Gouter de Roi

Back in March, I had the opportunity to spend two weeks in Tokyo for a business trip.  This was my first trip to Japan, and it was absolutely amazing.  There are two things, in particular, that impressed me about Japan: the efficient transit system and delicious food.

I knew that Tokyo was a foodie city, but I underestimated how seriously everyone takes gastronomy there.  Whether you're going for ramen, sushi, or noodles, the food is always fresh and delicious.  Even a KFC chicken sandwich tastes better than back home.

Whilst in Tokyo, one of my Japanese counterparts offered us a snack at the office.  It was a white chocolate Gouter de Roi made by Gateau Festa Harada.  I love white chocolate, and after only one bite I knew that I had to figure out where to buy some to take back home.  Absolutely delicious (even in spite of the bad French grammar).

It's a very simple snack.  They start with a rusk, and then cover one side and the edges with white chocolate.  That's it!  Straightforward, yet decadent.

The packaging.

The rusk peeking out of the wrapper.

I cut the rusk in half to show both sides.

I scoured a few food halls in train stations and department stores, but I didn't see any for sale.  After doing a bit of research online, I discovered that it is only available in a handful of department stores throughout Japan.

The store that was the easiest for me to get to was the Matsuya Ginza department store, located near Ginza station exit A12.  (It's near the Tsujuki fish market - so if you're going to see the fish auction, then it's quite easy to stop by afterwards.)  The food hall is in the basement, and in there is a counter dedicated to selling Gateau Festa Harada brand products.

Note that there are multiple products called Gouter de Roi, so make sure that you ask for/point to the right one.  Here is what the box looks like:

Since this is a popular gift, they have the boxes pre-wrapped.

This is what the box looks like with the wrapping removed.

This is one snack that I certainly wish could be available in North America.  If you like white chocolate, you should definitely buy a box while you're in Japan!