hotdogs and mochigashi

Rachal and I continue our market research on cafes and Japanese places for our idea of opening a Japanese cafe. I kinda started this thinking I should productively fill my time until I find a *job*, but I'm getting into this pretty seriously. The more I look around, the more I find minor elements of what I want and feel there is a potential market; but my place doesn't exist yet, so it'd be worth opening. I don't wanna gush as if I'm there yet. Finances will be the real puzzle...which I'm beginning to work on now.

Anyway, the fun part is visiting all these places. We went to this funky well-established placed called Benkyo-do. I swear it's an old hotdog/burger joint...formica counter, plastic stools and all. On one wall, however, is the showcase for their homemade mochigashi Japanese desserts. They were fresh and pretty darn good. AND, 75 cents each! We met the guy who makes them right there...just doing his 'ol thing for, ah, a long long time.

But what really tickled me was this fabulous Japanese dessert store housed along with hotdogs. The customers played their roles well too...sitting at the counter with a mug of coffee and the newspaper gossiping about so and so.

Love it!