What a Coincidence?!

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Today me and my cousin met up to go see her senior final project at Seika University. She is an amazingly talented artist majoring in Manga Character design. So, basically, I have a manga artist for a cousin!! (Yes, I’m way too excited about this haha). Anyway, we wanted to go to a cafe after to get some coffee and catch up on life, so after browsing Instagram I found a strawberry filled profile for a cafe called Direct Coffee!

After looking at all the amazing projects and designs, me and Suzuka, my cousin, faced the challenge of finding Direct Coffee, now I am an avid fan of google maps, my dad would kill me if he saw how bad I am with maps haha. Anyway, we literally went in circles trying to find our way through the small alleyways and back streets of Kyoto. I swear outside the major streets Kyoto city is an entire labyrinth.

Somehow, though, we managed to push through the freezing wind and many small intersections to find ourselves in front of this literal hole in the wall cafe. Instantly I am shocked, I actually passed this place once before. It’s actually funny because, initially, I pointed it out to Suzuka saying that I wanted to go in there sometime and how I had taken a photo on my phone to archive the location, but I kept walking until she said, “Isn’t this it?” I mean, what a coincidence?! 😂

When I say hole in the wall, I literally mean hole, because this place is TIGHT. She’s narrow but deep, and seats go back pretty far. Unfortunately, we had to wait a little bit since it was at full capacity, so I highly recommend, for those looking to come here, to make a reservation before hand. I added their phone number at the top. Also, dress warm, cause Kyoto winter is COLD 🥶

Once we entered, however, the dimly lit interior instantly warmed me up. The cafe is very cozy with bunddles of dried flowers all around, hung upside down or in vases, for decoration. It gave me of cottage core/ethereal vibes and I absolutely loved it!!

Given how crowded the cafe was I didn’t get many photos of the entire cafe, but the cash register, where we ordered, had an adorable display of pasteries, and little tags for the other desserts. Behind that was an open bar like counter where I could easily see the baristas at work. I got some great shots of that and I loved the lights that lined the counter. Even though there weren’t any chairs out that day, I remeber last time I peaked my head in, counter stools lined the bar, so I would love to sit there and watch them make my coffee next time!

Additionally, the menu was very diverse with many choice to choose from, all most too many haha. But after some deliberation we decided that we would both get the Panna Cotta since we came for one thing, and one thing only: STRAWBERRIES!

After ordering we went back to our little table under the dried flower bundles and got a chance to fill each other in on whats going on with our lives. I actually saw her for new years in January, but we didn’t get to really talk, so it was nice to get a chance to near what she’s been up to. Not soon after sitting, however, the barista who took our order brought our desserts and I could not stop clicking the camera!

Despite ordering the same sweets, we went separate ways with the beverages. My cousin isn’t the biggest fan of black coffee, and she likes hers extra sweet with lots of milk. I honestly think she likes her coffee with more milk & sugar than actual coffee 😂. Of course, I stuck to my favorite: Black coffee. I actually got a Kenyan blend, which was a first for me, and I think it might be my new favorite. The bitterness was very mild and it went down smoothly without that sour after taste. It actually tasted richer when it was cooler.

Also, this Panna Cotta was a first for me. It was like a milk custard with a strong Vanilla aroma. Super creamy and rich, this dessert felt like vanilla ice-cream became a yogurt. It also came with a small dish of strawberry jam that was a little tart, and went perfectly with the milky base. And, of course, the strawberries were not only visually pleasing, but added a little extra texutre to the otherwise custard like dessert.

All-in-all, I would rate this place a 10 out of 10. The coffee was fantastic, the sweets were great, a little tight, but the interior was aesthetically pleasing and calming. Again, I would definitely make a reservation before hand to get a seat farther away from the door where its a little chilly. Don’t forget to check out the Photo album’s page for the full set of photos I got. Hope you guys enjoy this cafe just as much as I do, and happy eating!

-Maririn 💕