Love at

TasteirstF

The moment I took a bite of a Fujinoya cake, my compulsive need to snap Instagram food photos kicked in. Not all those who post food porn photos are equal. Some just need to capture their love of good food and spread the word.

F U J I N O YA

Unlike my love for chocolates, which is usually at first sight, the no-bake cheesecake from Fujinoya coffee shop had me at first taste. It’s the kind of fondness that buds over time. The creaminess and sweetness are just right. At the same time, it’s a sweet treat I won’t wolf down every day but won’t mind having every time I stop by the newly opened coffee shop on Wilson Street, Lahug, Cebu City. That non-clingy fondness I have for this beauty bodes well for more days to come. My sweet tooth celebrates this new friendship.

This novel cheesecake creation is just one of Fujinoya�s cake assortments, including strawberry roll, tiramisu, mango mousse, chocolate gateau ganache, Japanese cheesecake, strawberry shortcake, kiwi shortcake, éclairs, and cream puffs among many others. They all look so clean you sort of feel less guilty indulging in them. The slice, size, presentation, and soft texture of each cake reminded me of

Written by Anchel Alcantara

Photography by Alex A. Banaag II

Art Design by James Siador

Tokyo Banana, a custard-filled Japanese sponge cake that feels like cloud in your mouth.

Fujinoya Philippines is the brainchild of Japanese head baker Hideo Goto, whose father founded Fujinoya bakeshop in Japan in 1950. The Gotos, including Hideo’s son named Takahiro, are three generations of bakers that personify Japanese discipline and perfection by using only the best ingredients into their Western-inspired cake creations. These baked goodies are now catering to sweet tooths in Cebu. You may read Fujinoya’s history overview from this link: http://www.fujinoya.net/english/shopinfo/.

The Paper Clips food trio—Carrie, Alex, and I—have yet again had the pleasure of sampling these desserts aplenty. Head barista and manager Carl Gothong didn’t have to insist that we partake of them, nor did we pretend to decline. We rarely say no in times such as this. We tried the

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least sweet to the sweetest and washed them down with our preferred gourmet coffee. Apparently, there is an art to eating a variety of cakes and choosing the best coffee to match each of them, said Carl who is also a cake and coffee connoisseur. Moreover, he emphasized that technique in food preparation is what sets apart first-rate food from the mediocre. Fujinoya also serves short-order food such as wasabi burger, chicken katsu with Japanese curry, and teriyaki ribs, all created by its executive chef, Khristina Lim.

My rather limited knowledge of cakes, as I always end up picking the chocolate varieties, thrived that day. I am smitten for sure.

Fujinoya invites you to have your caffeine and sweet fix at 10 percent off. Just present your ASPI company ID to get your special discount. Selected cakes are also sold at half the price from 10:00 p.m. until midnight. Plus, succeeding orders of hot coffee are 50 percent off. Daily opening hours are from 10:00 a.m. to midnight. Visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fujinoya-Philippines/1412474415703370.

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