Gluten-free gateau chocolat specialty store
Dona Cafe, located in Kodaira City, Tokyo, is a gluten-free gateau au chocolat specialty shop. It’s a hidden gem, offering takeout only. It’s located a 20-minute walk from both Ogawa Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line and Shin-Kodaira Station on the JR Musashino Line. Look for the “Gluten-Free Gateau Chocolat Specialty Shop” sign. The small shop sits quietly on the first floor of an apartment building.
Exterior
In front of you as you open the door, you’ll find a display case filled with individually handmade gateau au chocolat and original cakes.
A display case filled with individually handmade gateau au chocolat
Owner Manabe started her business nine years ago in 2015. She had always wanted to open her own shop after her child-rearing days had settled down, and began thinking about what she could do with her chef’s qualifications and experience. Originally living in a two-family home, she began making sweets in an unused kitchen in her home. As he continued to make prototypes, his love for chocolate never wavered, and he decided to focus on just one type of gateau chocolat, thinking about running the business alone. After setting up shop at events and special events at Marui and Isetan, he found a space near his home that was just the right size for him to start a shop alone, and that’s how Dona Cafe started. By making it gluten-free, he wanted to be able to offer a delicious and gentle gateau chocolat to people who are conscious about their health.
Attention to materials
All sweets at Dona Cafe are butter and flour-free, so even those with wheat allergies can enjoy them with peace of mind. Instead of butter, they use 47% milk fat Hokkaido fresh cream, which gives it a rich and moist texture. Instead of flour, they use almond powder and cocoa powder in abundance, resulting in a gateau au chocolat with a unique flavor and richness. For the chocolate, they use superior couverture chocolate, which melts easily in your mouth. In addition, 1/4 of the ingredients in the gateau au chocolat are fruit puree, which gives it a rich yet refreshing aftertaste, making it a one-of-a-kind gateau au chocolat.
Each and every gateau chocolat is handmade with great care
The first thing I tried was the “4-Flavor Gâteau Chocolat Trial Set.” This is their most popular item. It includes four flavors: strawberry, blueberry, orange, and adult.
(Photo taken at home)
Gâteau chocolat from the “4-Flavor Gâteau Set”
Rich and satisfying, even one is enough.
The strawberry flavor has a moderate bitterness and the fragrant almond powder is most noticeable. This is the most basic of the four flavors. It has a refreshing strawberry aftertaste. The blueberries are from Kodaira, and the pulp and freshness are impressive. It feels richer than the strawberry. This item was also selected in the Kodaira City Local Gourmet Contest.
“Kodaira Blueberry Gâteau Chocolat” wins the local gourmet contest.
The orange flavor has a strong orange aftertaste and pairs perfectly with the chocolate. This is a luxurious gâteau chocolat for adults. The adult flavor, as its name suggests, has a bitter aroma. Compared to the other three flavors, it contains a higher amount of liquor and uses 70% cocoa chocolate, giving it a strong cocoa flavor. While high-cocoa chocolates tend to have a poor texture and melt-in-your-mouth feel, this gateau au chocolat melted perfectly in your mouth.
Next, I tried the “Mont Blanc Gateau Chocolat TORA.” The “TORA” motif resembles the back of a tabby cat.
“Mont Blanc Gateau Chocolat TORA”
This is also said to be the most popular cake. The hand-drawn cross-section diagram makes it easy to understand, making it clear why it’s a recommended item.
Hand-drawn cross-section diagram
The Mont Blanc cream is extremely rich, with a powerful chestnut flavor. The fresh milk from Hokkaido’s pure fresh cream creates a light texture that pairs perfectly with the rich Mont Blanc cream. Inside is a whole large chestnut. The bitterness of the chocolate gateau base adds a nice accent, giving you a sense of satisfaction as you fully savor the taste of the entire cake. It’s a dish that allows you to enjoy a variety of textures.
Dona Cafe products can also be purchased from their online store. As a new initiative, they’ve also started offering orders through Uber Eats. It’s the perfect treat for yourself or as a gift for a special someone. You can enjoy a rich and fresh chocolate gateau that’s unlike any other.
Supervisor / Recommender
- Nutritionist
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After graduating from junior college with a nutritionist degree, I joined a food manufacturer.
I was primarily responsible for developing prepared foods. My experience included developing prepared breads, proposing restaurant menus, and launching new production lines. I was responsible for commercializing a wide variety of menu items, including tomato sauce fillings, hamburger steaks, menchi-katsu (minced meat cutlets), and restaurant-grade soups.
I left my job when I got married and am now a mother of two.
I've always loved food, and while working for a company, I would visit various restaurants as part of my market research.
Even now, I always check out any restaurants that look delicious. I'm confident in the taste buds I developed through product development.
I'll be providing you with information on many restaurants, with the motto of "delicious and fun"!
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