Atelier Sekka — Restaurant in Tokyo

The fluffiest hand cranked kakigori, amazing, really. This location is a teeny bit off the regular tourist path but is worth it, you can tell because there's a waitlist and a line and it's full of people (95% females) both young and older excitedly waiting. The sign up sheet has everyone writing their name in katakana including Japanese folks so I'm not sure if they do that on purpose to read names out earlier but it's probably going to help them call out your name if you can write it that way. Kakigori is a melt fast therefore eat fast kind of thing, so the line isn't that bad because the turnover is pretty good and you're encouraged not to dilly dally for the sake of those waiting in line. Once you go in you are seated, you order and pay cash to the person who comes to take your order up front. The kakigori is done by hand cranked machines rather than electric, so it requires a whole level of skill to operate to keep it at the right consistency and yet somehow here they produce some very light texture with good structure. The flavours I had on my mont blanc were excellent too, pronounced chestnut flavour, good balance without being too sweet. It was unreal, 100%...

I tried two places for kakigori this trip. This place is absolutely wonderful! There IS a wait and it is worth it. I had the strawberry pistachio kakigori and my partner had the pistachio. I just finished the large portion and was so happily satisfied. The shaved ice is like fluff! Delicate and melts quickly in the mouth. The flavors were SO good, chunks of strawberries and whole pistachios layered in as well as a pistachio cream pour over that I wanted to pick clean. Pricing was approx $14-20 CDN and well worth it. The interior is light and spacious and it was fun watching the staff shave the ice and build these amazing treats. Will 100% be returning, I need to try the lemon kakigori next!! English menu...

How to order:

1. go to front of line, find the sign in sheet and put your name and how many people in your party.
2. remember the number next to your name
3. You'll see a menu. Take a picture.
4. wait in line. And look at the menu, Google translate if you need to
5. an employee will come out and call numbers. When they do this, walk up to the employee and place your order. You can share one. They don't force you to order one each.
6. wait back in line until they call your number again

Inside there's plenty of seating. Green tea is free. I like the strawberry...