One of my favorite things to do here in Japan is to look for a place to eat great breakfast. Around here in Tokai chihou (東海地方、とうかい　ちほう), at most cafes, you get a nice breakfast plate just by ordering your drink at breakfast. You get a plate full of bread or rice dish, salad, and fruit (or some type of desert). One of the best places I have found so far is this place called, Saezuri (茶えずり、さえずり). This was a small cozy cafe located in Gifu city.

Photo by Keiko

Once you order a drink,, you get to choose which plate you would like with your drink. There were three plates to choose from. The one I picked today was Japanese style plate with rice porridge, salad, and desert. Look here if you want to know more…

Photo by Keiko

I had a green tea latte (抹茶ラテ、まっちゃらて) with the above plate.  All of this was just about $5, which was about 500 Japanese yen.

I enjoyed the atmosphere in this cozy cafe as well as every dish I tasted including the drink.  Next time when you are in Japan, try one of these morning service with your favorite drink. You will love it!

~ Vocabulary Lesson~

Morning  – モーニング　

When you say the word, “morning” in Japanese, it refers to the morning service which is what I explained above. By ordering your favorite drink, you will get a free plate full of dishes. Yummy!

Okayu – おかゆ、お粥

Okayu is Japanese style porridge. It is soft cooked rice with plum but you can also add some pickled dishes as well as small amount of cooked fish with it to eat together. When someone is not feeling well, this is one of the main dish people cook at home in Japan.

Cafe – カフェ、喫茶店、きっさてん

Small cafe, sort of like a Starbucks style. There are many types of cafes in Japan, one is more western but some are more Japanese style cafes. The one I visited here was more like a western version.

Drink – 飲み物、のみもの

Drink in Japanese is, Nomimono. When you ask for a drink, you can say ” Nomimono kudasai (drink please)” in Japanese.