Patisserie La Girafe with a focus on chocolate
A 5-minute drive from JR Toyama Station. What emerges is a classic building with a hint of Western elegance. Located on a back road along the Jinzu River is the popular patisserie “Patisserie La Girafe,” where local customers are always waiting in line.
At first glance, it is hard to tell what kind of store it is, as there are no show windows and the interior cannot be seen from the outside. The atmosphere of the store is like a hideout, and when you enter the store, you will find a classic and high quality space that is a fusion of East and West, with soft but slightly dim lighting and an antique interior that creates a calm impression.
Owner-chef Junichiro Hongo says, “I aim to create something that can only be tasted here by taking tradition and inheritance and adding my originality to them.
The ingredients include fruit purees, chocolates, dried fruits, spices, and delicious local fruits, eggs, and herbs from all over the world. The showcase is filled with sweets that can only be found at Patisserie La Girafe.
The shop is particularly particular about chocolate. Almost all of the chocolate confections in the store are made with bean-to-bar chocolate. This is a type of chocolate in which the chocolate maker handles the entire processing process from the cacao bean to the chocolate itself. The company uses only cacao beans harvested in specific regions or farms, or combines several types of cacao beans in its original chocolates, depending on the direction of the confectionery.
Excellent chocolate, both fresh and baked
Among the fresh confections made with their special chocolate, we recommend the Pieger, which has an impressive “G” mark at the beginning of the store’s name. The “crispy, sticky” texture and rich cacao flavor spread at once, and the aroma of liqueur lingers in the nose at the end, creating a gem with a mature atmosphere. The combination of the ganache with vintage port, the sticky chocolate dough made from cacao beans, and the compote of dried figs simmered until crumbly, creates a calculated complexity of flavor. It is a specialty of the store that makes you want to linger forever.
Another must-try among the baked goods is the galette cacao. This thick baked sablet, made mainly from bean-to-bar chocolate, has a deep, lingering taste of cacao beans and a light, addictive texture. Chocolate that looks like it has been coarsely crushed is kneaded into the dough, making this a very satisfying piece with a crispy texture and a strong chocolate presence. The baked goods are also sold online, so you can keep them down as gifts for your loved ones.
In pursuit of a unique taste, Mr. Hongo insists on chocolate as an ingredient. Each confection created by Mr. Hongo is beautifully decorated with artistic forms, and is full of charm that will make you want to come back again and again. Why not come by and taste the “real chocolate” made by Toyama’s hideaway patisserie?
