There is a deep area called "Ichibangai" in front of JR Kurashiki Station.
In that area, there is an interesting facility that combines a café, bar, and event space.
That is "Cafe&Bar KAG (Café and Bar KAG, hereafter: KAG).
Local people can casually drop by, and visitors from afar can interact with locals and experience Kurashiki. Events are also actively held. It is a café and bar closely connected to the local community of Kurashiki.
Let me introduce this uniquely styled establishment, "KAG."
KAG is a café and bar in Kurashiki Ichibangai
KAG is located in front of JR Kurashiki Station, in Achi 3-chome.
It is just inside the north entrance of "Kurashiki Ichibangai."
KAG opened in April 2018. Initially, the first floor operated as a café and bar, while the second floor and above served as accommodation.
Currently, it no longer operates as accommodation and is only open as a café and bar on the first floor.
KAG operates as a café during the day and as a bar at night.
Additionally, it can also be used as an event space.
Events can be hosted by KAG, or the entire space or part of it can be rented out for events.
KAG hosts various events, so please check the official website.
Inside the store, the main seating is at tables.
There are counter seats in front of the register and by the window.
The counter seats by the window have power outlets, making them convenient for light computer work.
Free Wi-Fi is also available.
Outside, there are terrace seats. Please note that smoking is only allowed in the terrace seats.
Menu Introduction
Information as of November 2023 (Reiwa 5). Prices include tax.
The signboard for KAG's food menu features the hamburger "KAG Original Burger".
It is a hearty hamburger packed with attention to detail. French fries are also included.
Other items on the menu include "Grilled Jerk Chicken" and "Chicken Over Rice".
Additionally, there are light meals and desserts. Among the drinks, the espresso coffee made with the carefully selected espresso machine "Slayer" is a specialty.
Furthermore, the "homemade lemonade" and "homemade lemon squash" made in-house are also popular.
There are also homemade drinks according to the season, which are recommended.
Alcoholic beverages are also well-stocked.
KAG's Recommended and Popular Menu
Here are KAG's recommended menu items and those popular among users.
KAG Original Burger
The representative food menu of KAG is the "KAG Original Burger".
This is a hearty hamburger, served with French fries.
The ingredients included in the hamburger are as follows:
- Patty
- lettuce
- Tomato
- Red onion
- Cheddar cheese
- Pickle sauce
The pickle sauce is homemade.
It is made by simmering chopped pickles with ketchup and mustard in a frying pan.
It is substantial and incredibly satisfying to eat!
When you try it, the sweetness of the refreshing sauce, the flavor of the cheese, and the crunchiness of the vegetables come together, and I think it is a hamburger that allows you to fully enjoy the "meatiness."
Grilled Jerk Chicken
The Grilled Jerk Chicken is a popular food item aside from the hamburger.
The main jerk chicken is impressively large in size.
It is also quite thick.
The skin on the surface is grilled to a crispy and fragrant finish, with a nicely spicy flavor.
And the chicken is juicy and plump!
In any case, it is a voluminous jerk chicken.
In addition, on the same plate as the jerk chicken, turmeric rice and vegetables are also served together.
It is also very nice that the nutritional balance is good.
Tiramisu
Among desserts, the particularly popular one is Tiramisu.
It has beautiful layers of dark brown and beige, making it visually enjoyable.
The highlight is that espresso coffee extracted with the espresso machine "Slayer" is soaked into the sponge.
Additionally, it uses a generous amount of mascarpone cheese from Italy.
Also, the use of a little rum is a key point.
It is a tiramisu that you can enjoy the taste of adults without being too sweet.
Please be sure to try it!
Coffee
A popular item on KAG's drink menu is various coffees.
Kurashiki has a long-standing coffee shop culture, with many coffee shops and a lot of coffee lovers in the area. Therefore, KAG puts a lot of effort into coffee.
The highlight of the coffee is the espresso machine.
KAG has introduced the espresso machine "Slayer," which originated in Seattle, USA.
Using a rare espresso machine even within Okayama Prefecture, it extracts espresso coffee.
They also pay attention to the coffee beans.
They use a unique blend of beans that has been specially blended for KAG from the popular coffee shop %ΔRΔBICΔ (Arabica) located in Kyoto City.
I think it is very rare to use "%ΔRΔBICΔ" beans in Kurashiki.
It is a coffee that is dark roasted, allowing you to enjoy both the characteristic bitterness of coffee and a wonderful aroma!
Drinks made with carefully selected espresso coffee are as follows.
- Coffee
- Latte
- Café Mocha
- Caramel Latte
- Hazelnut Latte
In addition, there is also drip coffee made from self-roasted beans.
Beer
Among alcoholic beverages, beer is particularly popular.
At KAG, the following beers are mainly available.
- Draft Beer (Kirin)
- Heineken
- Corona Extra
- Guinness
- Heartland
- OKAYAMA JIMOTO BEER
While the classic draft beer is recommended, the highlight is "OKAYAMA JIMOTO BEER 086 (Okayama Jimoto Beer Zero Hachi Roku)."
OKAYAMA JIMOTO BEER 086 is a brand of craft beer produced by the brewery "Kurashiki Brewing Company" located in Hayashima Town.
It is a craft beer made locally, inspired by the local area.
As of the time of the interview (November 2023), there were five varieties available.
Hearty hamburgers, carefully selected espresso coffee, and various events held are the attractions of Cafe & Bar KAG.
We interviewed the representative director of Kurabiz Co., Ltd., Akiha Yuichi, and the store manager of KAG, Tamaoka Ayata.
Data on Cafe & Bar KAG
| Name | Cafe & Bar KAG |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-2 Achi 3-chome, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-441-8817 |
| Parking | None |
| Business Hours | 9:00 AM - 12:00 AM |
| Regular Holiday | Monday |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservation Availability | Yes |
| Seating | Total 35 seats 35 seats ・Tables for 4: 3 ・Tables for 2: 3 (can be connected) ・Counter by the window: 5 ・Counter in front of the register: 5 ・Counter on the terrace: 5 ・Terrace tables (round): 2 |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking allowed only in designated areas) |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Childcare | Stroller access allowed Dishes available |
| Barrier-free | Ramp Wheelchair access allowed |
This hamburger was sold at the time of opening, but it was temporarily discontinued.
Due to many requests, it has made a comeback, and it has been very popular since its return, becoming a signature menu item!