humptydumpty3
One day after Golden Week, I asked my wife where we should go to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and surprisingly, she said she wanted to go to a "strawberry buffet"! She loves anything that is bright red like strawberries and tuna, and even though she usually doesn't like buffets because she can't eat much, this time she made an exception for the strawberry buffet. I searched for places that were hosting strawberry buffets and found out that most of them were ending by May 7th. The Hilton and Sheraton still had availability, but the weekend slots were already full. So, I gave up on the idea of strawberries and suggested a hotel buffet instead, but my wife said she couldn't eat that much anymore at her age. However, I found a place that was hosting a food buffet along with a strawberry fair! It was located in the same building as the permanent theater of the Takarazuka Revue, called "HARBIS PLAZA ENT," and the whole building had a unique atmosphere that felt like stepping into a promotional video world. The restaurant, "XEX WEST," was on the 7th floor, just like the Takarazuka Revue, and it felt like we were in the wrong place... I made a reservation online for ¥4,800 per person, which was cheaper than other strawberry buffets at hotels. When we arrived, the quality of the food and strawberry sweets exceeded my expectations. The variety was not as extensive as other hotel buffets, but each dish had high-quality ingredients. They even served a mini steak that was sliced and topped with truffles right in front of us, which was delicious. The strawberry sweets, about 10 in total, were of exceptional quality, and they even offered a taste comparison of two different types of strawberries. They also freshly squeezed matcha Mont Blanc right in front of us. When I mentioned that it was our wedding anniversary during the reservation, they brought out a mini cake with a candle and the entire restaurant applauded, making me feel embarrassed. The cake was small but had a sophisticated taste. The atmosphere of the restaurant was a bit too luxurious for me, coming from a humble background, but my wife seemed to enjoy it. The photos I posted don't do justice to the beauty and taste of the food, as the restaurant had a dark and warm lighting that my iPhone camera couldn't capture well. Overall, the experience was more luxurious than I expected.