(credit: Picture from http://www.cake100.net/images/shop/escoyama/1.jpg)
PATISSIER es KOYAMA may be quite unknown to many foreign tourists for the fact that it's not in Kobe itself, but in a city called Sanda in the Hyogo Prefecture (same prefecture as Kobe). However, to the locals and many Japanese people, this patisserie is very famous. What's special about this patisserie, or should I rather say a sweet complex, is the fact that PATISSIER es KOYAMA is not only a patisserie, but also a chocolatier, boulangier, and a confiserie. What makes it more interesting is the fact that all of these various kinds of goodness are housed and sold in different buildings. Okay, that may in fact, sound a bit complicated, so let me show you the map of PATISSIER es KOYAMA.
PATISSIER es KOYAMA has five major brands: es KOYAMA; ROZILLA; hanare; co. & m. es; es Boulangier.
es KOYAMA is where the most famous sweet of Chef Susumu Koyama, the Koyama Roll, is made and sold along with other cake desserts are made.
ROZILLA is where the chocolate creations are sold. Products such as Hard-type Chocolate Baumkuchen, chocolate bonbon and chocolate macaroons are sold there.
hanare is the cafe where customers can sit down to eat cake (served with ice-cream) or lunch. I love the lunch menu there. It's delicious!
co. & m. es is where the macaroons are made and sold. Various flavours such as yuzu and cherry blossom are available (seasonally).
es Boulangier is the bread shop. My favourite bread is the chocolate banana croissant like bread, and the churros. They're very reasonable priced. Another reason to love es KOYAMA even more!
My favourite product from es KOYAMA would have to be the Hard-type Chocolate Baumkuchen.
(credit: picture from es KOYAMA official site & http://entabe.jp/news/article/1295)
As for the cakes at hanare cafe, my favourite cake would have to be the Mille-feuille. (I've tried the Chocolate Fondant cake, Koyama Roll cake, and the mille-feuille so far.) What's so good about this Mille-feuille is the fact that it isn't too sweet. Between the layers of pastry sheets and custard, there is a thin layer of sour strawberry jam. It's a wonderful combination, especially when eaten with the complementary strawberry cheesecake ice-cream. As for the lunch set, I've only tried the Sanda-beef hamburger so far, and let me tell you, so far, so darn good!! All I can say is LOVE LOVE LOVE!!
(What I had at hanare cafe)
If you have children with you, make sure to visit the small hut, called 未来制作所 Miraiseisakujo, next to the hanare cafe. There is a small hole that only children can enter to see the processes of making the cakes. The children are also able to purchase sweets that are only made available to them. However, they are not allowed to tell their parents what exactly that they see (which I think is quite hard for children), in order to make the parents even more curious. My friend said that Chef Koyama's purpose for making the hut only available to children, while parents have to sit and wait next to the vending machine was to help encourage conversation in the car after visiting PATISSIER es KOYAMA (not sure if the information is 100% correct).
(Miraiseisakujo)
So, if you have the chance, please take time to visit PATISSIER es KOYAMA :)
Official site of Es Koyama (Japanese) : http://www.es-koyama.com/index.html
Official site of Es Koyama (English) : http://www.es-koyama.com/global/index.html
How to Get There
From Osaka (45 mins)
From Osaka JR Station, take the train to Shin-Sanda on the Takarazuka Line.
Then in front of the station near the Rotary, take the Number 44 bus towards Yurinokidaikoen Mae (ゆりのき台公園前) and get off at Yurinokidai Yubinkyokumae (ゆりのき台郵便局前).
From Kobe (60 mins)
From Kobe
From Sannomiya JR Station, take the train to Shin-Sanda (normally have to transfer at Amagasaki)
Then in front of the station near the Rotary, take the Number 44 bus towards Yurinokidaikoen Mae (ゆりのき台公園前) and get off at Yurinokidai Yubinkyokumae (ゆりのき台郵便局前).
