Are you interested in trying out a change of taste and choice from all of the delicious Japanese food you have consumed? Are you curious about fusion cuisine in Japan? If so, try the Japanese-Mexican style café and restaurant, Hands Café located in the Tokyu Hands Store. Conveniently situated near Shibuya Station and Harajuku Station, both reachable by a short walk, Hands Café is a modern and chic place to enjoy a brunch with a couple of friends.
Hands Café specializes in fusion food, combining Japanese and Mexican food to create new, unique dishes. I ordered the "Peperoncino of chicken and broccoli," which turned out to be a pasta dish with ground chicken and cooked broccoli. I ordered the lunch set, so I was able to order a drink to go with my meal. I chose Melon Soda, to keep some more of the Japanese taste in my meal. I received a pleasantly light dish of noodles, which tasted faintly like Soumen (cold noodles) that were heated up, but with a spicy twist courtesy of the peperoncino. The dish tasted quite exotic with the Mexican spices, and I was reminded of the fact that Mexican and Asian cuisine have many things in common, including the use of spices and cilantro. I especially enjoyed the broccoli, as it was a nice touch of taste, and it looked great on the plate.
As I was growing a tiny bit tired of Japanese flavored food since I had been in the country for more than two months at that point, I was craving something a little different. Yet, I didn't want to eat something I could obtain back home, like McDonald's or Pizza Hut. So, stumbling across Hands Café could not have been more perfect for my grumbling stomach and I. I hadn't seen many Mexican restaurants around in Japan, so my curiosity took over as I read that there was "Taco rice" and "Chorizo" on the menu. My friend ordered a burrito-like wrap, which also looked appetizing. It also came with a soup and some chips, just as my meal came with a few pieces of pretzel bread. The portion size was great, and I finished everything feeling full, but not bloated. The unique meal I had left me very satisfied, and I would recommend this café for its food and even just for its aesthetic environment - the atmosphere is one that boasts comfort, artistic, and special.
