GRATBROWN Roast and Bake — Restaurant in Tokyo

Forgive me if my review isn't up to par for this one since I just came from a rush-hour train ride.

GRATBROWN Roast and Bake is a cozy little cafe about 8 minutes from Komaba-todaimae station on the Inokashira Line (it would have been a 5-minute walk if it weren't for the roads slick with snow).

It's typical Tokyoite neighbour exterior makes it blend in with the rest, but once you step in, the western-saloon-like interior breaks you from your woes and brings you in to sit back, relax, and grab a cuppa joe.

This joe, which was a latte, really surprised me. Unlike most lattes I had in Tokyo which leaned more on the milky side, this was actually balanced. The espresso punched through the fattiness and creaminess of the milk yet didn't overpower the sweetness the milk brought. Whatever the barista did during the calibration, they should keep doing it and improve on it.

Another thing that surprised me was the temperature of the milk. This was hotter than I expected, and I was worried that the milk would've scalded beyond saving. However, I was wrong. It was hot enough for a snowy day, but not too hot to be burned. It stayed smooth, and the microfoam and art was on point.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to chat with the barista as the counter is way too far. You know me. I love a space where the customer and the barista are close enough to have a good talk, but this space isn't it. Then again, I'm one of the few who actually wants to talk to baristas 🤷‍♂️

I wasn't able to get any of their baked goods as I was on a tight schedule. Getting a muffin is good enough of an excuse for me to...

My wife, infant and I stopped here to buy ground coffee. We also bought an iced coffee. It was a hot morning and so after we purchased our coffee, my wife was sitting at a 2 person table, holding our infant while I stood nearby, drinking my iced coffee. She was sitting for 5 minutes when staff asked her to move, as the table was reserved for customers drinking coffee, although I clearly was and we were together. I recognize that there is not a lot of sitting room, but to us, this was very rude. Especially since we had just purchased two items, one of them a drink. We will not...

Hight quality,aesthetic cakes and good coffee. Reasonable price. Stuff is so kind and with a good energy. Many ppl are coming there and on my stay there so many ppl said "thank you" to stuff. Seems like cozy home place. And a good bonus what in a toilet is an organic soap. Many small but important details. Loved my sunday morning drawing there. Just would reccomend to change the playlist, make it more...