Cafe Cour: Tasty, Healthy and Beauty
Published: December 18, 2019
Koto-ku’s reputation for being at the forefront of cafe culture in Tokyo took another giant step forward with the opening of Cafe Cour in the summer of 2019. On a recent morning I dropped in for a chat with early bird proprietor Ms. Katsumi Masuda.
Located just four minutes’ walk from Toyocho Station in a beautifully remodeled former restaurant, Cafe Cour is affiliated with the renowned Iki Espresso of Kiyosumi-shirakawa. “I learned the cafe business at Iki,” explains the friendly and outgoing Ms. Masuda, “and still spend some time there doing administration work. The opportunity to open my own place arose and we were able to find this site, have it redesigned and then opened in June this year”.
The woody, natural exterior provides a pleasant contrast to the spacious, airy and thoroughly modern minimal interior. “I’ve lived in the Toyocho area for many years now,” said Ms. Masuda. “I like it here, it’s a good neighborhood and very convenient but I always felt it lacked a place where people could relax, enjoy a cup of coffee, have a proper meal and take it easy for a while. Although there are many franchise coffee shops, pubs and the like, there wasn’t a unique, original cafe.”
The coffee served at Cafe Cour is Iki espresso based, and very good it is too. “I always start the day with a macchiato,” says Ms. Masuda. She kindly whips up a latte for me and it’s
perfect: rich and creamy yet with a hint of bitterness in the aftertaste. Tea at Cafe Cour is from the very popular, and very tasty, Teapond company of Kiyosumi-shirakawa.
It’s an early start for the staff of Cafe Cour. “We open at eight and serve a special menu until 10 o’clock. This is weekdays and public holidays only,” she explains. A bacon and omelette burger with crispy lettuce on homemade bread or homemade granola, handmade jam and yoghurt with baked-in-the-cafe campagne sourdough bread, with coffee, tea or herb tea for a very reasonable 780 yen apiece. Latte or flat white are available for an additional 100 yen. A very appetizing way to start the day!
Also on the weekday breakfast menu is a set of soup and bread for just 500 yen, available for takeaway. “Many business people drop in for breakfast on their way to work or to pick up something for lunch. In the main though our customers are local people, young mothers, homemakers and so on,” says Ms. Masuda. The soup changes every day; when I visited it was pumpkin made with soy milk.
Cafe Cour uses La Marzocco espresso machines and grinders. Founded in Florence in 1927, La Marzocco is the professional’s choice.
The daily menu features such favourites as this eggs Benedict, two poached eggs slathered in Hollandaise sauce, served on homemade buns with a choice of crispy bacon or salmon for 1200 yen. Doesn’t that look fantastic!
And for those keen on something lighter, smashed avocado with salmon and salad, also on homemade bread, is 1300 yen. “Our concept is health, taste, and beauty,” says Ms. Masuda, “Healthy food that uses no additives and is homemade as much as possible, beautiful food that tastes as good as it looks. If you try it, you’ll understand!”
The very toothsome chicken caesar sandwich plate is 1250 yen.
In the mood for something sweet? Well, Cafe Cour can offer this stunning apple tarte tatin. Baked apples on chiffon cake, served with a caramelised soy milk and rum parfait, white almond chocolate sauce, pistachio nuts and crumble. It looks unbelievably good and seems astonishing value at 700 yen. Why not treat yourself? Please note that pancakes aren’t served between 11:00am and 13:00pm on weekdays. Outside of those times they are all available.
Alongside the apple tarte tatin the sweets menu is extensive: ricotta hotcakes, maccha hotcakes, French toast, gluten-free cookies and this homemade cheesecake with raisins, cream and homemade blueberry jam.
Not to mention two varieties of scones, roasted green tea (houji-cha) and honey salt, and this moist, inviting carrot cake. Made with a dash of cinnamon and a cream cheese frosting, it would go nicely with a cup of tea in the afternoon.
And where better to enjoy that afternoon tea than in the sun room? Chatting with friends, reading a book or just watching the world go by, the sun room seems an ideal location, whatever the weather. After an hour spent battling across Tokyo during the morning rush hour, my somewhat frazzled mood was eased by a fine cup of coffee, the comfortable interior and lulled by the excellent background music. If you’re in the Toyocho area, why not drop in and see for yourself!
Story and some photographs by Stephen Spencer
