A New Jazzy Coffee House

Hello fellow coffee lovers!
Living in Tsuchiura, there is one thing this town has been sorely lacking for as long as I have lived here: good coffee. We have Starbucks and Tully’s, but I am not a fan of either. I prefer small coffee shops that make coffee their passion and do it well. If I want a good cup of coffee, I usually head to Tsukuba, where there are many great cafés that I have written about before on this blog.
Now, I am proud to say that Tsuchiura finally has a great coffee shop of its own. This place opened a few months ago and has been a beacon of coffee-loving light for our city ever since. Today, I will be talking about Tsuchiura’s very own Coffee House Blue.

Coffee House Blue

Coffee House Blue is located in the Fujisawa area of Tsuchiura City. It sits along Route 125 on the way to Niihari and Mt. Tsukuba. If you plan to visit this café, keep in mind that it is quite far from Tsuchiura Station. Because of this, it is best to either drive or to cycle. If you choose to bike there, be careful of the traffic, as many cars speed along Route 125.
Since Blue opened, I have visited four times, and I have left satisfied every single time. Mrs. Ibaraki Eats has been there as well, and she loves the place. But first, let me tell you about my solo experience at Blue.

Inside

The first time I visited Blue was on a Sunday last month. When I walked inside, the café was busy. There were barely any seats available for incoming customers. Luckily, there was one table with a single chair available, and I was able to grab it.
The café has a homey and relaxing atmosphere, which I really liked. I also enjoyed the jazz music playing over the café's speakers. During my first visit, however, it was a little difficult to hear because so many people were talking.
Blue is not a tiny café, but it is not particularly large either. Near the entrance is a small shopping area with different coffee beans and coffee-related goods for sale. The large coffee roaster sits to the right of the entrance, while the tables and seating area are located toward the back. The café can accommodate around ten customers at a time.
That day, Blue was at full capacity, but that did not stop the owners from being extremely friendly and taking the time to tell me about the menu.

The Menu

The menu is entirely in Japanese, but don't worry, I will translate it for you.
At the top of the menu are the drip coffee options. These include the coffee of the day, iced coffee, and hand-dripped coffee served either hot or iced.
Next is the espresso menu, which features espresso, Americano, café latte, decaf latte, soy latte, café mocha, and caramel latte. Other drink options include chocolate milk, fruit juice, and apple juice or milk for kids.
On the food side of the menu, the sweets are listed at the top. These include an affogato, a chocolate chunk cookie, milk pudding, and vanilla ice cream.
Below the desserts are the hot sandwiches. The two sandwich options are a potato sandwich and a Napolitan sandwich.
I haven't tried everything on the menu yet, but I'm getting close.

Espresso Squash

This is a special coffee on Blue’s menu: the Espresso Squash. In Japanese, it is pronounced sukasshu. Sukasshu drinks are usually carbonated beverages made with lemon and some type of alcohol, or in this case, a shot of espresso. This drink is also similar to an espresso tonic, but because it contains lemon, it is considered a sukasshu.
I am a huge fan of espresso tonics, especially during Japan’s rainy season and summer, when we have to deal with unbearable humidity and heat. During that time of year, I am usually not in the mood for a hot café latte, so I tend to reach for an espresso tonic instead.
The Espresso Squash came in a tall glass with a shot of espresso and what appeared to be lemon soda water, topped with a few mint leaves. I mixed everything together with my straw and took a sip. It was extremely refreshing, and the bold espresso flavor paired wonderfully with the carbonated lemon water. It cooled me down to my core and gave me that satisfying little tickle at the back of my throat. I immediately made a mental note to make this my go-to coffee once the weather really starts heating up in Japan.

