はらまるこ
It's been a while since I visited Gajoen with my family. We were there because of a request from family members, and we visited Pandora for the first time, although we have been to Ketsuan and Canoviano in the same Gajoen before. We shared an afternoon tea set and a salad with my child. We ordered coffee and tea as our drinks. The seasonal afternoon tea set costs 4,180 yen, the mixed salad costs 1,320 yen, and the forest strawberry herbal tea costs 880 yen. The afternoon tea set allows you to choose one cake and one drink each. My child chose the special shortcake as the cake, and I chose hot coffee as the drink. The hot coffee was refillable. First, we had the salad. The portion size for the price was great. It included tomatoes, leafy greens, prosciutto, and Camembert cheese. The tomatoes were sweet, the lettuce was crisp, and the herbal leafy greens added a slightly bitter accent. The dressing was delicious and had a unique texture with a tangy flavor, similar to French mustard. It was a magical dressing that made both the vegetables and protein taste delicious. Next, we had the afternoon tea set. There was no explanation of the contents, so we had to guess as we ate. The bottom tier included sandwich, quiche, salmon terrine, and mashed potatoes. The sandwich was simple with ham, cheese, lettuce, and tuna mayo. It was a standard sandwich. The quiche was chilled with a firm pastry crust. The combination of cheese, potato, and ham was tasty. The terrine was a bit vague in flavor, and the mashed potatoes were slightly sweet and firm. The second tier included sweets like tea jelly, scones, macarons, financiers, and chestnut cake. The jelly was smooth and refreshing. The scone was crumbly and moist, but the cream underneath was overly sweet, creating a slight mismatch. My child loved the macarons and claimed them all. The other baked goods were average. The top tier had the chosen cake, a classic shortcake. It was on the heavier side with a dense sponge and cream. Even my son, who has a sweet tooth, couldn't finish it on his own and left half. The forest strawberry herbal tea had a strong berry aroma and a delightful, calming taste. The afternoon tea and service were not as impressive as expected, but we enjoyed the meal while watching the koi in the small pond in the garden, which filled our hearts. (However, due to the season, there were constant photo shoots for weddings, Shichi-Go-San ceremonies, and other events, so we couldn't just sit and gaze outside, haha). Surprisingly, the ordinary salad and red tea were delicious. My stepfather, who arrived later, had a hamburger that was also quite filling.