cafe buFFet?!?!

Mayumi invited me to my first-ever "Cake Buffet". This is a rare and special treat for Japanese, because these gourmet cakes are really expensive. One "piece" can set you back almost $8! It was no surprise that the "cake show" sold out. There was one stipulation: you had only one hour to stuff your face. Kinda sickening thought, looking back on it now...and yes, we followed suit and ate and ate and ate until I actually felt my face tighten up from puckering my lips at the supersupersuper sweet tastes that I have forgotten in the last few months.

To our surprise, and the demise of our stomachs, they served regular sized cakes during the buffet! Small bite-size 'trial' slices would have sufficed, but this was the big-time! Tray after tray after tray, the chefs/bakers (?) continued to bring in new varieties every few minutes. Fruit, pudding, mouse, creams, gelatin, and chocolateeverything was on the menu. The cakes are really fancy, not sure if you can see it from these pictures---but they are always layered and/or have some "surprise" inside. Such precision--almost too pretty to eat. Well,...almost ;)
Now Japanese people, stereotypically, have somewhat smaller appetites in general (especially with sweets and desserts). I couldn't believe my eyes---they were vultures. Almost pushing their way to and through the buffet line. It was reminiscent of the "troughs" (as my Dad calls buffets) back home. But this was the most upscale trough I have been to!

Thank you Mayumi for a wonderful "Japanese" feast! This was a really interesting cultural experience...one that left me really UNcomfortably stuffed! Thanks for being so....SWEET! ;)