Narutoya

Part of the fun is being able to move between savoury breads and sweet treats. Narutoya’s menu includes Higashi-Osaka Beef Tendon Rugby-Ball Curry Bread, pairing mildly spicy curry with beef tendon simmered until sweet, and the Harikomi Anpan, a bun generously filled with moist red-bean paste and topped with white sesame seeds. The curry bread makes a meal; the anpan suits a snack. One customer who bought the rugby-ball-shaped curry bread remembered both its unusual shape and its pleasing curry flavour. Another felt the flavour and heat were a little restrained. Rather than a fiery curry, this is a choice for anyone drawn to the combination of gently spiced curry and sweet-simmered tendon.

The sweet breads range from pastries to familiar favourites. Narutoya’s menu says its apple pie is packed with diced apple, so much so that it feels heavy in the hand. The Mont Blanc, a Danish pastry topped with chestnut paste, drew a customer’s comment that the pastry stood out more than the cream. It may suit those looking to enjoy the pastry alongside the chestnut topping, rather than seeking an especially strong chestnut flavour. For a lighter treat, there are ring doughnuts and melon bread; for something more savoury, try the chewy mentaiko bread topped with mentaiko filling and shredded nori. Customers who bought the sausage-and-cheese croissant and the cream cheese bread also mentioned them as favourites, noting their reasonable prices. It’s easy to take away a mix of sweet and savoury options rather than settling on just one.

For a loaf, there’s the compact, mountain-shaped Pain de mie, made with Japanese-grown wheat and described as crisp outside and moist inside. One customer found the mountain-shaped loaf light, while the Pain de mie worked well with ham, cucumber and mayonnaise. That may help guide the choice between a loaf for breakfast as it is and one for filling with sandwich ingredients. Narutoya is a direct-sales bakery for take-away, rather than a place to eat in. Its range makes it a handy stop for picking up bread for breakfast or lunch, or for trying a few flavours at once.