BANGKOK RESTAURANT

Kyo Roll En: Cafe & Meal

The famed Japanese dessert cafe takes a foray into savory dishes.

Thai brothers Litti and Dej Kewkacha are fanatical about Japanese desserts and produce, taking the best of their findings back to Bangkok in the form of show-stopping treats. Their signature: roll cake, served in flavors like Hokkaido milk and matcha, alongside soft serve ice cream and other eye-popping creations. Inspiration comes largely from Kyoto, the source of both their matcha green tea and sleek interiors.

The buzz: Kyo Roll En’s latest branch at J Avenue is branching out from desserts with a range of savory Japanese dishes.

The decor: Despite being Thai-owned by the Kacha brothers, the decor like the menu takes its inspiration from Japan. From the blue patterned bamboo fence at the entrance to the mini Zen gardens beneath the glass of each table, the interiors seek to capture the beauty and tradition of Kyoto.

The food: Every dish contains the katsuo-kombu based soup, Dashi—known as the heart of Japanese cuisine. Try the Original Salmon Chazuke (B159) with seaweed, crunchy rice flakes and wasabi for the ultimate taste of umami, or the refreshing Maze Somen (B145) with onsen tamago, topped with mentaiko (pollock roe), chicken chashu, and shoyu (soy sauce). For something with a western twist, the Kyo Spaghetti (B165) combines creamy matcha carbonara with salmon and chopped asparagus.

The dessert: It goes without saying that dessert is not to be missed. The main bar is divided into two parts: a meal bar and dessert bar, where they not only serve their signature desserts, but also non-matcha based treats such as seasonal fruit, and chocolate and black sesame sweets. Get your sugar fix with the unique Ispahan Mille-Crepe Roll Set (B215), which combines their signature charcoal vanilla soft-cream with a rosy raspberry crepe roll, berry sauce and juicy fresh Emperor lychees.

The drinks: There’s no need to risk a good night’s sleep by overdoing it on the green tea when you can plump for the Lychee Pop Soda (B115) instead—a drink that bursts with sweet-and-sour flavors from its beautifully layered soda, yogurt, fresh lychee juice and kanten jelly.

Why we’d go back: Kyo Roll En has proved they can bring more to the table than their famed desserts by serving up flavorful hot meals. Be sure to try their seasonal set, whilst it’s still on the menu.

 
 
Venue Details
Address: Kyo Roll En: Cafe & Meal, J Avenue, 323/1 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: 02-540-4555
Website: www.kyorollen.com
Area: Thonglor
Cuisine: Japanese
Open since: July, 2018
Opening hours: daily 9am-9pm
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