38KAWAGUCHIKO — Restaurant in Fujikawaguchiko

• UPDATE*

After 6 years, we visited this little gem again. To say that we were delighted would be an understatement. The food was exactly how we remembered it as, but somehow felt better. My wife decided to try the salmon this time, and was surprised by the beautiful combination of the fish with almonds. The experience was more delightful for us as we reminisced on the amazing changes, including how all of us endured COVID lockdowns, yet be able to experience something so joyful years later. If you are in Kawaguchiko, pay this cafe a visit. Good food, good ambience and most of all great service

• ORIGINAL REVIEW ** This is a hidden gem close to Lake Kawaguchiko. We stumbled on this place by accident during our walk from Highland Park to the lake.

Firstly, the decor and ambiance is amazing and tastefully done. The entire place has a good flow and provides a warm cosy atmosphere for either lunch or dinner.

We stopped by initially for a cup of tea and coffee and some dessert. The coffee was done to perfection and my wife's Japanese Tea was of good quality. We had a chocolate cake, banana split and a green tea ice cream. The entire presentation and taste was excellent.

We enjoyed our experience so much that we decided to go there for dinner, even it meant walking in the dark. We were so glad we did as the food was amazing for such reasonable price for the setting. Each of us enjoyed our meals and we loved the fries so much, we had to have a second helping.

My son ordered the 38 Parfait, which is the chef's signature dessert. He had a big smile from ear to ear!

Would give this place 10 starts if I could. Great service, great atmosphere and excellent food. Do pay this small cozy cafe a visit and you will truly enjoy a wonderful...

The restaurant/ bistro has a minimalistic aesthetic with high ceilings, natural lighting, and beautiful large windows. The overall western-japanese vibe is warm and inviting, with a cosy yet modern touch.

The restaurant is run by a lovely middle-aged couple, with the lady boss being especially polite and welcoming. Their hospitality added a personal and heartfelt touch to our visit, making us feel very comfortable and cared for. 🥰

The pasta portions are incredibly generous, more than what you’d expect from usual servings.

Here's what we had: 🍝 Japanese Creamy Mushroom Pasta: Light yet creamy and bursting with flavour. Despite being creamy, it didn’t feel heavy at all.

🍝 Mentaiko Pasta: Made with spicy Cod Roe in an oil based sauce, it had a clean, umami taste and was equally satisfying.

Lunch Set Details We opted for the lunch set, which included:

A side of salad. A small cup of onion soup. A warm bun served with a small cube of salted butter.

The sides were savoury yet light, perfectly complementing the main dishes. While the pasta options in the lunch set didn’t include much meat, they were simple, clean-tasting, and umami-packed. The thin spaghetti noodles were coated with flavourful sauces, making the dishes feel minimalistic yet satisfying.

This place truly warms both the heart and the belly. The delicious food, generous portions, and welcoming atmosphere made for an incredibly enjoyable visit. The owners’ hospitality was the cherry on top, leaving us with a memorable experience we would...

This place is truly a hidden gem ran by the friendliest couple. The moment we entered we were greeted by the wife and she asked us if it was okay to wait 20-30mins. We were totally fine with waiting as the other restaurants in the area had poor reviews regarding tourists.

They have a wide selection of western dishes and we opted to get their Margherita Pizza, garlic bread, and mentaiko pasta. All of the dishes were delicious!!!

Margherita Pizza was perfectly made with fresh tomato sauce. The Garlic bread was nicely toasted and flavourful The Mentaiko pasta is a Japanese delicacy and is definitely worth trying.

Customer Service - 10/10 Food - 10/10 Atmosphere 10/10

I would definitely come here again for my next...