​"ori" is a café-restaurant in Nagoya City's Nishi Ward that serves "delicious, beautiful, and comfortable" food.

Enjoy an international breakfast and brunch. The shop is attached to a beauty salon, and ori opened in April 2022.

There is a large shopping mall "mozo Wonder City" nearby, and it is an area with many coffee shops. About 15 minutes on foot from Shonai Ryokuchi Park, about 15 minutes on foot from the nearest station. It has a parking lot and is easily accessible.

Open cafe surrounded by greenery

ORI was started out of the desire to provide local people with a place to enjoy food. Although the restaurant is located on a busy street, it is surrounded by greenery, and there is a place to sit and relax outside the restaurant as well.

The atmosphere is lovely from the outside. You will be greeted by stones and stylish benches that are just the right size for sitting. It seems as if the store welcomes you to take a break during your stroll.

The red pole is a dog pole where you can hang your dog's leash. You can also stop by for to-go during your walk.

The interior of the store is a calm space with a vintage taste.

It has a retro feel, and time seems to flow slowly. The shape of the lighting and the chairs are all unique, and you will discover something new every time you visit.

I want to liven up my hometown with "multinational cuisine"

Manager and chef Yuki Yamada. He is responsible for everything from creating the concept of the restaurant to devising the menu, and usually stands in the kitchen to warmly greet customers.

– Please tell us how you got started in international cuisine.

Mr. Yamada: "I studied abroad in New York, U.S.A., and was influenced by the different culture and food from Japan. After returning to Japan, I spent about 6 years in Tokyo, gaining experience at restaurants of various genres such as Asian, Chinese, and Mediterranean, which gave me the foundation of 'multinational cuisine'. From that time on, I knew I wanted to return to my hometown someday to contribute to it and see if there was anything I could do to help."

Mr. Yamada said that one day he wanted to do something that would please the locals in his hometown, Nishi Ward, Nagoya City.

Mr. Yamada: “When I was thinking about what I could do, I collected a lot of opinions from local people. From there, I strongly decided that I wanted people to learn about various things through food, centering on 'multinational cuisine.'"

Mr. Yamada set out to open the restaurant in 2019. However, due to the COVID-19, the opening was postponed for a number of years, and in April 2022, the shop was ready to open in full force. The store is attached to a beauty salon, both of which have been renovated and the café newly opened.

From the concept of the shop to the interior and exterior design, it seems that they were particular about making it a comfortable place to spend time.

The restaurant has an open kitchen style. As time flows slowly, you can enjoy the sound and aroma of cooking while you wait.

Ms. Yamada: "I saw someone's home in Berlin that was very nice. I used that homey feeling as a reference."

The live taste of the deliciousness is transmitted, and the waiting time will be a blissful time.

In addition, they are particular about selection of ingredients.

Mr. Yamada: "I use local ingredients as much as possible. I want to entertain customers with dishes that use ingredients that can be recognized by the people who made them."

International breakfast and brunch

Breakfast time until 11:00

ori breakfast plate (1,000 yen)

Breakfast time is when relatively more locals move in, he said.

The Breakfast Plate with homemade scones, turkey ham, and local vegetables on one plate is the most popular. Enjoy a luxurious moment by spreading a generous amount of fermented butter on the scones.

Homemade granola (¥900)

A breakfast of homemade granola is also available. It's a healthy deliciousness to have with yogurt and berries.

Set of original soybean soup and Taiwanese rice balls (¥1,100)

Shen Tou Jian is popular in Taiwan. Based on soy milk, it is easy to eat and you can enjoy the familiar taste. In the summer, cold soy milk sesame noodles based on this soup have appeared.

Brunch time from 11pm

ori's Bibimbap (¥1,380)

You can enjoy international cuisine recommended for that season.

The most popular dish is the colorful bibimbap, which is served throughout the year. It is made with plenty of raw vegetables and fermented foods, and is served with dukkah spices used in Egypt and other countries, as well as homemade oil for an original taste.

Seasonal open sandwich (¥1,430)

Seasonal open sandwiches are also recommended for to-go. At the time of the interview, feta cheese and zucchini open sandwiches appeared. Feta cheese is a popular Greek cheese made from goat's milk and goes well with fresh vegetables. A refreshing sandwich topped with fresh zucchini and herbs.

Bibimbap and open sand can be taken out. Enjoy with coffee.

Cold borscht set (¥1,320)

The menu also includes borscht, which has been registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The menu was designed with Ukraine support in mind, and it started with the desire to do something with ori. Mr. Yamada says, "I hope people will eat it and learn about the world and Ukraine."

Coffee and dessert

ori's original blend coffee

Original blended coffee is served in Americano (¥500) and Latte (¥600)

Original blend coffee from Albert Coffee Ro asters, a specialty coffee shop located in the same Nishi-ku as "ori". Specialty coffees are of a high quality grade and are only given to those that exceed standards. All the coffees offered are ori's original blend coffees, and you can enjoy the full-bodied and deep flavor in an Americano or latte.

The photo shows scone ice cream (from ¥750), scones individually (from ¥300), and ice creams individually (from ¥550). Prices vary depending on the flavor.

The scones that appeared at breakfast can also be enjoyed at brunch time. I was surprised at the size of the fist-sized scones on the plate. It seems that there are cases where there are two small scones.

The scones are baked in the oven for each order so that they are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

It is especially recommended to eat with ice cream.

ORI's ice cream is from BIG BABY ICE CREAM®︎, a popular ice cream store in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is egg-free, yet has a rich, clean, sweet taste that is simple yet makes you want to eat it over and over again. Several flavors are always available. Mr. Yamada met the producer of this ice cream in Tokyo and fell in love with its taste. In the summer, you can take it out in cups or cones for eating and walking around.

In addition, ori has an herb garden in the back garden, and during the interview, I saw the staff going to pick herbs to accompany the dishes. All the herbs and flowers on the plate are edible. Freshly picked fresh herbs add freshness to the look and taste.

Not only the ori-blended coffee beans, but also the drinks offered in the store are products that convey the deliciousness of the ingredients that you can understand the production area and producers. You can also purchase one for your home.

ori offers dishes from various countries as original dishes that are easy to eat and familiar with. Why don't you come across a new deliciousness from a slightly different world in a comfortable space?