Patisserie Yukinoshita 雪乃下 @ Kamakura Japan

Walk through the bustling Komachi-dori towards Hachimangu Shrine and one might be too distracted by the shops to notice that there is a beautiful patisserie hidden in one of the back alleys. Patisserie Yukinoshita is a chic and relaxing pastry boutique that offers a good range of petit gateaus and semi-decs. 

And did they taste as good as it look? No! They were even more delicious. In fact, I was hit by a sense of deja vu when I saw the cakes. They were too similar and one of them, Tarte Cafe, was almost identical to the Tarte Cafe from Patisserie Jun Ujita. Only after this trip did I find out Chef Ujita used to be the head chef of Patisserie Yukinoshita until he started his own pastry boutique in 2011. Every single facet of this sparkling creation was impeccable. The rich fudgy salted caramel core went well with the full-bodied coffee mousse that rode above the crunchy walnut tart. I can't decide which version as they tasted the same, the same kind of goodness. 

The Bonsai (盆栽) wasn't just an average matcha tiramisu. It is a pot of creamy deliciousness with silky mascarpone layered in measured ratios between the moist matcha sponge. Best of all, it received the blessings of Japanese sake which was unleashed from the squirt. Not a gimmicky act, but an elevation towards greater satisfaction. 

The Vin Rouge was another piece of undiluted excellence which probably demanded even higher execution techniques. The cassis macaron laid undisturbed at the base, like a piece of national treasure enshrined in a museum. But what shields it from human intervention is not any thick glass walls, but a fine piece of chocolate sable, trimmed to the perfect size. 

Spoon through everything and you'll get an orchestra of well-coordinated flavors and textures from the cassis foam to the red-wine infused dark chocolate ganache which complemented the bright, acidic cassis mousse.

Truth to be told, I have been eyeing this place for months since my last visit to Kamakura as it is so rare to come across a good and decent cake shop in these kind of touristy places. Of course there are cafe and bistros but why waste calories on mediocre stuff? The pastries here are refined and deeply considered than many other shops. 
Yet the average price only sits at ¥463, with the most expensive cake being the Marron at ¥500. Most importantly, they were more rewarding and pleasurable than the visit to Tokyo No.1 Patisserie M. Koide. 

I'll be back again, not here but most probably at it's wooden log house outlet in Sentagaya.

Patisserie Yukinoshita @ Kamakura 
  〒248-0006 神奈川県鎌倉市小町２丁目７−２７ メゾンド雪乃下
Kanagawa ken, Kamakura shi, Komachi 2-7-27
Daily 10am-7pm
Phone:+81 467-61-2270
http://yukinoshita.info/