Chilly shaved ice with a dish made from ice, too
The humid weather continues. Since Kyoto is a basin, the mid-day heat lasts until nighttime here. They said on the news that this year's summer would be a cool one, but it doesn't seem like that at all. (lol)
I'll introduce you to a shaved ice shop's menu item that is just perfect for such a hot summer. When you head south down the street in front of Yasaka Shrine's south gate, you'll see a fancy shop on the right with white walls and round windows. It's a shaved ice cafe called Page One that’s run by a historic ice shop.
The shaved ice menu items on the store's sign include, of course, the classic strawberry, lemon, and Uji-kintoki (a type of matcha green tea), as well a series of freshly squeezed fruit items. They are topped colorfully with slices of fruit and a syrup specially-made from a base of fresh fruit juices—not just plain syrup. What's more, even the dish is made from ice, and it looks so refreshingly cool♪ You don't have to worry about eating quickly due to it melting, and more than anything this shaved ice is most famous for not giving you brain freezes.
Since I had the chance, I ordered the strawberry from the freshly squeezed fruit series. When it was brought to me, I was so surprised at how huge it was! (It was plenty bigger than my face.) Plus, it was so heavy as the plate was made from ice! But when I ate the first spoonful, it was a very finely textured ice that was delicate, full of air, and that melted in your mouth right away. Since I didn't get a brain freeze, I inhaled the whole thing.
※The photo of the yellow shaved ice on the top is the freshly squeezed orange flavor. It was delicious, too...♪
The interior of the shop felt more like a bar in terms of atmosphere than a tea shop or cafe. The food and drink menus are also very substantial, so you can enjoy this cafe for items other than shaved ice.
The shop may be located in Gion, but it's not the type of snooty restaurant that turns down customers without introductions, so I reccomend it as an easy-to-visit place you can wander into while out sightseeing♪