Sesame here, sesame there, sesame everywhere… Enjoy the sesame-packed winter menu at the sesame specialty café “goma to”! @Jiyugaoka | We went

Hello! I’m Mizutani from the Sports Division, Division 3, Public Relations Headquarters♪

Do you like sesame?

Yes, that sesame—always a top pick for somen toppings, shabu-shabu dipping sauce, and salad dressings.

It seems that the sesame specialty café “goma to,” where sesame takes center stage, has been open in Jiyugaoka since this June. We learned about it thanks to our connection with Kadoya Sesame Mills, for whom SUNNY SIDE UP handles PR for the café’s operations.

When I’m stir-frying,sesameoil—if I see it, I always order it.Sesamedumplings,

My favorite characters are the friends from a certainSesame-themed street…

Sometimes, to keep work moving smoothly,sesameis being ground…!? As the author—whose love of sesame is strong in every sense—I simply couldn’t not go!

I invited members of the editorial team and went to try the night-only course (reservation required), which started on October 26, so I would like to share a tasting report!

A 7-minute walk from Jiyugaoka Station, we arrived at a lovely café.

After exiting the ticket gates and getting used to the slight temperature difference between the train and the outside air, we spotted a café with a natural, inviting atmosphere. It’s a wonderful shop that blends right in with Jiyugaoka’s streets, lined with many restaurants and sweets shops.

As I opened the door while holding back my excitement, a fragrant roasted aroma wafted through my nose. In an instant, I was drawn into a sesame world.

The calm, white-toned space made me forget the fatigue from handling an event the day before. (Laughs)

As we were thrilled by the many sesame dishes on the menu, the first course was brought out right away.

Course 1
Deep-fried sesame tofu topped with open-flame roasted sesame

Right in front of us, the staff finished it by sprinkling freshly toasted sesame seeds over the dish.
A heaping mound of sesame—so much it looks like it might hide everything underneath.

I love smooth sesame tofu, but “deep-fried sesame tofu” really caught my attention.
The sauce is sesame, the tofu is sesame, and then more sesame sprinkled on top. It’s sesame from the very first course.

First, one bite.

It melts.

A rich sesame aroma spreads through your mouth.

The sticky texture of the deep-fried sesame tofu, the crunchy bite of freshly toasted sesame, and the sesame sauce that envelops it all come together for an entirely new texture.

A serious gaze, even when photographing the chopstick lift.

This is what it truly means to eat sesame. We were thrilled from the very first course.

Course 2
Pumpkin soup with sesame paste–soy milk cream

What a masterpiece this artistic plate is.

The pumpkin soup is rich yet refreshing, bringing out the quality of the ingredients as if you were drinking an entire pumpkin. The soy milk cream made with white sesame paste blends in smoothly for a gentle flavor. I want to drink this every morning.

So moved that the members kept eating in silence.

Course 3
Carpaccio with herb sesame oil

“Herb sesame oil…!?” We faced the plate for a while after it arrived, slightly puzzled by the unfamiliar term.

The herb-seasoned sesame oil has a greenish tint and even looks a bit like olive oil. When you taste it, it’s not that distinctive sesame oil aroma, but the fragrance of herbs. Yet in the aftertaste, you can faintly sense sesame in the background. The oil is also light and smooth, pairing perfectly with fresh white fish🐟

The greens served alongside in a salad style were also refreshingly delicious.

It felt so new that I regretted having unconsciously assumed, “Carpaccio means olive oil.”

Sesame oil on salad is a combination I would like to try at home next time.

Course 4
Grilled pork raised on sesame, served with black sesame butter cream

At last, the main dish.

The pork, grilled crispy on the outside and tender inside, was apparently raised on sesame after oil extraction.
So fluffy and tender you hardly need a knife.

The special spice blend called “dukkah,” combining black sesame with spices such as cumin and coriander, added a wonderful accent and was absolutely delicious.

And the black sesame–kneaded butter cream on top paired beautifully with the meat! Its rich, full-bodied flavor also created a wonderful aromatic synergy with the sautéed mushrooms on the side.

Since we still had room and couldn’t resist the visuals of the winter-limited menu,we added a risotto and dessert just before last order.

Even knowing ice cream would come as course 5, this one is a separate stomach. (Laughs)

Deep-fried sesame tofu risotto

A risotto based on the same pumpkin soup from course 2, with onions sautéed in Kadoya Sesame Mills’ familiar pure sesame oil to bring out their sweetness. With deep-fried sesame tofu added, it offers a new texture different from the soup and is very satisfying.

Course 5
White sesame ice cream

When it comes to sesame sweets, black sesame tends to come to mind, so white sesame ice cream felt refreshingly new.
It’s so intensely concentrated with sesame flavor that it makes you wonder how many sesame seeds are in a single bite.

The “Kadoya Taibai Sesame Oil” infused with fermented lemon and poured on top is clear and gives it a light, refreshing taste.

Black sesame Mont Blanc

A highly popular shop favorite—an irresistible sweet for sesame lovers. No matter where you eat, it’s sesame. Sesame. Sesame.
Another plus is that it isn’t overly sweet, so you can finish it without getting tired of it.

Its adorable look makes you feel like a meringue, despite yourself.

White sesame and berry cheese terrine

Cheese and sesame go well together… a new discovery👀 The berry accent really works.
A truly “Open, Sesame!”-worthy item that unlocks new possibilities for sesame.

Sesame-scented tarte Tatin

The winter-limited dessert menu lets you enjoy a new combination of sesame × apple.
A richly aromatic dessert where you can enjoy plenty of sesame—not only the sesame mixed into the jam, but also feuilletine roasted with Kadoya Taibai Sesame Oil and soy milk cream whipped with sesame paste.

At “goma to,” which opened this June, we were able to learn many new ways to use sesame and discover many new charms of sesame. The members were thoroughly satisfied from start to finish with the menu, filled with Kadoya Sesame Mills’ wonderful desire to create dining tables that live alongside sesame.

In addition to the tarte Tatin, they are also offering winter-limited drinks that feel warmly comforting, such as the “Seasonal Sesame Shake (white sesame and apple pie shake)” and “Hot Apple Cider with soy milk sesame whip.”

This winter, why not experience Goma for yourself?

Address: 2-24-8 Midorigaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Arbre Jiyugaoka
Hours: 11:00–21:00 (L.O. 20:00)
Phone: 03-6459-5959
Closed: Irregular
Seating: 30 seats indoors, 8 terrace seats
Official website: https://www.kadoya.com/gomato/
Official SNS: Instagram:@gomatocafe