After lunch at the Modern, we were all quite full, but we still decided to stop by the New York branch of the upscale Japanese wagashi shop K. Minamoto (Minamoto Kitchoan). It’s one of those places I almost always end up visiting when I’m in the neighborhood.
Wagashi are traditional Japanese sweets, and the selection at K. Minamoto is among the finest you’ll find outside Japan. Everything in the display cases looked immaculate, and behind the counter were the sweetest, most helpful Japanese shop assistants, patiently explaining the different varieties.
We chose kusa mochi, soft green rice cakes filled with sweet red bean paste, and sakuranbo, fresh cherries suspended in delicate, crystal clear jelly. Everything was packed neatly in small, elegant boxes, looking so beautiful that we almost felt bad about opening them.
Japanese wagashi can be a bit of an acquired taste. The textures are softer and more delicate than most Western sweets, and the sweetness is often more subtle. But if you give them a chance, they have a way of growing on you, and before you know it, you start craving them.
In Japan, wagashi are usually enjoyed with a cup of well prepared green tea, which balances the sweetness and brings out the more delicate flavors. The sweets at Minamoto Kitchoan are meant to be eaten fresh, and that’s really when they are at their best.
If you’re craving wagashi in New York, I can’t think of a better place to go than K. Minamoto. The quality is excellent, the presentation is beautiful, and it’s a small taste of Japan in New York.
Read my blog post about Minamoto Kitchoan in Tokyo
Minamoto Kitchoan, 509 Madison Avenue (between 52nd St and 53rd St), Midtown, New York
