Tuesday is the last day for Special Japanese Sweets at Cafe Zaiya

Thanks to Feisty Foodie & Cheap Ass Food I was tipped off to this pretty cool thing happening at Cafe Zaiya (on 41st btw. Mad+5th). For the past week, they have replaced their Beard Papa station with the NYC debut of “New Matsue Kashi” a very beautiful (and delicious) form of Wagashi, Japanese sweets made from mochi, bean paste and fruit. And for those who like to limit their fat intake (present company excluded obviously), they don’t contain any animal fat, making them low in calories and cholesterol.

The wagashi range in price from $1.75 to $3.50 each, and come in different flavors and shapes (including pumpkin, blueberry, mango and chestnut). Similar sweets can be purchased at Minamoto Kitchoan (on 49th btw. 5+6th), but at Cafe Zaiya you can actually watch them being made (and I’m guessing they’re cheaper).

Tomorrow is the last day they will be available at Cafe Zaiya (and they close at 8pm). More photos, after the jump…

10 Comments

  • These are so cute. I can’t tell if they’re kept on ice. Does anyone know how long they might last- i.e., until the weekend? Or is it like marzipan and will keep indefinitely?

  • Naw… they don’t keep indefinitely. I think the sign said 3 days… though the ones I bought probably won’t survive the day.

  • I can see how that would be a hazard. I can see myself eating them Peeps-style, head first.

  • Thanks for the tip! They had great free samples (SCORE!) and I picked up a Blueberry Mochi. Mmmm…..

  • the sign said a week. I had 6 samples at zaiya, 1 at treats truck, and called it a lunch.

  • Yumm…. so sad I couldn’t go =(

  • wagashi is DEFINITELY not low in calories. It’s candy people, and that bean paste is made of red beans + sugar.

    Sorry to sound harsh, but it drives me crazy that people still think that low fat = low calories = somehow good for you despite the other crap in it.

  • Lauren- according to this:

    http://www.jlgc.org/en/pdf/news_57_Shimane_Matsue.pdf

    “Wagashi is low in calories, cholesterol free and contains no animal fat.”

    Are you saying that a piece of promotional material whose purpose is to promote beautiful and delicious Japanese treats, would deliberately mislead a trusting public as to their low fatness?!?! For shame. I choose to believe the JLGC on this one…

  • I was just at Cafe Zaiya this past Friday evening (the 14th) and the Beard Papa’s station was still there, just as normal. Perhaps this mochi thing was temporary?

  • mMmmz. those look so good ^_^

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