Healthy and Stylish Macrobiotic Shop, Café Molty [Machiya]

Café Molty first opened in 2008 and relocated to its current location in 2016; all the while serving macrobiotic cuisine to the community of the town of Machiya, Arakawa Ward since its opening.

A macrobiotic diet is associated with the balance of yin and yang with an emphasis on consuming whole grains such as brown rice and naturally grown vegetables.

Because it practices a diet in line with nature, it is termed ”Genmai Saishoku” in Japanese. (Genmai=Brown rice, Saishoku=Vegetarian)

Today we will hear from Miyuki Nosaka, the owner of the café, about her recommendations on healthy menus and health foods that are available at the store.

Click here for location and detailed information on Café Molty.

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Stylish and Minimal Interior

The stylish interior of the café is kept very neat and tidy! The space is structured in a curve, with tables placed in such a manner to provide enough private space.

A single customer can enjoy a meal in comfort and peace.

Owner Ms. Nosaka also operates a boutique next to the cafe and her fashionable look matches perfectly with the ambience of the café.

She was very cheerful and sociable – a pleasure to speak with.

Do find the opportunity to start a conversation with her and ask about the menu and products of her store. She’ll be more than happy to give you some insight.

Hidden Meaning Behind the Crescent-shaped Interior!

The store is designed with continuous curves and is crescent-shaped – not a design you see very often. There is actually a deep meaning to this.

”The architect heard about my sister, Mayumi Hirahara who runs a yoga studio next door, and me and designed the logo (pictured above) and the structure of the building.”

Seen from above, the store is shaped just like the logo in the picture!

The floor plan is said to represent “the state of equilibrium between the dual energies pursuing the external (food and clothing) and the internal (yoga) lifestyles.”

Many stores go by their own concepts, but it’s rare to see a store with its concept manifested in physical form.

Healthy Recommendations at Molty

Molty uses carefully selected ingredients and seasonings with no additives.

It’s reassuring to know that while the restaurant takes great care to select fine ingredients, it offers healthy menus at reasonable prices so that the people of the community can visit freely and frequently.

The standard lunch is the Macrobiotic Lunch of the Day (850 yen with tax), which is a set of brown rice and miso soup with several types of okazu (side dish) of the day.

”Different side dishes are offered every day, so please come as many days as you like during the week to enjoy our meals!” says Ms. Nosaka.

With an additional 200 yen, you can order a cup of organic coffee or tea, or 250 yen for organic iced coffee.

There are also bento lunches available for a very affordable price of 650 yen! It is a very popular lunch so it’s advisable to come early if you’d like to give it a try!

On Sundays and public holidays, there is a special dish, the Bread Plate (850 yen with tax), featuring natural yeast bread.

The plate includes bread, salad, side dishes, and organic coffee – a popular dish among the locals with which they can enjoy a leisurely lunch on their day off.

”The an-pan (bread with sweet bean paste filling) is available irregularly, but is very popular!

We use anko (sweet bean paste) made with beet sugar and the bread is free of refined sugar, butter, and milk.

The an-pan filling is available in smooth (koshi-an) or lightly mashed (tsubu-an) sweet bean paste; and both are reputed to be unforgettably tasty by the regulars.”

The an-pan is 180 yen with tax. Do grab a few if you are fortunate enough to come across them.

You don’t need to have a big appetite to visit this café for they also offer desserts of the day.

The picture above is the Matcha and Soy Milk Double-Layer Pudding topped with homemade anko (sweet bean paste) and roasted soy powder – a healthy delight with rich flavor.

”Please don’t hesitate to inquire about the dessert of the day since they are different everyday!”

We will be delivering more articles to keep you up to date on healthy and useful topics, so please share with your friends!

*The information contained in the article is as of the date when we interviewed and subject to change. We strongly recommend that you make an inquiry to the store prior to your visit.

Store Information

Click here for location and detailed information on Café Molty.

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