#vintage vibes

Kissa menu series: ミルクセーキ (milkshake)

In Japan, there are two types of milkshake: the American one we all know about, made with ice-cream and various flavours, and the retro showa one served in kissa and other older places, weirdly called “French style” even though it’s not French. The latter is made with milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract, and is nowhere as thick as standard milkshake.

My friends and I make the distinction between the two by calling them “milkshake” (pronounced in English) and “mirukuseki” (pronounced in Japan). If you go to a junkissa and see ミルクセーキ on the menu, it is definitely the milk+egg version. It also exists in cans (that look really retro) you can buy in drink machines and shops.

I feared the colour scheme for mirukuseki and lemon squash would be too similar, so I opted for a creamier yellow and a retro train/flight attendant look to make them completely different.

Dress: Pink Muchacha
Cardigan: Axes Femme (with an added fabric belt)
Shoes: John Fluevog
Headbow: second-hand Baby, the Stars Shine Bright
Bag: thrifted
Gloves: vintage
Retro milk bottle earring: Chitose Ame
Ueno badge: official JR merch
Phone cat + swan brooches: various artists

Kissa menu series: 珈琲フロート (coffee float) and ウィンナコーヒー(Wiener coffee)

Coffee floats are normally iced black coffee topped with ice-cream, but depending on the kissa, the coffee already has milk and sugar in it. I definitely prefer the black version, since the ice-cream already adds cream and sugar. I often go for coffee float in summer because I know ice cream should be a real milk product, unlike the creamers they normally give you.

Wiener coffee in kissatens is rarely made the way it is made in Europe. Instead of espresso, it is often dripped coffee served with whipped cream. I used to order it more when I started my kissa hunt a few years ago, but I rarely order it now, so here are only two pictures of it (the whipped cream melts fast, sorry!).

Btw, sorry for the bad lighting on the outfit pictures; it was too sunny that day, and I had to draw the curtains. I was really dark against the very light background, so I had to fix that in Photoshop, but it’s far from perfect haha

Outfit rundown
Skirt: second-hand Mary Magdalene
Blouse: thrifted
Hat: vintage
Bag: Axes Femme
Gloves: second-hand Victorian Maiden
Boots: Sperry topsider
Nut earrings: made by a friend
Brooches: thrifted and Design Festa

Kissa menu series: クリームソーダ (cream soda)

After coffee and tea, my most ordered kissa menu item is the cream soda, short for ice-cream soda, a popular showa drink that’s having a comeback right now, even outside of the kissa world. It is normally made of melon soda and vanilla ice-cream (sometimes topped by a cherry), but there are some variations (like blue Hawaii float, orange soda float, coke float, etc.). However, if the menu says クリームソーダ without any specification, it will be a melon soda float. Most kissa make their own soda from sparkling water and syrup.

It is said that Shiseido Parlor in Ginza is the first one who has served cream soda in Japan. Cream soda comes from the U.S., and was patented in 1865. However, that version included egg whites, not ice-cream. The ice-cream float (which is closer to Japan’s cream soda) was also invented in the U.S., but in 1874.

I sadly do not own any bright lime - or melon - green piece, so I made do with a bright mint dress.

Dress: second-hand Milk
Bib: second-hand Victorian Maiden
Hat: thrifted
Bag: second-hand Emily Temple Cute
Shoes: Yosuke
Cream soda socks: Cando
Cream soda earrings: Lisa Retro Meron
Brooches: vintage/thrifted

Kissa series menu: 珈琲 (coffee)

Now that we are in the drink section of the menu, let’s start with the most important element of any kissaten: the coffee. Some kissa only have one or two variations of coffee, while some have pages of different grains, blends and brewing methods. The latter tend to call themselves 珈琲店 (coffee shop) more, while still fitting in the kissa category. They also offer much better coffee than standard kissa.

Kissaten coffee is almost never espresso based. Before moving to Japan and going on my kissa hunt, I barely drank any coffee that wasn’t espresso-based, and would normally go for latte or cappuccino. Espresso is a relatively new concept in Japan, so if you go to a 純喫茶 (traditional kissa), coffee will normally be brewed by the hand-drip method or the syphon method. It can be served hot or iced, but ice coffee usually has less choice.

In kissa, but also in any coffee grain shop (I make my own coffee at home every morning), they categorise grain by mildness, roasting level and acidity/bitterness balance. Most people like balanced coffee leaning on bitter, while I am a sour coffee fan (for drip coffee). At home, I normally drink coffee first thing in the morning, so I put cream in it for my poor stomach, but if my stomach is not empty, I prefer drinking my coffee black, like you’ll see on my coffee pictures collection (reblog). Also, beware of the “milk” or “cream” they give you in cafés here, as it is almost always liquid creamer (not cream!). That’s why my outfit is all brown with touches of cream, because I usually do not put it in.

