A new treat that’s got everyone talking.

There are a number of bakery chains in Japan that limit their stores to one specific prefecture, and down south in Fukuoka Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, you’ll find a famous local bakery chain called Shiroya.

Curiously, if you were to ask a local what they’d recommend buying at Shiroya, they’d likely reply with “omelettes“. That’s the answer our reporter Masanuki Sunakoma got when he was visiting the region recently, and he wasted no time in checking it out.

After making his way to the nearest branch, Masanuki leant down and peered through the display window, searching for the word “オムレット” (“omelette”). It didn’t take him long to find the omelette sign, but strangely enough, what was behind the sign didnt look like omelettes at all.

▼ “オムレット”

After speaking to staff behind the counter, Masanuki learnt that these “omelettes” were actually petit cakes containing specially made whipped cream. Shiroya has been making these sweets since 1964, but in spring last year, they suddenly catapulted to fame after fans started raving about them on social media, referring to them as the “Japanese confectionary omelette“.

The omelettes usually consist of whipped cream sandwiched inside a fluffy, airy cake pocket, but what’s really got everyone’s attention is the new Salt Milk Bean Paste Omelette, which swaps the cream for a sweet bean paste instead.

All the omelettes are incredibly well-priced, with the cream ones costing just 50 yen (US$0.38) each, although previously they were 40 yen a pop, and before that, 35 yen. According to staff, the low price means customers tend to purchase the omelettes in bulk, with many ordering 10 or 12 at a time.

The Salt Milk Bean Paste variety are a little pricier, as they’re sold in packs of four for 300 yen, making them 75 yen each, but you can see that it’s a level-up in terms of texture and ingredients.

▼ Salt Milk Bean Paste Omelette (left), and Omelette (right)

Masanuki tried the plain omelette first, and though he thought it might taste like similar-looking cakes he sometimes sees at supermarkets and convenience stores, it was on a whole other playing field. Light and fluffy, the omelette tasted so fresh he assumed it must’ve just come out of the oven, and the cream was sweet and airy, quickly dissipating on the tongue.

When it came to the new omelette, it was a more mature sweet, with the bean component delivering a very Japanese flavour. The milk provided a more subtle alternative to the sweetness of cream, and the salt added a tantalising contrast to the overall taste.

▼ Absolutely delicious!

While both omelettes were served slightly chilled, the bean paste in this one had an added cooling effect, making it perfect for the hotter months. It was hard for Masanuki to pick a favourite, though, as they were both beautifully well made.

Though they didn’t taste like traditional omelettes, the eggs were still the star of the show, as each batch of dough contains a top-quality local brand of eggs called Mihouran. Top-quality milk is also a star ingredient, helping to give each cake a moist richness that’s impossible to resist.

Masanuki had only planned to eat two of these omelettes, but in the end they were so light and airy he wound up eating five in one sitting. If he were to stop by Shiroya again, he’d buy 10 of the regular and two packs of the Salted Milk Bean Paste, which would work out to be 1,100 yen for 18 omelettes — a super cheap price for a bagful of delicious cakes.

The “Japanese confectionary omelette” is a sweet worthy of the acclaim it’s been given, and if Masanuki were a young 20-year-old again, he’d definitely be eating these every day…while rocking a kimono and punk hairdo like some of the locals!

Related: Shiroya
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