Naporitan Cheese

If you have lived in Japan as long as I have, you have probably noticed the word Naporitan whenever you visit an Italian restaurant. Naporitan is a Japanese-style spaghetti dish, usually made with a tomato ketchup-based sauce. It typically consists of Japanese sausage, bell peppers, onions, pasta, and that signature ketchup sauce.
I have had some excellent Naporitan over the years (Tsukuba’s Banzai Naporitan comes to mind), and I have also had some that were not quite as memorable. One thing every Naporitan I have ever eaten had in common was pasta.
Blue decided to ditch the pasta altogether. Instead, they take the classic flavors of Naporitan, place them between two slices of bread, and press everything into a hot sandwich.
This makes for a nice, light snack to enjoy with your coffee. If you are looking for a full lunch, I do not think this sandwich will leave you feeling satisfied. As a snack, however, it works quite well. I enjoyed biting into the toasted bread and getting a flavorful combination of sliced sausage, melted cheese, and tomato sauce. The sauce was not overly heavy, and all the ingredients came together nicely.
Overall, it is a tasty little sandwich and a good option to pair with your coffee.

My first visit to Blue was relaxing, delicious, and an overall great experience. On my second visit, I brought Mrs. Ibaraki Eats along, and she loved the café just as much as I did.

Cafe Latte

The second time I visited Blue with Mrs. Ibaraki Eats, she ordered the lemon sukaashu, which she found both refreshing and delicious. Although it was a cool day, I decided to give the café latte a try.
After my first sip, I could tell that Blue’s café latte easily earned a passing grade from me. It had just the right balance of steamed milk and espresso, creating a drink that was both rich and comforting. The latte was also topped with a thick, creamy layer of foam that added a smooth texture to every sip and made the coffee feel even more indulgent.
Overall, it was an excellent café latte and one I would happily order again.

Seaweed Potato Salad with Cheese

Okay, I know that after reading what is in this sandwich, you might be a little skeptical or think it sounds strange. Honestly, I thought so too, but somehow it works.
This hot sandwich is a simple combination of potato and cheese. The seaweed does not add much flavor on its own, but it helps hold the mashed potato together. Combined with the melted cheese and the warm, pressed bread, it creates a surprisingly tasty snack.
Paired with our coffees, it made for a comforting little treat and was much better than I expected.

Affogato

I have talked about affogatos on this blog many times before. They are the perfect combination of sweet and bitter, making them a dessert that coffee lovers cannot resist. I have enjoyed some great affogatos around Ibaraki, but I have to say that Blue’s affogato may have earned a spot on my top five list.
First of all, the presentation was fantastic. I loved how the vanilla ice cream held its shape while sitting in a pool of espresso and slowly melting into it. It looked almost too good to eat.
Of course, I ate it anyway.
From the first spoonful, my taste buds were treated to rich, creamy vanilla ice cream followed by the bold flavor of espresso. And when I say the ice cream was delicious, I mean it. I have no idea what brand of ice cream Blue uses, but it is excellent and pairs perfectly with the espresso. The contrast between the cold sweetness of the ice cream and the deep coffee flavor was absolutely wonderful.
I loved every spoonful of this affogato, and Mrs. Ibaraki Eats agrees with me. I am not quite sure where it ranks on my top five list yet, but there is only one way to find out, I am going to have to come back and order this dessert again. Many, many times.

Our experience at Coffee House Blue was wonderful from start to finish. From the delicious coffee and sweets to the jazz music playing throughout the café, everything created a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere. The friendly owners also took the time to chat with us, which made the experience even more enjoyable.
Coffee House Blue is quickly earning a place among my favorite cafés in Ibaraki. I am thrilled to finally have such a great café in the city I call home. Don’t get me wrong, I still love exploring cafés around Ibaraki, but there is something comforting about having an excellent coffee shop just a short distance away.

So, if you are looking for a great cup of coffee and find yourself in the Tsuchiura area, why not give Coffee House Blue a try? Who knows? You might see us there, enjoying a café latte while digging into one of Blue's delicious affogatos.
Enjoy!

For more information on Coffee House Blue, check out their Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/coffeehouse_blue/

For the older blog posts, check out the WIX Ibaraki Eats.

https://regaladom24.wixsite.com/website