Expression Kawaguchiko — Restaurant in Fujikawaguchiko

The good: staff were nice and friendly. The cheesecake tasted decent.

I was looking forward to trying this place after discovering it while driving past it yesterday, and I feel bad for what I’m about to write, but I feel it’s warranted, and I hope it’s useful feedback:

The bad: ¥900 for a cafe latte made with a fully automatic espresso machine??? Are you kidding me??? It tasted worse than I could get from the local Lawson at a quarter of the price! To me that shows either a lack of respect for customers or a lack of respect for coffee, hence my rating. It’s particularly insulting because your menu talks about how “amazing” your beans are and uses words that imply you know about coffee (“city roast”, etc); in case you didn’t know, beans are important but only if the espresso is extracted well. Your coffee tasted like it was pulled with a pressurized portafilter (which automated machines often use), which is not real espresso. By the way, your menu mentioned two kinds of beans, but I was never offered a choice. Why?

Context: I spend a lot of time in the area, and often visit the local competition like Juuden Coffee, Boku no Coffee, Cisco, Tabilion, Toe, Fab Cafe, etc. I love supporting local cafes and eateries that show care for their offerings, and gave all of those places 5 star reviews. I also roast beans and brew my own espresso at home.

My advice: get a real espresso machine, and ensure at least some of your staff learn how to dial in and pull a good espresso shot, and how to steam milk. Also tone down how “amazing” coffee is and let the quality speak for itself. And reduce your prices by at least ¥200 and forget about the free refills. Finally, don’t charge so much for your cheesecake.

EDIT: Thank you for your response, and for taking my (admittedly a bit harsh, but honest) feedback on board. I sincerely hope your business is successful. I'll visit again in a few months and will update this review...

富士山の麓にあるフレンチカフェテラス　*English below

Expression Kawaguchiko

地元甲州の食材を活かした料理とワインをいただきました🍷

今年の7月21日にオープンしたばかりで 店内の洗練された清涼感と澄みきった空気感がすっごく心地がいい💖

最初に出てくるおしぼりの温冷が選べて、 さらに食事と一緒にアロマプレミアムのおしぼりがついてくる✨

いただいたのは 🍴甲州牛イチボのロースト ＊5食限定 🍴ミックスロースト 甲州牛・甲州富士桜ポーク・甲州地どりの3種類のローストが全ていただける🥰 ＊甲州地どりはむね肉ともも肉両方味わえて、むね肉の繊細かつジューシーな肉質が静かな存在感を放ってました❗️

◉外パリ中なめらかな焼きニョッキ ◉酸味の効いたクレソンのソース ◉甘い甘いとうもろこし ◉きめ細かくて密度が濃くて、耳まで柔らかいパン・ド・ミ ◉ピリッと辛いクレソン

全部が上質でパワーが詰まっていておいしくて、人生で一番贅沢なワンプレートだった😍

Expression Kawaguchikoを運営するのは、レンタルおしぼりのリーディングカンパニーFSX。

オシャレでいい香りの、厚みがあって拭き心地いい アロマプレミアムのブランド(以前軽食付きのイベントで出てきた！) 店内の清涼感と澄みきった空気感は、ここから来ているのかぁ☺️

飲食店でまずおしぼりが出てくるって、世界的にはすっごく珍しい 「おしぼり」って日本人のおもてなしの心やこまめに手を洗う習慣が体現されている文化だよね🎌

河口湖駅の観光案内所にあるパンフレットを持参すると、おしぼり5枚セットがもらえる✨

河口湖駅からバスで行く場合は、1つめの役場入り口で降りて徒歩10分くらい、 住宅が点々と建ち並ぶエリアの中にあるよ。

At the foot of Mt. Fuji lies Expression Kawaguchiko, a newly opened French café terrace (opened July 21) serving exquisite dishes and wines made with fresh local Koshu ingredients.

The refined, airy atmosphere inside feels incredibly refreshing. You can even choose a hot or cold oshibori (hand towel) upon arrival, and a premium aromatic oshibori is served with your meal.

I tried the Koshu Beef Ichibo Roast and the Mixed Roast — a luxurious plate featuring Koshu Beef, Koshu Fujizakura Pork, and Koshu Jidori chicken (both breast and thigh). The chicken breast, in particular, had a delicate yet juicy texture that quietly stole the show.

Crispy-yet-soft baked gnocchi with tangy watercress sauce, extra-sweet corn, soft and airy pain de mie, and a punch of fresh watercress — every element was high-quality, full of vitality, and honestly the most luxurious single plate I’ve ever had.

Expression Kawaguchiko is run by FSX, Japan’s leading rental oshibori company. Their thick, beautifully scented Aroma Premium towels are pure luxury, and now I understand why the café’s air feels so fresh and clean.

In Japan, it’s common for restaurants to offer a fresh oshibori the moment you sit down — something quite rare elsewhere in the world. This small gesture reflects the heart of Japanese omotenashi (hospitality) and the cultural habit of keeping hands clean at all times.

📍From Kawaguchiko Station, take the bus to “Yakuba Iriguchi,” cross the street, turn left past the Japanese language school, and walk about 10 minutes through a quiet...

We got there 3 mins before the lunch section closed, but the staff still agreed to make us food. Very beautiful food, super nice staff. Although the coffee was from the machine but it was still very nice. Prices were not cheap, but we can tell the ingredients are good and the food was made delicately. Good...