From Monday through to Friday of this week, I’m going to post up a different brunch venue around Tokyo where I have partaken in brunch. These five brunches took place over a span of about 12 months. So just to be clear, it is not what I am eating each morning. These reviews are a little bit dated…so my memory might be a little hazy.
Nothing says a lazy Sunday more than Brunch. Breakfast is not something you do ‘out’ in Japan. You’d be hard pressed to find anywhere that’s open to eat before 11am. There are only a handful of places that offer brunch, and usually only on the weekends, and usually they’re managed by foreign owners or have foreign chefs. Brunch is more a Western concept so the higher end Western dining establishment usually put on a brunch menu on the weekend. I usually go to brunch maybe once every 2 months or so. I love having me a nice fry-up on the odd occasion. And I like the WORKS. I’m talking bacon, eggs, sausages, hash browns, toast, mushrooms, pancakes with syrup washed down with an endless pot of tea. Needless to say, this is a heart attack on a plate…which is why I try not to indulge in brunch too often. (Ordering yoghurt and muesli is not my idea of brunch, people!).
So Monday’s review is of Las Chicas in Aoyama (Omotesando area). It’s tucked down a few quiet streets. To work up an appetite I recommend walking from Harajuku station (a solid 15 minute walk or so down Omotesando). This venue is a relaxed cafe, restaurant open for brunches, lunches, dinner, drinks or just a coffee or snack. The menu offers standard brunch fare – pancakes, eggs benedict, traditional hot breakfast, poached eggs, and an assortment of country skillets. I ordered the traditional hot breakfast fry-up which consisted of sausages, eggs, bacon and a hash brown. Totally devoured this up. This is kind of a treat in Japan where a Japanese breakfast mainly consists of fish, rice and miso soup (albeit a much more healthier option). But I do love a good sleep in followed up with a hot brekky.
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| From Las Chicas |
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| From Las Chicas |
I thought it was tasty enough. At the end of the day through, brunch offerings are generally not going to win any culinary awards, but this certainly satisfied my tastebuds. Would it be wrong of me to say that it didn’t quite fill me up though. It was lacking toast. And I need my carbs! I think food presentation was rather lacking here though. Someone else ordered the poached eggs on salmon, which also comes with a hashbrown. They could have jazzed up the plate a little.
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| From Las Chicas |
Someone else ordered the pancakes:
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| From Las Chicas |
And someone else ordered the country skillet which was basically like a potato frittata. There are a few different options for the country skillet.
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| From Las Chicas |
I think I definitely chose the best item on the menu. For a no-frills place to do brunch, this place is ok. Indoor seating was nice and comfortable.
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| From Las Chicas |
They also have outdoor seating which would be nice in summer. We went here in the winter, so they had gas warmers set up.
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| From Las Chicas |
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| From Las Chicas |
There are better places to do brunch in Tokyo, but for a traditional hot breakfast, I think this place is decent enough. There are other places that I would recommend if you’re going for better eggs benedict and pancakes. (I think brunch is there weak point). I think Las Chicas is better served as a cafe. They do pasta, sandwiches and I believe they may be the only place in Tokyo that do potato wedges with sour chili and sweet chili sauce (yum)!!!! But I’ve not tried them. It’s better to come here for light snacks such as wedges, nachos etc. Brunch here is about 2000yen – for a brunch main and a drink (tea/coffee). Menu and Map can be found here. Tabelog entry can be found here (for more food photos and reviews). They only get a 2.84 out of 5 on Tabelog. I’ll have a new brunch review for each day up until Friday.
Memoirs of Aleisha 