(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
If you have driven north on Route 58 near Camp Foster recently, you might have noticed a pink-colored building to your left. If so, you would have also noticed a big drawing of a female cartoon character resting her head on her arms on the roof. And the huge Japanese letters “気まぐれバディー (Whimsical Buddy)” on the wall would also have come into view.
This is a new eatery that opened in April. Given the eye-popping color and the exceptional size of the character, plus its funny name, it would be hard to miss this place. But when it comes to what this place offers, it may not be easy to guess at first glance. In fact, this place was on my radar for a while, but it took me some time to come to a decision to go there.
On a Monday morning, I visited this place for a quick breakfast. I had done some research on the web and learned that this is actually a place for sandwiches made with “coppe pan,” a type of bread that looks like a hotdog bun. According to gogen yurai jiten, an online dictionary for origins of words, “coppe” comes from the French word “coupé (cut),” which refers to the fact that coppe pan commonly has a slit. The dictionary also noted that “pan” has its root in the Portuguese word “páo” for “bread.”
For locals like me, coppe pan is associated with school lunch. When I was an elementary school kid, I loved to have one with strawberry jam. Hearing that their sandwiches are served with coppe pan at this place, I was excited and determined to try their food.
Because of the image of coppe pan as a school lunch, I was expecting something simple and modest.
But with one step inside the building, I was blown away. The sandwiches displayed in the showcase were just as colorful as the store’s exterior.
There were some with peaches, kiwi, and pineapple and whipped cream on a white bun, and others with green mint cream and white whipped cream on a black cacao bun. There were ones stuffed with shrimp and avocado or croquette for more substantial meals.
Looking at the colorfulness and variety, I felt like I was in a Baskin Robbins ice cream shop. So, I really had a hard time picking one. Torn between several of them, I finally decided to go with “Tarte Tatin Fu (style) Custard Coppe” for 330 yen (approx. $2.22) because the caramelized apples and the yellow cream looked irresistible.
I coupled it with a coffee (250 yen) and brought the food to a table. The interior of the store was candy-colored, making it feel like being in a diner from the 1950s.
With one bite, I was surprised again. The fruit’s sweetness and that of the custard cream tasted very nice and smooth and didn’t compete against each other. The bun was very soft and easy to eat. It almost felt like eating a slice of cake. Although it didn’t look big in the showcase, the sandwich felt very satisfying. For 330 yen, this was a very good deal. Most of the sandwiches of Whimsical Buddy are less than 500 yen. Even expensive ones didn’t go beyond 1,000 yen.
As I was chomping on the delicious sandwich, I was determined to come back and try different ones.
Kimagure Buddy (Whimsical Buddy) GPS Coordinates: N 26.29995, E 127.76073 Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Closed Tuesdays Instagram
