There are only three things that matter in life: bread, bread, and bread.

If there’s one thing Mr. Sato loves, it’s bread. Whether it’s as big as his head or made with the most luxurious fillings, Mr. Sato can’t get enough of it, which leads to no surprise that as soon as he heard of a bakery hosting an all-you-can-eat extravaganza, our poster boy of a reporter’s stomach and soul were ready.

Hosted by bakery chain Saint Germain and titled “The Dream of All-You-Can-Eat Bread,” Mr. Sato appeared at one of its branches located in western Tokyo right at the promotion’s start. Despite being quite knowledgeable when it comes to lining up for things, Mr. Sato was shocked to see a sizable throng of people already waiting though it was only 10:00 a.m.

His surprise, however, was surpassed by his growing excitement. As the line moved, Mr. Sato couldn’t resist staring at the shelves filled with an assortment of bread. Bread rolls, cheese bread, bread stuffed with fat slices of croquette, sausage-encasing bread—the bakery had it all!

▼ Bread with corn, fig-laced bread, and even bread full of edamame! Carbs galore!

Of course, Japanese bakery classics such as curry pan (bread with a curry filling) and anpan (bread with red bean paste inside) were available. There were also an abundance of pastries, such as sugared donuts, cinnamon rolls, bread lavished in cream, and chocolate cornets.

The most amazing part of this all? Mr. Sato could eat as much as he liked in a 45 minute time period for just 770 yen. (US$7.03)

▼ The fluffy maritozzo, an Italian sweet bun packed with whipped cream, in particular caught Mr. Sato’s eye.

Of course, like many good things in life, this all-you-can-eat event came with a catch. Patrons could only grab two items at a time, perhaps a bid by the bakery to reduce waste and prevent the unfortunate event where someone loads up their tray with more than they can digestively handle.

But as a champion at eating proportions which exceed the average human’s stomach size, Mr. Sato wasn’t fazed by this and he beelined immediately for his first two breads: an Egg and Milk Cream Bread and a Blueberry Maritozzo.

Logically, it only made sense to Mr. Sato to start first with the pastries. If he tried to eat the savory bread from the beginning, then he may very well run out of room for delicious sweets. With this sound logic, Mr. Sato picked up the maritozzo, and while it was hard for him to believe it was blueberry-flavored, the sweet fruit was actually ladled beneath the generous helping of cream, and he devoured it as if it was his last meal ever.

Finishing off his sugary first round, Mr. Sato went for his second round. He grabbed a Bihorocho Potato Croquette Sandwich and an An Donut (a round fried bread with a sweet red bean paste filling).

Though the An Donut, in Mr. Sato’s opinion, was a dud with an overwhelming sweetness, he recovered with the crunchy croquette sandwich. From where was he standing in line, the croquette sandwich looked unassuming, cute even, but a closer look revealed how voluminous it was in size.

Burdened by the heavy sweetness of untamed red bean paste and the unexpectedly filling croquette, Mr. Sato was down to his last leg in his race to eat-them-all. He had to make his final choice, and the answer seemed clear as the most luxurious and coveted item was the “Mango and Peach Fruit Sandwich.”

Packed with cut mango, peach, kiwi, and an ample amount of cream, Mr. Sato knew this would be the one to take him to carb heaven. He took his first bite and the sweet mango melded perfectly with the tanginess of the peach bits, leaving him in a divine wake of soft bread and tasty cream. As Mr. Sato savored the “Mango and Peach Fruit Sandwich,” he acknowledged his fall from carb heaven upon realizing he should have just eaten only this fruit sandwich from the start.

Regardless on which note his feasting ended, Mr. Sato still appreciated what a steal the event was price-wise. Had he arrived any other day to stuff himself with baked goods, the same items would cost him 1,394 yen (US$13) versus 770 yen only.

For those interested, the all-you-can-eat extravaganza runs until August 31. Unfortunately, due to the promotion’s unsurprising popularity and the risk of congregating a crowd, the bakery has suspended its morning all-you-can-eat event but is continuing its evening equivalent. You can check which branches are still hosting the promotion here.

Bakery information
サンジェルマン 府中店 / Saint German Fuchu Branch
Address: Tokyo-to, Fuchu-shi, Miyamachi 1-41-1 Foris 1F
東京都府中市宮町1-41-1 フォーリス1F
Open 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Evening all-you-can-eat promotion starts from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. with last registration at 6 p.m.

Photos © SoraNews24
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