HARBS Meitetsunagoyaten — Restaurant in Nagoya

Original from Nagoya, this cake shop comes highly recommended by both locals and tourists alike, and for good reason. I decided to visit after hearing rave reviews, and I must say, the cakes did not disappoint. They offered a wonderful selection, each more delicious than the last, and the portion sizes were quite generous for the price.

However, while the cakes stole the show, the drink quality was a bit of a letdown. Given the same price point as the indulgent cakes, I expected the beverages to offer a similar level of satisfaction. Unfortunately, my tea came served with a fine mesh strainer that didn’t do its job properly, leaving me with more tea leaves in my cup than I would have liked. It felt a bit unrefined and detracted from the overall experience.

The service also left something to be desired. While the staff were friendly and capable of understanding basic English, the pace of service was noticeably slow. It took a surprising 15 minutes for my cake to arrive, which was unexpected considering the number of patrons around. A quicker service would certainly enhance the experience, especially when one is eager to enjoy their dessert.

Overall, this cake shop is a charming spot in Nagoya with delightful treats that are worth a visit. If they can improve their drink quality and streamline service, it would truly elevate the entire experience. For now, I would recommend stopping by for the cakes, but perhaps consider order a cheap beverage as per rules 1...

It could seem a bit pricey when you look at the menu, but once you see the size of the cakes or how good it is the coffee and/or tea, you will think is a good deal. I tried all the cakes they have (mostly take away and few times there), and have to say that my favorite so far is the banana cake, but all of them are so tasteful. For the coffee, I liked more the Manhattan blend than the Seattle one, but is a matter of taste.

Is really popular so you usually will have to wait to be able to sit and enjoy, but it goes fast the line so is not too long of a waiting, depending on the day it could range from 30 minutes to 1 hour...

I ordered the chestnut cake. The cake itself tasted really good, the chestnut flavour of the cake is strong, but the real chestnut on top has no flavour. Under the chestnut paste, there is a lot of cream. I think the cream is light but just slightly too much. This is a tart but between the pastry and the cream, there is a layer of cake, which made the texture interesting.

So sad that if you dine in, you must...