Outfit:
Jacket, skirt and blouse: second-hand Innocent World
Gloves: second-hand Victorian Maiden
Bag: second-hand Angelic Pretty
Hat: thrifted
Boots: Sperry topsider
Brooch: vintage
Book earrings: Design Festa

Kissa menu series: ホットケーキ (hotcakes)

Similar to pancakes, hotcakes are fluffier, sweeter and thicker. The kissaten hotcakes are usually the classic showa kind, served with a square of butter (often margarine, sadly) and never enough syrup (not real maple syrup in most cases). It is said that hotcakes were made for the first time in Ueno, during the Taisho period.

If you dare call the hotcakes from kissa Pinocchio “pancakes” (see reblog, picture on left), the master will correct you!

Outfit rundown
Skirt: thrifted Ingeborg (Pink House)
Cardigan: old Innocent World
Turtleneck: thrifted Cecil McBee
Socks: Innocent World
Shoes: second-hand Queen Bee
Hat: thrifted hat on which I pinned a big bow
Cat hotcakes earrings and brooches: Design Festa
Bag: second-hand Vivienne Westwood

Kissa menu series: プリン (pudding)

A popular dessert in Japan, プリン or custard pudding is actually a flan or a crème caramel. I tried to know who imported it in Asia first, but it seems most Asian countries have their own version that came from Spain, France or Portugal. Since it’s a dessert that has been around for a long time, it is often associated with kissaten and nostalgia.

The classic kissaten way to serve it is whipped “cream” and a cherry. Another kissa speciality is the プリンアラモード (pudding à la mode), a flan served with whipped “cream” and varied fruits (and sometimes ice cream). It is said Hotel New Grand in Yokohama is its creator (like most kissa menu items).

Outfit rundown
Dress: second-hand Mary Magdalene
Apron: thrifted Pink House
Bag: second-hand Angelic Pretty
Shoes: second-hand Queen Bee
Socks: Innocent World
Bonnet: thrifted (no brand, most likely handmade by its previous owner)
Bolero: thrifted (no brand)
Blouse: Boutique 1861 (old)
Cherry earrings: Wego
Spoon brooch: thrifted
Pudding badge: a gift

Kissa menu series: オムライス (omurice)

Even though I order tamago sando the most, omurice remains my favourite kissaten food – and quite possibly my favourite yoshoku in general. Omurice (omelet rice) is normally ketchup chicken rice covered by an omelet and served with more ketchup on top or demi-glace sauce. There are other variants, but that’s the classic showa style. The omelet part can be thin (with more rice) or thick and gooey (my favourite, as an egg enthusiast).

It is said Rengatei, a yoshoku restaurant in Ginza, is the first one to have made omurice how we know it now, but I have yet to go there, because every time I go to Ginza for omurice, I always end up at kissa You.

Outfit rundown
Skirt: Ingni (the neck bow is actually the skirts waist tie)
Cardigan: second-hand Milk
Blouse: Boutique 1861
Hat: thrifted
Omurice badge: Milk Misachu
Bag: thrifted
Shoes: Queen Bee
Socks: Cando (I think?)
Belt: vintage
Spoon brooch: thrifted

Kissa menu series: ピザトースト (pizza toast)

This is exactly what it sounds like: tomato sauce, veggies (often green peppers and onions, sometimes corn), sometimes meat, and cheese on a toast. It is said that kissa Benisica in Ginza (see reblog) is the first one to have done it, but it’s a pretty simple concept most of us have already done at home, so I would take that with a grain of salt (or a few drops of Tabasco in true yoshoku style).
A kissaten’s specialty is the very thick slice of shokupan – the very soft milk bread used for toast in Japan – more than the toppings, which varies from a kissa to another.

Outfit rundown
Dress: vintage
Bag: thrifted Lancôme makeup bag emptied and used as a handbag
Shoes: Queen Bee
Corn socks: Cando
Bracelet: a present
Toast pin: Design Festa
Earrings, spice rack brooch and headwear: handmade by me

Kissa menu series: 玉子サンド (egg sandwich)

There are two main types: the tamagoyaki type (my favourite, but it can be a miss if it’s too wet and turns the bread to mush) and the egg salad type. I also prefer when it includes cucumbers for freshness. It’s definitely the food menu item I order the most because it’s simple and fits well with everything. Plus, it’s generally smaller and easier to digest than other meals.

Another classic menu item is the mixed sandwich (this outfit could represent it as well), which normally includes an egg sandwich, a ham sandwich and a veggie sandwich (served in separate sandwiches or mixed together).

Outfit rundown
Dress: a present by Hakanairo
Bag: thrifted Fint
Blouse: Boutique 1861
Neck scarf: actually the waist tie of another skirt
Beret: thrifted
Shoes: thrifted (no brand?)
Socks: Cando
Tamagoyaki earrings: a present from a friend
Swan brooch, bread brooch and kuri cat charm on bag: from local artists whose social media I don’t know
Spice rack: handmade by me