Cake & Coffee @ Mazda Trans Aoyama, Minami Aoyama, Tokyo

 

Located in a very posh side of Tokyo, you would have probably mistook this spot as a car show room. In fact, that was what happened to me as well! But inside this interesting interior is a special spot literally hidden in plain sight. A quiet oasis despite being in one of the most upmarket spots in the biggest city in the world, Mazda Trans Aoyama will sort you out. 

Sleek front counter. 

And yes, it may sound strange at first but this is one of the few endeavours in the food and beverage space by Mazda, which is originally, and still is a car company. Well, the naming of this place does provide some clues. Specifically, the intention of the word “TRANS” connotes is a reference to transcendence, signifying Mazda’s wish that this space inspire people to take a positive outlook based on the company outlook of to “enrich life-in-motion for those we serve,” With that in mind, the cafe is a space for people to develop connection with the brand in the attempt of new discovery and inspiration. Of course this sounds great on paper, but a cafe would have to carry its weight of its own wares instead of the name sake of its stakeholders. So this is where I come in. 

What a nice seating area. There are sofas at the other corner of the premises. 

I really like the feel of the entire operation. Sleek, clean, and surprisingly quite quiet despite its location. And the various amount of indoor plants and paintings make this spot feel quite elevated. Well we ar ein a spot between Shibuya and Omotesando. Like most new spots, I got myself a classic americano which stood at 500 yen and their trademark red cheesecake standing at a sleek 900 yen. But that is not all, they do have a nice variety of teas, smoothies, hot sandwiches and desserts. Not too bad for a car company. 

Double the trouble

The hits keep on coming when the cake and coffee arrive. I really liked the cake which looked like a round, smooth and shiny red sphere. And if you think that sheen look familiar, it probably is! Developed with inspiration from Mazda's trademark red paint color called the "Soul Red Crystal Metallic." The roundness of the cake with a smooth surface really accentuates the sheen. I can't believe that I am describing a cake as shiny and round, but here I am. 

Shiny!

Despite the visual features, this is a decent cake. The fruity outer layer worked well with the sweet and more mellow creamy inside. The chocolate ganache core was a nice touch too, providing this cake a triple flavour experience. I would prefer if the cake itself has more personality, like an extra zest of lemon or vanilla. But its still pretty good as it is, although the main winning points of this cake is mainly its handiwork, if you get what I mean. 

Black nectar

The coffee is also excellent. Sourced from Itsuki Coffee roasters from Hiroshima, it has a smooth quality to it with the bitterness complementing the cake that I had. It really hits the spot too as the rain was really picking up due to the typhoon that was about to hit landfall that weekend. That would be a topic for another day. In the meantime, coffee takes precedent over any inclement weather. 

If only it was in red. 

However, the best feature is what is inside the cafe.  Actual production automobiles, concept cars, and historic Mazda vehicles will be on permanent display, as will miniature cars showcasing the company's history. This is a shop that has the name Mazda in front after all. Although I am not a serious car fan and I am just a drive to survive person, I do appreciate the engineering and the ingenuity. I am sure a car enthusiast will get a better kick out of the place than me. 

Front of the house. 

Still, this is a spot I actually would like to recommend people. Despite being a car themed cafe, it is not gimmicky. It is also a nice oasis and surprisingly affordable considering its street code. So if you are some where between Harajuku, Omotesanto and Shibuya, which for first time tourists, it would be almost always, why not give this place a visit? Even me not being a fan of cars enjoyed my time here. So if you want to have a taste of their trademark cake or just check out some cars, the address is as follows:

No 5 Chome-6-19 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062

Gourmand talking points:

Sampled items: cheese cake and coffee

Premise: Sleek cafe in the center of the posh sides of the city

Damage :1500 yen, surprisingly affordable for haute Tokyo. 

Getting there: Right in front of Exit B1 of Omotesando station