This time, we will introduce “nocake.” in Tsurumai. In the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant, you can enjoy a healthy lunch with plenty of vegetables, delicious cakes, and a wide variety of alcoholic beverages at night. The menu that can be enjoyed at home is also substantial, and the diverse lineup is attractive.

The restaurant is located a few minutes' walk from Tsurumai Station in Naka-ku, Nagoya City. The white exterior and blue door give a cute impression.

Aiming to be a thrilling place

Nocake opened in 2013. The owner, Reiichi Hayashi, who was originally working as a system engineer, met pastry chef Moe Kimura, and the two of them decided to give shape to each other's thoughts.

Mr. Hayashi: "While talking to various people at cross-industrial exchange meetings during my time as a company employee, I decided to do something with people who were the most different from my own sensibilities, and that is when I met Moe, a pastry chef. For me, it is more important to be able to choose a way of life and work that is in tune with the times than to belong to a company and lead a stable life. I started because I wanted to do something exciting."

The name of the shop comes from the old Japanese word "Nokake" which means "picnic".

Mr. Hayashi:"Nocake is not a special place, but a place that is along the lines of everyday life, and I want it to be a place that makes customers who visit it excited and thrilled. We named it after the idea that it is like a picnic."

Currently, the company has a staff of about 10 and is developing a wide range of businesses, not only in the café business, but also in wedding space design and apparel.

Casual and comfortable interior

The restaurant has both table and counter seating, and the atmosphere is attractive enough to be enjoyed by single person.

The restaurant is designed with a casual, homey, and exciting space in mind, with artwork and tasteful interior design throughout. It is also very comfortable.

Impressive experience with carefully selected ingredients and combinations

At Nocake, they are particular about pesticide-free and additive-free ingredients, and purchase vegetables and fruits directly from producers because we want our customers to be healthy from the inside out.

The use of spices is also unique. Add it to your dishes for a more layered taste. It seems that it is also used for sweets and drinks. Furthermore, by combining interesting spices and teas, they propose dishes that will give customers a moving experience.

Popular lunch and sweets menu

There are three types of lunch menus that use plenty of vegetables: "Daily Plate", "Today's Donburi (bowl)", and "Kimagure Curry" (1,000 yen each). Because we value the use of seasonal ingredients, the main dish changes every day, and some dishes change regularly at a pace of one week.

This is the standard and popular “Avocado Tuna Donburi”. In addition, “Gapao rice” and “Lou Rohan (minced pork) rice” will also appear.

There are two types of "Kimagure Curry" menu. The day I visited for coverage was "South Indian chicken curry" and "Eggplant keema curry".

Curry using seasonal vegetables and fruits is particular about the combination of ingredients and spices. About 8 to 10 kinds of spices are used, and whole spices and powdered spices are used properly.

Craft cola 700 yen (tax included)

After meals and at cafe time, you can enjoy coffee made with beans purchased from the home-roasted coffee shop "Kissa Kurokawa" and homemade drinks. This "Craft Cola (coke)" is a new drink that just started in October.

Using several kinds of spices such as cardamom and cloves, it has a refreshing taste that is not too sweet. The drink can also be flavored by adding lemon zest, which is attached to the edge of the glass, as desired.

Speaking of Nocake, you can't miss cakes made with seasonal fruits. The secret to its popularity is that the lineup changes every day. Cakes can be selected from the showcase at the entrance of the store and available for to-go.

On the day I visited, there were about 15 types of cakes, mainly tarts made with figs, pears, and grapes. Each of these sweets is made with luxurious seasonal ingredients, and is served with a cream that makes the most of the characteristics of the fruit.

Fig and Earl Gray Tart 700 yen (tax included)

There is Earl Gray cream in the fig tart. Depending on the fruit, various creams such as custard and mascarpone are combined.

Gorgonzola cheesecake 500 yen (tax included)

The standard "Gorgonzola cheesecake" has a rich aroma and rich taste. An adult cake with honey and black pepper. It goes well with alcoholic beverage such as wine. These can also be purchased in whole size by making a reservation.

In addition to cakes, the shop offers a wide variety of sweets, including parfaits and the "Marugoto Chiffon" that appears regularly during tea time from 2:30 p.m. The "Marugoto Chiffon" is an autumn special. This is the autumn-only "Marugoto Chiffon with Figs and Spiced Tea". It is a luxurious and hearty sweet.

The parfait with seasonal fruits that change every month is also attractive. Shine Muscat and pear parfait in October. Please check the shop's Instagram as it changes depending on the arrival status of fruits.

▼ Click here for Instagram of the sweets section
https://www.instagram.com/nocake_sweets/

A dinner where you can enjoy sake and food pairing

During dinner time, you can enjoy their specialties with drinks as the main course.

Many of the bottles lined up on the bar counter were purchased by the owner Mr. Hayashi, who is familiar with sake. There are more than 150 types of drinks on the menu, including gin, whiskey, and wine.

More than 20 kinds of wine are always available. The selection is made considering the compatibility with the food.

Among the food menus that consider pairing with sake, we recommend the “Kagoshima aged amberjack carpaccio”. It is a popular dish made with a unique manufacturing method.

This caprese is made with figs, muscatel, fresh ham, and burrata cheese. Caprese is usually made with tomatoes, but by using seasonal fruits, they are creating a menu that cannot be experienced anywhere else.

The staff are also knowledgeable about alcohol, so they will suggest pairings for sake and food.

In addition to the à la carte menu, you can enjoy appetizers and pasta using seasonal ingredients in the seasonal course menu. We recommend that you make a reservation here.

Catering and order cakes that give form to your thoughts

Catering services for weddings and parties include buffet plans with finger foods and course meal plans. They can design the service according to the customer's purpose and image, and they can consult with you about parties from a small number of people to large parties of 100 or more.

They create a one-of-a-kind space that meets even the smallest of requests.

Custom-made cakes are also popular. It is possible to decorate the shortcake using seasonal fruits with marzipan and icing cookies. There is no doubt that the one and only cake in the world designed one by one according to the order such as birthdays and anniversaries will add color to your special day.

Sweets limited to Marche!

Recently, they have also been focusing on opening a market stall, and in September they sold baked-in tarts and rustics exclusively for the market at the "market soko" event held between Kanayama and Tsurumai in Nagoya.

In September, they used fruits such as plums, pineapples, and figs, but the fruits of the tart change every time. They are planning to open a store in October and November, so please look forward to it!

▼ Click here for Market Soko website
https://www.marketsoko.net/

Nocake Original "Rustic"

They started selling loaf of bread in October. It's fluffy and dusty, and it's finished with a moist texture. You can also feel the sweetness of the wheat.

Currently, they are making prototypes of handmade wieners. In the future, Nocake will continue to develop products that deliver excitement to various people, as well as dishes and sweets that cannot be found anywhere else.

From mid-December to January, a spice, Japanese tea and cheesecake shop will open in Gokiso. The new store, which will be the second store, will be a different space from the concept of Nocake, so I'm looking forward to future developments!

When you visit the restaurant, the moment your food is brought to you, and when you taste it, you will be able to enjoy. Each moment is a thrilling and exciting experience.

Photo courtesy of nocake. (some exceptions)