Good Cafe: Comohouse Cafe

On my birthday my husband surprised me by taking me to the most adorable little "Mom & Pop" cafe you can imagine. Living in the era of Starbucks and its rigid uniformity, it is refreshing to step into a privately owned cafe where everything is so different. Don't get me wrong, I need my Starbucks-short-chai tea latte-hot-with soymilk fix from time to time, and I appreciate the convenience and comfort through familiarity that Starbucks offers. But its the same pros of Starbucks that simultaneously make me yearn for something new. Nestled in a dim, sparsely populated shopping arcade just West of Nagoya Station, Comohouse Cafe is a real find. And by "real find" I mean it's a great place, but you must also try to find it as it is not located in a convenient, or even high-traffic location. But once you do, I'm pretty sure you'll whip out your iPhone almost instantly, to pinpoint your location so you can find it again. Before stepping in, you are greeted outside by a small table draped with a burgundy and white checkered tablecloth and whitewash wooden chairs, a good place to sit and have lunch while bringing your pet. The warm yellow lighting inside beckons you to enter, and as you swing open the wooden door you are greeted by soft music playing overhead. A not too high-pitched "Irasshaimase!" ("Welcome!") follows, and you know you've made a good decision. But it isn't until you find a seat among the few wooden tables situated near the door that you begin to notice all of the attention to detail surrounding you. The steaming hot towels carefully rolled, placed in wicker baskets and presented alongside sweating glasses of water are not of the pre-packaged variety, and small glass vases of various sizes, each with a different sprig of wildflowers adorn every table. And if it hasn't already, the novelty and sheer cuteness of this particular cafe will slap you in the face once you open the menu. Each dark brown page is carefully handwritten in white pencil and accompanied by small drawings of select menu items. But the careful preparation doesn't stop with the decor, the food is also given a lot of attention. Though the menu items may seem simple, the careful hand with which they are prepared makes all the difference. A wide variety of treats and dishes are available, from teas, coffees and cake, to sandwiches, soup and salad, all of which are inexpensively priced and offer satisfying portions. And their homemade cake selection for the day is available for immediate salivation over, in a cooler near the entrance. An English menu is also available, and will most likely just be brought to you automatically if you don't appear to be Japanese, as one of the owners speaks English and will be happy to accommodate you. Comohouse Cafe is located at 2-16-12 Nagono, Nishi-ku, Nagoya; Kokusai Center Station exit 1, walk straight for about 7 minutes until you reach the shopping arcade, and turn left. Open until 7:30 weekdays, 7:00 Sundays and closed Tuesdays. 052-541-1271