Milk Cream Craft Cafe, Tokyo

During my last visit to Tokyo, I discovered the joy that is soft cream.  That is, soft serve ice cream, as it is known in Japan.

I've always been an ice cream lover, and soft serve in particular,  and I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Japan has perfected this too (like the 10 years of development that went into cremia, the soft serve I had at Silkream).  I was planning to go back to my favorite of the soft serve places, Mother Milk Farm, but discovered (at least before I went!) that they had sadly closed down.

So I sought out another similar sounding place, Milk Cream Craft Cafe.

"Have you ever experienced the true delicious taste of fresh cream?"

With a tag line like this, it is clear what the focus is.  Cream.  I thought I had experienced the true delicious taste of fresh cream, but it turns out, I had more to learn.

Delicious.

This was very, very fresh cream. Pure, quality dairy.

Yes.

Where's the ice cream?

Navigating around in Japan can be pretty hard, but Milk Cream Craft Cafe was an easy find - with the large soft serve statue, the English signage, and, um, the cows, I knew I was in the right place.

Curb Appeal.

But to be clear, this is not actually a tacky place at all.  The curb appeal, once you get past the statues, is real.  

Large windows, bright, inviting, casual.

Tables.

I seated myself (after trying to order takeout and being denied).  I think it was ok to seat myself?

Tables were decorate with grass placemats, and came with menus and silverware all set up.  I appreciated the extra cushion at each seat!

A server quickly came over with an English menu for me, changing out the Japanese one on the table, and a glass of water.  I knew what I wanted and ordered right away.  My treat came quickly.

I was never checked in on again, and wasn't entirely sure how to pay, until I watched another pair go up to the register in front to pay when they were done.  I copied, and it seemed to  be the right thing to do.

I appreciated the entirely non-invasive, but prompt, service.

Menu.

The menu entirely revolves around fresh cream.

"Fresh cream has always been used to complement something else such as cakes or pancakes.We thought of “Starring Fresh Cream” sweets because perhaps you still don’t know about the true delicious taste of fresh cream."

You can get fresh cream (whipped) served with a light fluffy chiffon cake (and optional berries or chocolate sauce).  You can get it inside a crepe.  You can get it as a drink with coffee or tea.  As a shake.

Or, as I did, you go all in, getting a parfait, layered with the fresh whipped cream, soft cream (aka soft serve ice cream), milk pudding, tapioca, and crunchy cereal.  Parfaits are available in 3 varieties: milk, strawberry, or chocolate, where the flavor is just the drizzle that is applied over the top.

Milky Soft Milk Parfait. 780.

I picked a parfait since I wanted a chance to try their cream and the soft serve ice cream, and this seemed to be the way to do it.  I didn't want chocolate since it was evening, and the berry sauce wasn't calling out to me, so, simple milk it was.

When it arrived, it looked like a mound of whipped cream.  Which, actually, is what it was, from the outside.  Their website describes the process of creating it:

"It required blend research involving over 100 prototypes to be able to achieve the “rich flavor” and “clean aftertaste” as original creations of fresh cream with different quantities of milk fat."

The whipped cream was ... most likely the best whipped cream I've ever had in my life.  Hard to describe exactly, but, um, the flavor of the cream was so real, so ... cream-forward?  It was rich, fluffy yet dense, and slightly sweet.  I guess, "rich flavor" and "clean aftertaste" really are accurate, actually.

Truly, truly fabulous whipped cream, but even for a whipped cream lover like myself, it was a bit too much whipped cream.  To say it was generously covered is an understatement.

I'd like to subtract a fraction of a point too for the thing sticking out - a little sign that says "do not eat".  Why oh why include it then?

Soft Cream Inside!

Under the massive pile of whipped cream was the soft serve ice cream I was seeking out (known as soft cream of course).

It too was lovely.  Sooo smooth, creamy, rich, and again, incredible cream flavor.  It melted slowly, and the texture was just fantastic.

I can see how chocolate or berry sauce would help break up the slightly one-note flavor profile of cream on ice cream, but, the flavor really was so deep that I didn't mind all that much.  The drizzle of condensed milk over the top just accented it more.

Crispy Cereal.

Under the whipped cream, under the ice cream, lay two smaller layers.  One was a layer with a little bit of tapioca pudding, good for a bit of texture, and just slightly different cream component, but there certainly wasn't much of it.  I would have liked more of that, slightly less cream.

And the very base, crispy rice cereal.  I didn't really think I'd eat it, because even though I like crunch I'm fairly eh on rice cereal, but, when I had just a big bowl of whipped cream left, with some crunch, it actually worked well.  Side note: have you ever had granola or other cereal with whole milk and whipped cream and sprinkles (part of breakfast of champions)?  I do it at least a couple times of month, and always adore it.  It always makes me feel like a slight rebel (who has sprinkles for breakfast!) but it really is delicious.  Sometimes I go crazy and use chocolate milk instead.  Anyway.  In the same way that works, a bowl of whipped cream and rice cereal works.

I happily polished off this parfait, even though it was considerably bigger than I wanted given my hunger level, and even though it seemed like a daunting amount of whipped cream.  Truly delicious, and I'd gladly return, although I think I'd just get a soft cream.