy as usual on the outside. There were quite a few selections including a whole section on muskmelon desserts. Creatures of habit that we are, we ordered almost the same parfaits we did at Ginza Senbikiya. I guess we're not intrepid fruit explorers, but hey, we know what we like. My husband ordered the ¥1,540 Banana Chocolate Parfait which to their credit, looked exactly like the picture in the menu.
Cubes of chocolate were mixed with like-size chunks of bananas, fudge cookies, and mochi over vanilla ice cream immersed in dark chocolate sauce. I went for the ¥2,420 Strawberry Parfait which was chock full of strawberries layered over vanilla soft serve, apple granita, whipped cream, and strawberry raspberry sauce. Both were fine renditions, though neither parfait was quite the magical creations we found at Ginza Senbikiya. It was still worthwhile though to treat ourselves here.
FOOD - 4 stars...elaborate parfaits well executed
AMBIANCE - 4 stars...spacious, especially for Shinjuku
SERVICE - 4 stars...very efficient
TOTAL - 4 stars...parfait, s'il vous plait