Famed for its delicious and kawaii cream puffs, Harajuku’s patisserie/café Nicholas House is coming to the end of the road: it will close its doors at the end of the year. Although Cat Street – a picturesque shopping street located in Harajuku’s back alley – is sure to miss the cute dishes and their delightful treats, let’s say Nicolas House is not be forgotten just yet, as it celebrates its grand finale with a gorgeously satisfying Christmas special edition menu.
It’s only natural that the first impressions Nicolas House gives is that of being simply kawaii and colorful. Creampuffs in shapes of bunnies, children set-meals for adults – the whole menu speaks the language of Harajuku. But what we discover after one bite in is the secret to French gastronomy – fresh herbs picked every morning that bring out the ingredients’ natural sweetness without adding extra sugar – which goes for that rich cream filling too.
Born in Lyon, France, Pastry Chef Nicolas Charles has polished his skills from age six – first learning from his mom, a first-born daughter who constantly was in charge of cooking for her nine other siblings. His French origin and strong interest in Japanese culture has brought about a great success in blending French cooking methods to the liking of his Japanese customers. Here is a peek at his latest menu that will get you right into a jolly Christmas mood.
Nicolas Charles
Strawberry Santas Christmas Trifle ￥800 plus tax Under the cute strawberry Santas are layers of strawberry mousse, rich cream, and rusks from the café’s freshly baked cream puffs.
Fluffy Owl Cream Puffs (￥380 plus tax) These cute cream puffs are filled with white chocolate and covered with cream cheese – a real winter-white delight.
Nicolas’s Christmas Special Afternoon Tea Set (with 2 drinks)￥2,800 plus tax. Looking for something special to satisfy your holiday appetite? Stacked with 2 pieces of berry tarts, strawberry Santas, and Christmas tree decorated muffins, the tea set comes with 2 drinks as well.
Children’s Set for Adults – Herb and Cheese Special (￥2,050 plus tax) It’s true that Nicolas House is all-out kawaii, but don’t mistake it for just a place for sweet tooths – the number one hit dish is the Children’s Set for Adults, and specially for the holidays, the stewed hamburger steak is offered with four melting slices of delicious rich cheese, topped with dill sauce and basil.
Decorated with French-imported antiques and other items, Nicolas House is open from 11am to 8pm on weekdays, and from 10am to 8pm on weekends – ready all through the day to treat visitors with scrumptious meals and pastries. This holiday season might just be your last chance to say au revoir!
Address: Tamagami Bldg. #402 Jingu-mae 1-8-6, Shibuya-ku
For more information, visit PRTimes. (Japanese only)
