After a weekend drinking party, what kind of place do you go for the after-party?
Opened in June 2023, Moon grace is a place where you can enjoy rare alcoholic beverages and homemade sweets together in Kurashiki.
Why did they choose the combination of alcohol and sweets?
What characteristics do the sweets made to pair with alcohol have?
I visited Moon grace at the end of summer, three months after its opening.
What is Moon grace
Moon grace is located on the second floor of a building just off the Ebisu Shopping Street.
The entrance is at the top of a plant-surrounded staircase behind a black sign with a hand-drawn cat, which is the shop's logo. They offer homemade sweets made to pair with wine and whiskey.
Until September 2023, they also offered afternoon tea, but from October, they have been open only in the evening.
The interior is primarily black, but the plants and gold accents create a unique atmosphere.
Background of the opening
This location was previously a shop called Salon de Tonerico.
Salon de Tonerico was a café and bar operated by Atelier Tonerico, a flower shop, and Megumi Sakagami, who is currently the manager of Moon grace, was in charge of the café at that time.
While discussing the future of the shop with the owner’s sister and her husband, they concluded that it would be better for each shop to specialize in their own offerings.
Subsequently, they opened Moon grace on June 14, 2023, as an independent establishment from Salon de Tonerico.
Concept of the shop and characteristics of the paired sweets
The feature of Moon grace is the ability to enjoy pairing alcohol with homemade sweets.
There are not many places where you can enjoy carefully crafted homemade sweets in the evening.
Among them, the popular parfait changes every one to two months.
On the day of the interview, they were serving a parfait made with Pione and Muscat grapes, but afterwards, they began offering a parfait made with chestnuts, a seasonal ingredient for autumn.
Of course, when the parfait changes, the wine paired with it also changes.
The flowers displayed in the shop also change with the seasons, allowing you to enjoy the current season inside the shop.
Sweets made to pair with alcohol
On the day of the interview, it was just about time for the summer sweets to transition into autumn.
I enjoyed seasonal sweets as well as popular sweets available year-round.
Gorgonzola Cheesecake
Generally, cream cheese is used as an ingredient for cheesecake.
However, the cheesecake at Moon grace contains Gorgonzola cheese, a type of blue cheese.
The moment I took a bite of the cake, I felt the strong flavor of Gorgonzola cheese.
The balance with the rich cheese flavor was very good, and I was convinced that this would pair well with alcohol.
Pione and Muscat Parfait
The seasonal parfait is also one of the recommended menu items.
On the day of the interview, it was a parfait made with Pione and Muscat, which are famous products from Okayama.
Large Pione and Muscat grapes were used in such abundance that they seemed to overflow from the glass.
The smooth ice cream and the juicy two types of grapes allowed me to enjoy alternating different kinds of sweetness.
This way, with each change of season, you can enjoy new pairings of parfaits and alcohol.
Prosciutto and Seasonal Fruits
The fruits used on the day of the interview were Muscat grapes and figs.
This is an unexpected combination of salty prosciutto and sweet fruits.
I was able to experience various flavors in one dish.
Thoughts of the staff
Seeing the glasses lined up behind the counter gives it a bar-like atmosphere.
However, what Moon grace aims for is a space that is in between a café and a bar.
They envision a slightly casual atmosphere where people can visit after work or for an after-party, enjoying sweets with friends while having conversations.
It is a place where those who feel that going to a full-fledged bar is a bit of a hurdle can visit without feeling pressured.
Even those who don’t usually drink alcohol might find it easy to go there.
I spoke with the manager, Megumi Sakagami.
Data of Moon grace
| Name | Moon grace |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-7-10 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, 2F |
| Contact | 050-8888-1887 |
| Parking | None |
| Business Hours | 6:00 PM – 12:30 AM (Last order at 12:00 AM) |
| Regular Holiday | Tuesday |
| Payment Methods |
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| Reservation | Available Phone reservations during business hours |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Moon grace: Instagram |
