This special sweets buffet is easily accessible from Tokyo and is truly baking the world a better place.

We’ve been on a bit of a sweets kick since the start of the new year, having recently paid a long overdue visit to the all-you-can-eat dessert buffet Sweets Paradise. That trip went so well that we’ve been on the lookout for more sweet treats to try ever since–and finally found a place that looked like it would hit that sweet spot.

Cheese Garden is located within the Emi Terrace Tokorozawa shopping complex that’s a three-minute walk from Tokorozawa Station in Saitama Prefecture. Within the mall, the store is on the first floor in a large food and dining area.

Founded in 1984, Cheese Garden is based in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture. Many of its products can be found in local service areas or airport souvenir shops, making them a popular regional speciality.

This particular location in Tokorozawa has been offering a sweets buffet since it opened. While other store locations in Koshigaya, Saitama and Sano, Tochigi, previously offered a sweets buffet for a limited time, at the moment, only the location in Tokorozawa does. The buffet takes the form of an all-you-can-eat sweets and drink deal for 90 minutes and costs 2,800 yen (US$17.85) for adults and 1,800 yen for children. There’s also a separate food set deal for 120 minutes.

It’s important to note several rules that go along with the sweets and drink buffet before you dine. First, while your total eating time is 90 minutes, your last request for new orders must be made 20 minutes before the end of your time limit, so you’ll want to be strategic about ordering something new as soon as you finish a dish. Second, you can order a maximum of six items at once, and up to two of the same item at the same time. Third, the free drinks included in the deal are coffee (hot or iced), blended tea (hot or iced), orange juice, and apple juice.

We made our way to the counter to order the first round. It was only logical that we start with cheesecakes based on the name of the store, so we chose four kinds on the top row and two in the middle row of the display case to kick things off.

We also grabbed a hot coffee to go with it all. The slight bitterness of that drink should go well with the sweetness of the cakes.

The slices of cake weren’t much bigger than bite-sized, and we began eating with the mindset that we’d devour them in no time. However, we quickly realized how naive of a thought that was.

We started with the imperial villa cheesecake that’s said to be the most popular sweet in the store. At the time we ordered it, there was only one piece left in the display case, so the staff must have to constantly replenish it.

Each cake is baked in a specially crafted oven using a blend of cheeses, so it’s truly a labor of love. We were quickly spellbound by its taste, which was a lot richer and heavier than we anticipated, together with its moist texture. It was very satisfying all on its own.

Next up was the Basque cheesecake, which was somehow even richer and more substantial in texture than the previous one. The dough was also moister and clung to the inside of our mouths after a bite. It definitely had a sinfully delectable vibe about it.

At this point, our craving for cheesecake was fully satisfied, but we needed to carry on bravely for the sake of the four remaining pieces on our plate.

The remaining pieces of cake were (pictured below clockwise from upper-left) an imperial villa strawberry cheesecake (a seasonal variation of the original), unbaked cheesecake, chocolate cake, and nasu white (fromage blanc) cake. None of them matched the flavor impact of the first two we had tried. However, they all had their unique characteristics that are sure to appeal to different kinds of sweets lovers.

Our stomachs were definitely bulging at this point, but still, the sweets case beckoned…

For this second round we opted for three sweets plus an orange juice.

First up was chocolate and cassis cake. The top layer was cassis mousse while the bottom layer was chocolate sponge cake and cream. The delicate pairing of the sweet chocolate with the slightly acidic cassis was exquisite.

Meanwhile, the small Japanese-style pudding was the first item we tasted that proved to be not quite up to snuff. The whole thing lacked smoothness and consistency, which was perhaps a result of an individual difference in the manufacturing process.

Perhaps this one had been heated a little too much while being steamed…? In any case, we almost asked for a replacement, but ultimately decided against it.

The last bite was raspberry fromage, and thankfully, we were able to end on a strong note. That was also definitely the last sweet that we could eat without feeling ill.

Whether you’re looking for a place to chat over dessert with friends or to treat yourself at the end of the week, Cheese Garden is a slightly pricey but gourmet option to satisfy your sweet tooth. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for something much cheaper and more convenient, you may instead want to check out the lineup of cat-themed sweets currently at Family Mart convenience stores leading up to Cat Day in Japan.

Store information
Cheese Garden Emi Terrace Tokorozawa / チーズガーデン エミテラス所沢店
Address: Saitama-ken, Tokorozawa-shi, Higashi-sumiyoshi 10, Emi Terrace Tokorozawa, 1st floor, Block 3
埼玉県所沢市東住吉 10 エミテラス所沢 1階C3区画
Open: 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. (last order at 9 p.m.)
Website

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