Once you step inside, you will find yourself captivated by the serene space and the flavors. You will find yourself wanting someone special to have a taste. A pastry shop that makes you feel that way is located right behind Hotel Nikko Kumamoto. We spoke with Daisuke Arao, who runs the shop “A Clara Pastelaria,” about the sweets, the shop, and the passion he pours into his work.
Pastel de nata de branco
350 yen each (tax included)
Pastel de Nata de Branco. White chocolate and black tea flavor. It is also delicious when eaten chilled. “Pastel de nata is often compared to egg tarts. However, there is a decisive difference, and it took me some time to realize it.”
After training in Tokyo, he started his own business in Kumamoto.
Mr. Arao used to produce music in Kumamoto and Tokyo. Having experience working part-time jobs in the food industry, he had thought that if he were to choose a profession one day, it would be this path. It was then that he learned through a magazine that a chef he admired was looking for staff, and he applied. Thus, his training at the Portuguese specialty restaurant “Cristiano’s” began.
“I learned primarily about cooking under my master in Tokyo. From a certain point, I was entrusted with the kitchen, and as my master’s right-hand man, I assisted in developing new menus right by his side,” Mr. Arao says.
Eventually, he returned to his hometown with the intention of starting his own business in Kumamoto. Immediately after, he was struck by the COVID-19 pandemic. With restaurants closing everywhere, he gave up on the idea of a restaurant under those circumstances. He was at a loss, but with the background of having handled desserts at the restaurant where he trained, helping at an affiliated egg tart specialty shop, and his own love for sweets, he came up with the idea for a pastry shop centered on takeout.
However, making professional-grade pastries was a first for him. “There was an unimaginable amount of things to learn and do. Until the beginning of this year, my days consisted of entering the shop at 3 AM and working until 9 PM. During my training days in Tokyo, I thought, ‘It couldn’t possibly get any tougher than this,’ but owning my own shop was even harder (laughs).”
Among his hidden hardships was the creation of the recipe for the shop’s signature item, the “Pastel de Nata.”
“The method for making Nata is a closely guarded secret. Even my master at my training shop only entrusted me with a single step and never taught me the recipe.”
Because of this, Mr. Arao traveled around famous shops in Portugal, including “Pastéis de Belém,” the birthplace of Nata. Learning that the taste varies from shop to shop, he went through repeated trial and error to create something of his own.
“I also sent prototypes to my master. He wouldn’t teach me the recipe, but he would give me his impressions. Using those as hints, I spent three years finalizing it.”
Mr. Arao’s original Nata features a cream with a refined sweetness and a deep flavor that you never tire of (the one we had this time allowed the aroma of tea to spread throughout the mouth), and an exquisitely crispy pastry dough that creates an irresistible marriage with the cream.
The “Pão de Ló” is also a masterpiece unique to this shop. Said to be the origin of the Japanese sponge cake “Castella,” the Pão de Ló has a moist texture and a light, airy egg flavor. It is substantial yet not too heavy. Beautifully covered in elegant, sweet whipped cream and chocolate and topped with fresh strawberries, its appearance is lovely and adds a touch of color to one’s “reward time.” There are many other enchanting baked goods, such as lemon cakes, that are so captivating you feel it is a pity when you finish eating them.
“I dislike there to be any lies in my work.”
Mr. Arao has an unceasing passion and spirit of inquiry for making sweets. How does he go about creating new products?
“In short, it’s about constant study. I read books, I go out to eat, and I try making things that catch my interest. Even with packaging, every day is a learning process. There are many failures. Each time, I redo them and brush them up. I never begrudge that time and effort, because I want to surpass who I was yesterday.”
A massive volume of work, enough to give birth to true quality. Mr. Arao has continued to handle such a workload. He shared his current state of mind with us as follows:
“I used to perceive time outside of work as something unnecessary. However, I began to feel a sensation that my heart was becoming increasingly cramped. At such a time, I read Haruki Murakami’s Sputnik Sweetheart, and I felt saved. I realized that the things I thought were a waste were actually necessary, and that to maintain concentration, it is better to intentionally allow for some ‘slack’ within oneself. Because of that, I have started to consciously take time for reading, language study, exercise, and composing music.”
I cannot help but feel that the serene atmosphere of this shop is the very reflection of Mr. Arao himself, as he constantly seeks deliciousness without pretense.
“Perhaps because I was involved in music, I like and am good at intuitively combining things that are invisible to the eye. I might be constantly polishing the power to create invisible things, such as the atmosphere of the shop and the taste.”
It is immeasurable just how much hardship and time it took for him to be able to speak those words. However, Mr. Arao’s mindset, which allows him to perceive any level of toughness as enjoyment, is resilient.
“It’s tough, but it’s fun, every day. I think a life without lies, an unclouded life, is fun. Being true to myself, making what I like, and having the customers be happy—I feel that is a true happiness.”
Mr. Arao’s intense gaze as he spoke remains burned into my heart.
A variety of sweets clad in Mr. Arao’s quiet yet overflowing passion. It is a shop where, strangely, emotions akin to deep affection well up. We cannot take our eyes off “A clara pastelaria” as it continues to evolve day by day.
Pan-de-ló de chocolate com natas
5,000 yen (tax included)
Pão de Ló de Chocolate com Nata. A Pão de Ló with an exquisite balance of fresh, juicy strawberries and the sweetness of whipped cream. A whole cake that is a delight to have for celebrations.
*Contents may vary depending on the season.
The Portuguese text beneath the logo means, “Wander alone like a rhinoceros horn.” It is a phrase from the classics that he has kept close to his heart.
There is a wide variety of baked sweets. They are perfect as a gift for others or as a treat for yourself. Even the stickers on the packaging are his own creation.
What catches the eye is the beauty of the contrast between the whipped cream and the moist cake. The feeling of excitement just won’t stop.
A clara pastelaria
The shop’s sign is in the traditional Portuguese tile style known as Azulejo, and was crafted by the hands of local artisans.
Galette with Homemade Charcuterie
1-Drink Set / 2,400 yen (tax included)
Both the vegetables sourced directly from the farm and the homemade ham are so delicious they make you want to bring your family along. The photo shows the “Complète,” featuring loin ham and œuf mayo.
Parfait for Strawberries
1-drink set / 2,400 yen (tax included)
He apparently travels to his favorite farms to buy fruit every season. Not only the strawberries, but all the layers intertwine intricately, and the deliciousness is doubled. The parfait glass is a custom-made piece. The flower-like curves are beautiful.
Portuguese wines are also for sale. A crisp and fresh taste.
The bread knife that has stayed by Mr. Arao’s side since his training days.
The shop interior, where benches that were once in a church are placed, is serene and pure.
Tableware by Atsushi Funakushi. A quiet presence.
