Dandelion Chocolate Kyoto Higashiyama Ichinenzaka store will officially open the world's first "CACAO BAR" where you can taste the whole cacao bean on June 8th. Reservations began on May 25th.

©Dandelion Chocolate Japan
Dandelion Chocolate Kyoto Higashiyama Ichinenzaka store, the fourth store in Japan and the first in the Kansai area, opened in April this year. It is a combined store that includes a "CACAO BAR" and a bean-to-bar chocolate cafe & gift shop. The "CACAO BAR," which will officially open on June 8th, is a new business concept that Dandelion Chocolate is launching for the first time in Kyoto, ahead of the rest of the world.

Not only does it use chocolate, but it also uses the whole of single-origin cacao, including nibs, which are made from crushed roasted cacao beans and have a nutty, rich flavor, and cacao pulp, the white flesh that envelops the cacao beans inside the fruit. This bar offers desserts that fully bring out the unique character and charm of cacao, paired with innovative alcoholic beverages.

In a room where the kitchen, bar, and counter seating are all integrated, the chef will create desserts right in front of you just for eight guests, and the bartender will create drinks to complement them, leading to a new cacao experience that will stimulate all five senses. You can enjoy the rich flavors of the cacao and ingredients, which change with the seasons, to your heart's content. Reservations began being accepted by phone and website (https://dandelionchocolate.jp/shop/detail.php?shop_id=11) from May 25th ahead of the opening.

"Banana Miso Bar" (2,800 yen) ©Dandelion Chocolate Japan

The dessert was developed by San Francisco executive pastry chef Lisa Vega, in collaboration with chef Yasushi Morimoto of the Kyoto Higashiyama Ichinenzaka store. The drink to complement this enticing dessert was created by world-class barista and bartender Daiki Uematsu.

"Banana Miso Bar" (2,800 yen) is a plate of chilled cake made with white miso caramel and banana mousse, garnished with chocolate sorbet. The pairing cocktail will be the "Porcini Negroni," and the non-alcoholic mocktail will be the "Orange and Genmaicha Tonic." Also available will be "Bean to Bar Ice Cream" (2,800 yen), a selection of three frozen desserts using cacao in a variety of ways: pulp sorbet, nib ice cream, and chocolate ice cream. In the future, Dandelion Chocolate plans to offer a "3 COURSE TASTING" course, where you can enjoy the pairing of cacao desserts and drinks. Experience the new charms of cacao that only Dandelion Chocolate, committed to bean-to-bar, can bring out.

©Dandelion Chocolate Japan
To celebrate the opening of "CACAO BAR" and the publication of the official book, "Dandelion Chocolate," founders and CEO Todd Masonis and Lisa Vega have also decided to visit Japan.

To celebrate the publication of the first official book, a talk event with Todd Masonis will be held from 8:00 to 9:30 pm on June 7th at SHIBUYA PUBLISHING & BOOKSELLERS, a publishing company located in Oku-Shibuya, Tokyo. To celebrate the opening of "CACAO BAR," a special version of Todd Masonis' "Chocolate 101" will be held at the Kyoto Higashiyama Ichinenzaka store on June 9th. The class will allow participants to learn, while tasting, how chocolate is made from cacao.

At this exclusive, one-time event, the founder himself will talk about the history of bean-to-bar, the producers, cacao sourcing methods, Dandelion Chocolate's future challenges, and the next steps in the bean-to-bar craft movement. Take a peek into the profound world of chocolate. For more details and to register, please visit the website (https://dandelionchocolate.jp/blog/list.php).