きさらぎ
I saw a sign saying "3-year award-winning at the World Championship" and decided to go in and see what it was all about. It was a hot summer afternoon. Right at the entrance, there was a ticket machine, which surprised me. I pressed the button for a single cup of gelato for 500 yen. If you want a cone cup, it costs extra. There were so many flavors to choose from, it was overwhelming. Not only were there many displayed in the showcase, but there were also several written on paper on the side. Apart from fruits, there were also flavors using Japanese ingredients like rice and miso, which was interesting. Among them, I ordered the vivid red Cassis Orange & Honey flavor. It seems that there are options with milk and without milk, but in this heat, I was drawn to the refreshing one without milk. I waited at my seat for a while. The shop is small and doesn't have many seats. They seem to be particular about their ingredients, with all-natural, vegan-friendly food lining one wall. Of course, the gelato ingredients are the same. Usually, you can taste up to three flavors for free, but they are not doing it now due to COVID-19. They gave me a complimentary taste of any flavor I liked. I chose the bright blue gelato made with Okinawan salt. Hmm, this is quite salty. The color was interesting, and I got it as a gift, but one bite was enough. The Cassis flavor was richer than I expected. Maybe the honey is making it stand out? I usually think of sorbet-like treats as quickly melting, but this one had a rich, lingering texture that clung to my tongue. The acidity of the Cassis was pleasant. It was delicious, but I started to feel satisfied halfway through and took a break with the self-serve water in the shop. The lingering deliciousness made me curious to try other flavors. They also offer takeout and delivery services now. As I pointed out a squished gelato near the entrance and said, "It's fallen," the staff chuckled and said, "That's just a prop." That was me.