Are you looking for an interesting eating experience to tell your friends and family about when you go back home? Looking for a place that does not skimp on its portions? Then, you should climb up to Kissa Mountain in Nagoya, a place that stands out from the rest of the cafés and coffee shops that you find throughout the city.
Located about eight minutes' walk from Yagoto Nisseki station on the Meijo subway line, or ten from Irinaka station on the Tsurumai line, Kissa Mountain has long been a favorite of the university students who live and go to school in the Yagoto neighborhood, due to its "mountain"-sized portions of spaghetti and rice pilaf dishes. In addition to the large portions of food, diners are treated to some bizarre combinations...
This place is infamous for its "sweet tasting" pasta dishes, which are plates of spaghetti topped with different kinds of fruits, whipped cream, and even chocolate sauce. Fear not, they also serve a multitude of different flavor combinations from savory to spicy. The average pasta or rice pilaf dish costs from around ¥700 to ¥900.
If you happen to visit Kissa Mountain on one of Nagoya's hot and humid summer days, you may want to try one of the tower-sized shaved iced dishes. Shaved ice comes in many different flavors, ranging from fruit flavors to even a hot spicy mango flavor. Shaved ice ranges in price from ¥300 to ¥700, and other desserts include ice cream, parfaits and cakes. Even Nagoya's famous kogura toast (小倉トースト), toast topped with butter and red bean paste, gets the Kissa Mountain treatment.
To drink, Kissa Mountain offers a variety of different beverages, ranging from coffee and soft drinks to even cocktails. For all of you soda and squash fans out there, this café offers many different flavors, including squid ink and turmeric flavors.
After visiting Kissa Mountain, you will feel confused but happy, because you spent a reasonable amount of money on an unbelievable amount and variety of food. Be forewarned that the café is popular, though, so you may have to wait a few minutes for a table. Just have fun looking at the interesting decor and the open kitchen, where you can watch the staff conjuring up their one-of-a-kind creations.
