A chef opened a tiny dessert spot in Tokyo that sells shaved ice for $18 a bowl. I know it's a massive markup, and I'd still pay for it again.

23.03.2024 - 12:31 / insider.com

It was 8:55 p.m., a week before my trip to Tokyo and I was hovering over my laptop with a steady hand on the mouse. The website I was on clearly stated: "Reservations may be booked from 9 p.m., 7 days in advance at the earliest."

A few months earlier, a fellow foodie friend's praise of Azuki to Kouri, a dessert shop in Tokyo, made me determined to visit. We had planned to spend a few days touring the capital before our ski trip in Niseko in January, so I added a visit to the restaurant, known for its kakigōri — or Japanese shaved ice — to our itinerary.

I was determined to get a seat and had already told my husband I might only be able to nail one, which is what ended up happening.

Located in the Yoyogi neighborhood of Shibuya, the dessert restaurant was opened by pastry chef Miho Horio at the beginning of 2022. Horio is best known for her experience as the pastry chef at Tokyo's two-Michelin-starred French restaurant Florilège.

There are only seven seats along her sleek dessert counter — nine, if you count the high-top in the corner with two chairs.

As I walked through the sliding door and into the gray-scale dining room, I immediately got a whiff of something sweet and slightly burnt. I glanced around the open kitchen and saw one of the pastry chefs flame-torching a meringue topping.

The staff greeted me warmly and asked for my reservation. I was then promptly signaled to sit down. My front and center seat gave me a great view of all the intricate preparation and French cooking techniques being used to create the bowls of shaved ice.

Azuki to Kouri is known for its rotating daily menus and use of seasonal ingredients. The shaved ice features unique textures, temperatures, and toppings. The desserts are on the pricier end and range from 2,750 to 2,900 Yen, or $18 to $20.

Traditional kakigōri shops in Japan often sell bowls for less than $3, while prices for artisanal kakigōri can go up to $10.

On the day of my visit in mid-January, the menu options included its signature azuki (red bean) and meringue, apple and chiboust (a light pastry cream with meringue), chocolate and raspberry, Japanese mandarin orange, white mushroom, and a strawberries-and-cream special for the shop's second anniversary. French toast was also available in two flavors, azuki and pear, as well as a soup of the day: burdock (a root vegetable).

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I took out my phone to look through the restaurant's immaculately curated Instagram feed, which featured stunning, professionally taken visuals of Chef Miho's creations.

I decided to go with the signature red bean and meringue flavor.

A few other customers ordered just before I did, so I patiently waited for my shaved ice to be prepared. There were only two chefs preparing