Now that it is coming to autumn in Japan, I can gradually see the changes all around me.
Not just weather and scenery wise, but also in the restaurants scattered all across Tokyo!
Now, restaurants have started offering their autumn menus that contain dishes prepared with ingredients traditionally associated with the season of autumn.
Among those considered as “autumn foods”, chestnuts are a popular ingredient to cook with due to its mellow and versatile flavor.
One of my favorite chain family restaurants, Saizeriya, recently put up a very interesting dessert menu that incorporated stewed sweet chestnuts and creamy milk gelato on focaccia, an Italian bread that has a similar taste and texture to pizza dough bread.
This delicious combination is then drizzled with caramelized chestnut sauce and crunchy toasted walnuts.
Ah, traditional Japanese sweets fusion with Italian dessert and bakery goods - what a heavenly combination!
When I found some time this past weekend, I visited the Saizeriya at Asakusa to try this new dessert offering. My friend and I were very lucky because despite the fact that the restaurant was at full capacity, (most families were out and about during the weekend and Saizeriya is a family restaurant, after all) we were seated next to the windows, and had an unhindered view of the Tokyo Sky Tree.
When the dessert was served, I wasted no time in digging into it. The coolness of the milk gelato complemented the warm focaccia just right, while the chestnut syrup and stewed sweet chestnuts added to the “autumn” feel of the dish.
We ended our meal with a cup of warm tea and went on our way to more sightseeing around Asakusa. What a wonderful way to spend a weekend!
If you would like to try this delicious Japanese-Italian Autumn Desserts, you can visit any Saizeriya branch in Tokyo.
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