K.Minamoto Japanese Confectionery Store

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FoodieLA

8 months ago


K.Minamoto is a Japanese confectionery brand that makes giftable tea biscuits and desserts. All of its products are manufactured in Japan and then shipped out to the rest of the world. I stumbled on this sweet dessert shop in Westfield Century City in Los Angeles, and I'm so glad I found this gem. There are a few stores in the United States - San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York, and Honolulu, Hawaii. 



As soon as you walk into a store, you are greeted by carefully packaged Japanese traditional cookies and treats. From well-known Kasutera (Japanese sweet pound cake) to exotic Ohkashigure (steamed cherry blossom-flavored bean cake), you'll be able to discover cool Japanese confectionery. 



A slice of Japan!



I was mesmerized by how thoughtfully packaged each treat was. 



You can purchase them in individual pieces or as sets. If you're new to Japanese sweet treats as I was, I suggest asking for recommendations, trying individual pieces, and getting the ones you like in bulk. 



The sets are totally giftable. I was shopping for gifts for business associates who love to drink tea, so I asked for recommendations.



The server at the shop was very helpful and informative. She recommended several products that paired well with green tea, and she patiently answered all my questions. 



This is the Ohkashigure that I was talking about earlier. Although it was very novel and unique in texture and flavor, I decided it wasn't going to appeal to the widest audience, so I passed on this. 



After much deliberation, I decided to get the Senbei gift box. 



Sweet cream filling is sandwiched in waffle biscuits, and they are one of the bestsellers. 



I got 3 boxes - 2 as gifts and 1 for myself. K.Minamoto charges 10 cents for each paper bag. 



I got the Sakura Waffle and Matcha Senbei. There was the original Fukuwatashi Senbei, zigzag patterned cookies with vanilla cream filling; however, I chose the Sakura and Matcha after the server informed me that the Sakura was a limited-edition flavor. 



The biscuits have pretty long shelf life - 60 days. 



The Sakura Senbei are sakura cherry blossom flavored cookies with cherry blossom flavored cream filling. You may wonder what cherry blossom tastes like. I was skeptical, but K.Minamoto pulled it off well. It has a mild floral aroma that doesn't interfere with the sweetness. And it doesn't taste or smell like artificial flowers as some perfumes do. 



They are about the size of a palm, and they pair fantastically with tea. I intentionally asked for treats that weren't as sweet as the recipients were older, and they loved these. 



I recommend this confectionery store if you're shopping for tea biscuits or cookies that pair well with tea. These sweet treats will compliment and upgrade your afternoon tea time. 

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