Here is a question I have received on occasion, "Hey Mr. Ibaraki Eats, where can I get a good milkshake?" I usually point everyone in the direction of a good burger restaurant that MAY serve milkshakes. But those places are rare and there aren't a lot of milkshake places in Ibaraki. So you can imagine my surprise when I found a milkshake place that is a coffee shop at Oarai station. That place is Coffee Todai.
Street Food & Coffee Todai
Coffee Todai is located at Oarai station. Not across the street or anything. You literally leave the entrance gates of Oarai station, turn right, walk 10 seconds, and you are there. If you come by car there is parking in front of the station but it is a pay-to-park parking lot.
Walking into Todai Coffee, you will notice the restaurant side to the right and the Oarai souvenir store to the left. The inside area is very wide and huge but the restaurant area only has a few tables and chairs. I think they can sit up to 15 people max.
I went to Todai Coffee on a sunny Friday afternoon. I walked up to the kitchen counter and checked out the menu.
The Menu
Good news my fellow Ibarakians! The menu is in both English and Japanese! I was even surprised to discover that the milkshake description was in English. The menu has three parts: coffee, drinks, and dessert. There isn't anything in the way of food at Todai Coffee, but at the counter, there was one menu item that simply said "Brunch." I decided to give that a try and of course, get one of the milkshakes.
Ice Coffee
The Brunch set brought a drink so I decided on Todai's iced coffee blend. Honestly, not much to say about the ice blend. It was refreshing on a hot summer day but that's it. Not a strong flavor and not much going on. It was a nice companion to my brunch but that's about it.
Brunch
So what was the brunch set? Avocado toast. Yes, I can feel your eyes rolling (you know who you are). The avocado toast brought, well avocado and toast, sliced tomatoes, and a soft-boiled egg on top. I had a fork and knife and got to work cutting up the toast, and I kept cutting and kept trying to cut. Then I realized I was given the equivalent of a butter knife and could not cut the hard crust of the toast. So I just decided to grab the toast and bite. The toast was a sourdough style bread and the avocados were fresh and delicious. The egg did make things messy, but it was a tasty egg. All and all it wasn't bad, not great, but not bad. Sort of healthy.
I know I haven't portrayed this place well and you might be turned off to going but hang in there because the next part is where all the magic began.
The Rocket
After my coffee and brunch, my milkshake arrived at my table. It was a decent-sized milkshake which I was happy about and it looked delicious. I had ordered "The Rocket." This milkshake came with a shot of espresso, fresh whipped cream, and caramel. I took a sip from my straw and immediately thought that Todai doesn't mess around when it comes to their milkshakes. They get it right. The vanilla ice cream with that hint of espresso was excellent, and the cream on top was divine. I am sure Todai makes fresh cream in their kitchen because the cream tasted like it was made just for me. Getting a small spoonful of ice cream, espresso, and cream was heavenly. I enjoyed every sip and spoonful of this milkshake. I could have ordered another if I didn't have somewhere to be. It was an incredible milkshake and I can't wait to try the other flavors Todai has to offer.
Coffee Todai was a kind of weird experience but a fun one. I was walking into Todai thinking their coffee would be their highest selling point, but I came to find out that their milkshakes are what really makes them stand out. I do want to give their coffee another chance, but in all likelihood, I will be getting another milkshake. I NEED to try their other milkshakes. I also should mention that this was a solo adventure and when I showed the milkshake to my wife, she declared that we would be going there soon.
So if you are in Oarai City, either swimming at the beach or enjoying the ocean town atmosphere, why not stop at Coffee Todai for a tasty milkshake? Who knows, you might see me there, trying a new flavor while my wife tries two new flavors.
Enjoy!
For more information on Coffee Todai, check out their website:
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