Can it make both your stomach and wallet happy?

Sweets Paradise is the dreamlike, all-you-can-eat dessert chain where sweets lovers can enjoy the sugar rush of their lives at very reasonable prices. Our Japanese-language reporter with a sweet tooth Takuya Inaba often patronized the store when he was a student, relying on its 70-minute course to feed his stomach and get him through his studies.

Back then, about ten years ago, the course cost around 1,500 yen (US$9.60), but with the economy being as it is, and the prices for everything being hiked up over recent times, Takuya found himself wondering what Sweets Paradise is like now. Have the prices there also increased, or have they downgraded their offerings to maintain a similar price?

With curiosity roused, Takuya decided to revisit the Sweets Paradise branch inside the Machida Modi shopping mall, next to Machida Station on the Odakyu line, which he frequented in his student days.

As Takuya walked through the shopping mall, he felt a bit of trepidation by the fact that he was going alone. In his mind, Sweets Paradise is most often visited by students and women, so he was a little anxious about feeling awkward being a man dining solo, and that he would look out of place. Peeking in through the door, the restaurant was, as expected, packed with groups of students to the extent that there was even a wait to be seated.

All of Takuya’s worries evaporated as he was shown to his seat, being taken past the lively open space to a semi-private seating area, where there were surprisingly other men eating by themselves.

Feeling reassured by the calmer atmosphere, he knew that he could focus on tasting the food without having to be concerned about other people and his surroundings.

Getting comfortable in the seat, it was now time to check out the menu and how the last ten years have affected the prices. Looking up the most affordable option, the Sui Para Course cost 1,690 yen for 70 minutes, going up to 1,890 yen on weekends and holidays.

▼ If you want all-you-can-eat Häagen-Dazs (and why would you not?), you can order the Special Course for 1,890 yen on weekdays and 1,990 yen on weekends, lasting 80 minutes.

▼ Or there’s the Furu Para Course that offers seasonal fruits as well (currently Shine Muscat grapes) for 3,500 yen on weekdays and 3,800 yen on weekends and holidays, lasting 100 minutes.

So, the prices have gone up slightly, but Takuya was honestly impressed that they had managed to maintain the price to such a reasonable extent. Instead, he wondered if perhaps it was the food that had suffered cutbacks, so he ordered the Sui Para Course and went to have a look at the buffet.

Compared to his memories, Takuya felt that there might be slightly fewer cake varieties, but the selection still looked to be more than enough, and the entire display was bright and inviting, lined with beautifully decorated desserts.

One cake immediately caught Takuya’s eye: a luxurious shortcake generously topped with melon and strawberries, which looked as if it could be a luxury product at a specialty pastry shop.

With such a decadent offering in front of him, he couldn’t help but reach for a slice of the melon and strawberry cake, before loading up his plate with a few more varieties for a balanced diet.

The mousse-style desserts were rich, creamy, and delicious, but the sponge cake was something else entirely. The cream was light and not overly sweet, almost as if it was intentionally calculated so you could keep eating without feeling overwhelmed.

However, among all the options that Takuya tried, it was the chocolate cake that stood out the most.

Its strong, bitter notes gave it a refined flavor, which made the cake utterly irresistible.

Reflecting on the recently eaten cakes and comparing them to the ones in his memories, Takuya felt that every product was more polished than before, with the overall quality having been upgraded.

Some people find it difficult to continuously eat sweet foods, and need something savory to balance things out, so they think they might struggle at Sweets Paradise. However, the buffet also has something for those looking for something with a little more salt.

There is the Sui Para Special Curry, made with Chinese cabbage and tuna, which had a strong saltiness and a spicy kick that made for a great palate cleanser in between desserts.

Next to the curry was the tonjiru, or pork miso soup.

It was packed full of ingredients and paired surprisingly well with cake.

Takuya then noticed a large steamer holding salted rice balls.

He enjoyed the fact that he could eat them with one hand, and how it came along with some pickled vegetables.

There was even pasta.

Previously, Takuya remembered how they used to be served piled high on a large platter, but now they’re displayed using an induction heater and frying pans, a very noticeable upgrade resulting in the sauce being piping hot and the noodles chewy. This new change to the pasta presentation led Takuya to rethink his opinion that Sweets Paradise’s pasta was just an accompaniment to the desserts, as he now felt the pasta was well worth being a meal by itself.

Another surprising discovery was that there was popcorn available, which is not a common sight at most all-you-can-eat restaurants.

So, after ten years away from Sweets Paradise, Takuya left the restaurant feeling completely satisfied. Had he known that there was quieter seating available at his local store, he would likely have gone back sooner. Being able to enjoy so many upgraded cakes and enhanced savory food for just under 1,700 yen is an impressive deal. Whether you’re with family, friends, or even just on your own, Sweets Paradise is well worth a visit.

Restaurant Information
Sweets Paradise Machida Mori / スイーツパラダイス 町田モディ店
Address: Tokyo-to, Machida-shi, Haramachida 6-2-6 Machida Modi 9F
東京都町田市原町田6-2-6 町田モディ9Ｆ
Open: 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (weekdays), 10:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (weekends and holidays)
Closed: Follows the Machida Mori shopping mall schedule
Website

Related: Sweets Paradise, Machida Mori
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