Would you like a Japanese egg sandwich with your octopus?
It seems our quest for the best breads in Tokyo never ends. Our Japanese-language reporter Seiji Nakazawa heard about a delicious bread shop in Yoshiike, a popular seafood market in Tokyo’s Okachimachi neighborhood, and he knew he had to try this unlikely location. The bakery, called Ondine, was recently introduced on Japanese TV, a sure sign that it would be worth the venture.
Yoshiike is a famous market to begin with, known for being popular even with food industry pros and for offering rare delicacies like octopus eggs from time to time. Ondine is popular for its taste, variety, use of local ingredients, and freshness. Since items sell so fast, customers can expect to pick up something freshly made rather than something that’s been sitting on the shelf for a while.
▼ Their cream bun in particular was a hit on TV, so Seiji started with one of those.
For just 150 yen (US$1.13), he was able to enjoy an ultra-fresh, fluffy bun with a melty custard filling. It was so melty, in fact, he could almost drink it.
▼ And for that price? A steal.
Seiji’s second pick was the Japanese egg sandwich, which is Japan’s version of an egg salad sandwich, made without vegetables and instead mixed with Japanese mayonnaise. It’s always a simple, filling option, and what Seiji loved about Ondine’s egg sandwich was the egg-to-bread ratio.
▼ The egg portion was clearly thicker than the bread!
▼ You’d be hard-pressed to eat this without making a mess, but it’s worth it.
The bread was also premium, being made with Hokkaido-grown flour, which gave it some extra sweetness. It cost 378 yen, but when you consider that’s only about 100 yen more expensive than egg salad sandwiches at most Japanese convenience stores, Seiji would pick this one over the others every time.
▼ Seiji’s third option–and his favorite by far–was the croquette bun, ringing in at 232 yen.
It may be difficult to tell it’s special just by looking at it, but trust Seiji. It’s a special one. First off, the sweet and slightly spicy sauce was delectable. The abundant celery was crunchy, which made the perfect contrast to the super soft and fluffy potato croquette.
▼ It even had a dash of margarine, the secret ingredient that makes it the best in town.
▼ Since it’s in a mess-proof bun form, it’s a great snack or meal to take on the go.
So if you ever find yourself in the Okachimachi area of Tokyo, pop into Yoshiike for some of Seiji’s favorite breads! And on your way back, cleanse your palate with an enormous panda-shaped onigiri.
Bakery information
Ondine | オンディーヌ
Address: Tokyo-to, Taito-ku, Ueno 3-27-12 Yoshiike B1
東京都台東区上野3-27-12 吉池 B1F
Open 9:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Photos ©SoraNews24
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[ Read in Japanese ]