Friday after work it’s, a good time to go and get some coffee so I thought I’d go by to the baumkuchen shop nearby to grab some coffee and content.
Baumkuchen is a type of German layered cake that is made by layering thin sheets of batter on a bar called a spit and baking them over a heat. The cake is then coated with a thin layer of icing or chocolate. The name "baumkuchen" means "tree cake" in German, because the layers of the cake resemble the rings of a tree. Baumkuchen is a popular dessert in Germany and is also enjoyed in other countries, especially in Japan, where it is often given as a gift.
The reason I stopped at this buamkuchen shop was because I heard an acquaintance of mine and his friends started it. It’s very interesting to hear this as I have seen this dude trying numerous businesses over the years. I had no idea he would be selling cakes, it is not like him, it is far from his personality but hey business is business.
The shop is called Baumen Brothers and I like how they bring personality into a business that could be seen as boring. On the wall outside by the parking, they have mural-ish illustrations of the owners and it is done in a very cool but simplistic style. These same illustrations can be seen on packages of the cakes and on their website.
The business took off when a TV celebrity decided to visit the shop and try some of the German sweets, she or should I say he( a man that dresses as a woman) was delighted and the shop was featured on national television and from there it took off like a rocket.
I visited the establishment during the Christmas season and let me tell you, they were busy packing boxes upon boxes of the German cakes. Buamkuchen makes the perfect gift and in Japan they really enjoy sweets especially the exotic kind.
After snapping a few pictures I decided to get a cup of coffee and a piece of the delicious German cake. I sat outside which has seating for three parties. The air was still very crispy cold but interestingly there were mosquitoes in abundance….. what the fuck are mosquitoes doing out in the winter? I guess these are the new breeds that did not get the memo or spring is just around the corner and that it is.
So I sat and took a sip of the coffee in the paper cup with a plastic lid.. (sip slurp). The coffee was disgusting, I couldn’t believe it, for a cake shop that sells really high quality Baum, they have some really shitty coffee, it was like drinking a cup of instant coffee, bland taste with a pinch of chemical laced bitterness. Now, I believe if they had high quality coffee they would have many more customers. But that is not the butter on their bread.
The Buamkuchen on the other hand was perfect as usual. I got the hard crust Buam and and these bitesized servings are perfect with a cup of coffee ( better with a good cup of). I have received Buam from the Buamen Brothers shop on numerous occasions but only recently stoped by to see what was really good.
I really like how the shop looks aesthetically as they have turned an old building that used to be an unpopular Italian restaurant into a very popular and stylish Baum shop. And I heard they remodeled it themselves as many of the members did carpentry and construction work.
I thought this would be a good relax spot after work to grab some coffee and chill now and then but alas, the coffee is not their forte. I guess I’ll grab some Buam for the family and go now and then….. see how they could have had me here every Friday if they had the right coffee?
If you want to dive deeper into the Baumen Brothers shop check out google maps:
BAUMEN BROTHERS(バウマンブラザーズ）
0276-56-4032
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CdfxM3ZZUBELLU929?g_st=ic and their website if only to get a feel of the business.
