When travelling to America, most Japanese people usually have one or two “must-eat” foods on their itinerary, the most popular of which are probably hamburger and apple pie.

When our Japanese reporter, Yoshio, visited America last month, he wasted no time in seeking out the former. His haste and curiosity led him to something called the Donut Burger, which, as you might imagine, didn’t go over so well.

Determined not to commit the same mistake with his apple pie, Yoshio had his American acquaintances point him in the direction of the best damn all-American apple pie the country has to offer.

Where did that take him? Check his report below to find out!

If you like apple pie, you need to go to the town of Julian in southern California. The dish is a town specialty and tastes unlike anything you can get in Japan.

Once a prospering gold mining town, Julian is now home to a population of only 1,500 and famous for apples and, of course, apple pie. The town is located in a picturesque mountain area about an hour and a half east of San Diego and enjoys tourism all year round, with the apple harvest seasons of October-November being by far the busiest.

The entire town has a cozy, historic American atmosphere that makes you feel like you might see a cowboy walk out of a saloon at any moment. In addition to the apple pie restaurant I visited  there are plenty of small shops housed in historic buildings that are fun to just walk around and look at.

The jewel in the crown, however, is Mom’s Pie, a bakery so popular that people line up outside for the chance to order slice. It was about 16:00 when I arrived, but I ended up having to wait another 30 minutes just to get inside.

Finally making it up to the counter, I ordered a small, single-serving apple pie to eat in the store. I sat down, dug in, and was blown away by the taste. The crust was warm and flaky from being freshly baked; the apple had a tinge of sourness but also that satisfying fruity sweetness that spreads throughout your mouth. Everything about this pie was perfect.

What really knocked me off my feet was when I tried it mixed with a side order of cinnamon ice cream. When it comes to pie, you Americans know what you’re doing! Not to mention the ice cream is amazing on its own. You just can’t get flavor like this in Japan…

Given the proximity of Julian to San Diego, anyone visiting California owes it to themselves to take the trip out to Julian and try their apple pie. You won’t regret it!

Photos: RocketNews24
Store website: momspiesjulian