I love the variety of cafes in Japan. Whatever your mood or budget, whether you want savory or sweet, plain or spectacular, there's something for you. And as for good cafes...well, you'll have your work cut out choosing between them.
Prettissimo Tisaneriche is definitely in that latter category. Although it's hidden in the Parm-City131 building (in the shopping arcade after Clis Road, heading away from Sendai Station), it has gained a lot of attention. The clientele seem to be mostly women, and the cafe will often be full with friends catching up over lunch. If you want lunch, go early, because they will run out of popular items on the menu.
The cafe is quite large, and it seems even larger because it's so bright. There are no windows, but you don't notice. You also don't notice that it was once a gray, industrial space, unless you look into the corners or at the ceiling. It feels so welcoming, with warm wood furniture and liberal use of white paint; a great place to relax in.
I missed lunch hour, so most of the savory options were gone, but I decided to try the cheese platter. I was curious to find out how Japan would compare to past experience; any hope I'd had was soon dashed. I could've guessed that the portions would be small – cheese isn't cheap in Japan – but that wasn't the problem. First, the waitress couldn't correctly identify the cheddar, which was moreover very tasteless. Secondly, the other cheeses were also pretty average. The accompaniment of honey is typical of Japan, but it only suits certain types of cheese. Cheese aficionados should give this a wide berth.
Luckily, I also ordered a parfait, which was as spectacular as the cheese was disappointing. Half parfait, half cocktail, it was beautifully presented in a bell jar, complete with petals and a wooden spoon. The Mozart chocolate liqueur, highly regarded the world over, was delicious with the raspberry sauce and ice-cream. The white chocolate on top didn't go unnoticed, and the cereal flakes added a lovely change of texture.
My friend's chiffon cake with cream and chocolate sauce turned out to be a very generous helping, and it was delicious, too.
In short, Prettissimo has a lovely atmosphere and (mostly) delicious food, but unless you want just sweet snacks and drinks, it's best to come early in the day.
