The name of this cafe means “Pocket”, and it's certainly small and full of nice surprises. You can find it only a short walk from Kitayobancho station – head north then turn right before the fire station.
Cafe Poche is a delight to the senses – the first thing that hits you when you walk in is the wonderful smell of baking bread. It also looks beautiful, from the artistic pastry shoes to the colorful stained glass lampshade. Big windows and two large mirrors ensure that everything is bathed in as much natural light as possible.
The friendly owners, who chatted to several customers while I was there, bake a wonderful variety of things: croissants, brownies, lemon cake, melon pan and of course, bread. The selection varies from day to day, so it's a surprise when you go! Don't go too late though – the cafe closes when they've sold out. They also offer bread-making classes on Saturday.
The lunch selection (11:00 until 15:00) is great, from sandwiches to lunch sets. There's the “Palette” lunch set, quiche plate, pizza plate, Russian stew bread (oyster and shrimp), and the most filling set which comes with a small beef stew, a sandwich, salad and jelly. They all come with a drink, and the owner is happy to swap out the tea or coffee for fruit juice.
It was a hard decision, but I chose the Palette set. It was presented on a uniquely shaped dish; just the smell made my mouth water. The dry curry pita sandwich was wholegrain and had an almost fruity flavor. The lettuce was fresh and crunchy. The pita went perfectly with the vinegary pickles, which cut through the spicy edge. The orange juice wasn't fresh, but it was good quality. The onion soup was pure comfort food, especially with the slice of bread floating on top, covered with cheese. It was a typical onion soup, thin and naturally sweet. The seasoning couldn't have been better, and the onions were as soft as you can get.
As well as a small blancmange in a thin glass, there was a plate with a piece of custard-filled sweet bun and two very petite langue de chat. These delicate biscuits were less buttery than I was expecting, but they went well with the blancmange. The latter had an intriguing flavor, almost alcoholic, but also milky. My favorite was the custard bun – chewy with rich custard and just sweet enough.
Unable to resist, I took home a brownie as well. I didn't regret it – it was rich and chocolatey, covered in a sprinkling of cocoa powder. Wrapped like a present, it was a perfect gift to myself.
Cafe Poche is proof that good things come in small packages. It smells good, looks good, and the food is amazing. From sweet and savory baking to lunch sets, you'll want to come back for more!
