Each year, summer seems to get hotter and last longer. In this season, when the blazing sun saps our energy, our bodies inevitably feel heavy.
At times like these, shaved ice is just the thing to cool down and get your energy back.
As someone who finds more opportunities to eat shaved ice every summer, I recently heard about some unusual flavors: ones made with tomato or egg sauce.
I’ve tried all kinds of shaved ice, but this was a new type I’d never heard of before. Intrigued, I took my dog to try it at “Patisserie Le Vert.”
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in September 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Local ingredients and healthy eating as the concept
Patisserie Le Vert, which serves unusual shaved ice, is located in Hiroe, Kurashiki City. The shop not only plans and runs markets, but also frequently sets up its own stall.
Shaved ice is served at its physical shop in Hiroe and at events. This time, I visited the shop.
There are two tables inside, and the space is open only on days when shaved ice is served; on those days, dogs are welcome too.
Dogs, like people, lose energy in the heat, so being able to bring my dog indoors is truly appreciated by dog owners.
Sweets made with local ingredients
Patisserie Le Vert is committed to using local ingredients and making healthy sweets, including treats made with locally grown vegetables. For example, it once offered a cheese tart made with Senryo eggplant from Okayama Prefecture.
The shop excels at turning even unexpected vegetables into delicious sweets. Of course, it also offers a wide selection of sweets that don’t use vegetables.
Planning and running markets
Patisserie Le Vert not only runs a sweets shop, but also plans and operates markets. Check the shop’s Instagram for market information.
As of September 2025, it runs three markets.
- Magari
Held at another shop, using its space - Moegi no Ichi
Held at an outdoor venue. Sometimes held in collaboration with other markets - Midori no Ichi
Held at Patisserie Le Vert’s physical shop
The shop also sometimes sets up a stall at markets organized by other groups.
Distinctive shaved ice from a pastry shop
Like its sweets, the shaved ice at Patisserie Le Vert is based on the concepts of local ingredients and healthy eating. These concepts have led to flavors you won’t find at other shops.
▼Menu as of September 2025
| Menu item | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Strawberry | 600 yen |
| Uji Kintoki | 650 yen |
| Tomato | 600 yen |
| Plum | 600 yen |
| Brown sugar syrup and roasted soybean flour | 650 yen |
| Earl Grey tea | 600 yen |
| White peach | 800 yen |
| Roasted hojicha tea with sweet red beans | 650 yen |
| Hoshinosato egg sauce ※Available only at Egg Marche | 700 yen |
| Condensed milk | 50 yen |
There are unusual flavors you rarely see at other shops—or at least that I’d never encountered before—such as tomato and Earl Grey tea. Apparently, they once offered a red shiso flavor too, but it sold out quickly because it was so popular.
Classic flavors such as strawberry and Uji Kintoki are also available, but seem to have been added as secondary options after the more unusual flavors.
Here are the shaved ice flavors I tried.
Tomato
I was surprised by the unexpected combination of tomato and shaved ice.
I’ve tried all kinds of shaved ice, but this was my first time encountering a tomato flavor.
The tomato sauce is made with Momotaro tomatoes grown in Kamogata, Asakuchi City. Apparently, they’re pesticide-free.
The tomato sauce is made by simmering it for about an hour, giving it a slightly thick consistency. Before trying it, I couldn’t imagine what it would taste like at all, but it pleasantly surprised me.
I expected the tomato flavor to be several times more intense, but it was sweet like fruit.
Its flavor is concentrated like dried fruit, with an added sweetness. After the rich sweetness comes a hint of tomato tartness.
It made me realize, “Oh, right, this is tomato-flavored.”
With a refreshing taste that sweeps through you, this flavor is packed with both surprise and the feeling of summer.
Brown sugar syrup and roasted soybean flour
There are classic shaved ice flavors too.
One of them is “brown sugar syrup and roasted soybean flour.” It’s the shop owner Kataoka’s recommended flavor, made with carefully selected ingredients.
The sauce is made with Kyoto-style roasted soybean flour from Hokkaido soybeans and Okinawan brown sugar.
Kataoka recommends pouring condensed milk over the sauce, which beautifully combines ingredients from eastern and western Japan, then mixing everything together before eating.
The gentle sweetness of the brown sugar syrup, the fragrant roasted soybean flour, and the creamy smoothness of the condensed milk all blend together perfectly. This Japanese-style flavor is wonderfully comforting.
It was so delicious that I wanted to eat it every day.
Hoshi no Sato Egg Sauce
Although it is not sold at the shop, we would also like to introduce “Hoshi no Sato Egg Sauce,” which appears at EGG MARCHE, hosted by Sakamoto Keiran, and when Sakamoto Keiran sets up at its Bisei and Mizushima direct-sales outlets.
They specially made it for us at the shop. The sauce is made with eggs from Sakamoto Keiran. As with the tomato, we were amazed by the combination of egg and shaved ice.
It’s similar to a milkshake. With caramel poured over it, it’s like pudding.
We were told it was best to stir this one too, so we did just that.
When the sauce, which is thinner than custard cream, mixed with the ice, it really did taste like a milkshake. It was milder than a milkshake, and the slightly bitter caramel sauce may make it a flavor more suited to adults.
It was delicious shaved ice even after it melted, when we drank it.
Shaved Ice for Dogs
We brought our dog along, so we got some shaved ice for dogs. Dog portions are free if you bring your own container. They can provide one if you forget.
It has no flavoring and is simply shaved ice, so it is safe to give to dogs. Dogs get hot too, so they can cool off along with you.
Patisserie Le Vert serves shaved ice with a focus on locally sourced ingredients and healthy eating. We spoke with owner Kataoka Yoshiharu.
Patisserie Le Vert Information
| Name | Patisserie Le Vert |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-12-50 Hiroe, Kurashiki City |
| Contact | 090-4102-8931 |
| Parking | Available 6 spaces |
| Hours | For shop opening days and event dates, see Patisserie Le Vert’s Instagram |
| Closed | Irregular holidays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Website | Patisserie Le Vert (Instagram) |
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Mix it all together, and it becomes an irresistible flavor that’s hard to describe.