Newly opened stylish Japanese-style café in Taichung features herbal tea and mixed berry tarts

Text and photos byFeitian Xuan

"Komorebi Space．Komori" is a simple and refreshing Japanese-style café that’s still in its trial operation phase, so not many people know about it yet. That day, my daughter and I had the place all to ourselves... XD We really loved the environment—it was clean and uncluttered, without any overly flashy decor, but you could spot little touches of creativity from the owners in many corners of the shop...

"Komorebi Space．Komori" is located on Meichuan East Road near the intersection with Jianxing Road. A few days ago, I noticed the signboard outside and was quite curious—though I wasn’t sure if it had opened yet. But it was pouring rain that day, and it wasn’t convenient to bring my kid along, so we didn’t go in... (Rainy days are more suited for mall shopping!!) A few days later, with nothing much to do at home and the weather being nice, I spontaneously decided to take Little Cherry out for a walk and thought we’d try our luck to see if "Komorebi Space．Komori" was open.

Actually, I hadn’t eaten anything all day, and I was initially hoping to see if they offered any light meals. When I looked at the small blackboard outside, sigh~ it seemed there were no hot dishes. I was still debating whether to go in when the owner’s wife noticed me looking around and came out to greet me. Although there were no hot meals, their "signature desserts" sounded pretty appealing, and the owner’s wife was also very welcoming. Alright then, let’s go in and take a look.

The space inside isn’t very large, but the overall decor is simple, clean, and minimalistic. The furniture is mostly wood-based, giving the place an MUJI-like vibe.

As soon as you enter, on the right-hand side, there’s a wooden cabinet displaying lots of cute little items.

Old Pi and A Bao... so full of childlike charm. Ah Leng... so soothing to look at.

There are also some books and postcards on the shelves—it feels like the owners must be travel enthusiasts too.

Camera: Since we were the only customers in the shop, I ended up chatting casually with the owners and learned that both of them studied design. No wonder the café has such an artsy atmosphere.

On the left side of the entrance is a four-seater wooden table and chairs. With floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, the lighting is great, and since the building faces east-west, there’s no issue with afternoon sun.

I noticed that although "Komorebi Space" follows a Japanese aesthetic, it also hides many cartoon characters, adding a playful touch to the space.

Though the decor isn’t extravagant, you can see thoughtful details in many corners. The owner also mentioned that he and his wife designed every part of the shop themselves.

The kitchen is semi-open.

The kitchen counter is adorable too. There are lots of cute little figurines on it—these four, are they hunks or The Beatles? XD

There are also many other little corners with adorable figurines—you’ll have to discover them for yourself.

The stairwell is covered with postcards and posters. Curious, I asked if the basement was also a dining area. The owner said the basement will be used for art exhibitions in the future, featuring works from their circle of artist friends.

I had originally wanted to sit in the wooden chair area, but since there were no high chairs for kids, it felt a bit inconvenient, so we ended up moving to the sofa area at the back.

This is the view from the sofa area looking toward the entrance.

Our seat had a small window nearby, with plenty of natural light.

Menu... To be honest, I had wanted to order a coffee to enjoy this leisurely afternoon, but I found that the menu only listed herbal teas and self-selection teas. After looking at it for a while, I still had no idea what to get. The owner’s wife must have sensed my indecision and recommended the herbal tea. She said they want to promote herbal tea to more people, making it an everyday beverage. Actually, I was more inclined to order Ruby Red Black Tea, but okay, since this is a tea-focused afternoon café, let’s go with a pot of herbal tea.

The owner was afraid Little Cherry would get bored, so he gave her some building blocks to play with—such a nice guy.

There were only the two of us, an old lady and a little kid, as customers. Little Cherry climbed around and played wildly, but luckily she didn’t disturb the other guests.

The food arrived Up top. That day, I ordered every dessert available in the shop.

This little rascal snuck a bite—move your chubby hand away. I said mommy hasn’t taken the photo yet, really annoying.

Ruby Rose
$180 NT, tangy and sweet, quite smooth. Thanks to dried tangerine peel and hawthorn, the flavor becomes richer and sweeter toward the end. There’s a small plate of nuts served with the herbal tea, which Little Cherry gobbled up completely.

Matcha Meringue Tart
There were only two types of desserts available in the shop that day, so I ordered both. This meringue cake is one of them. The texture is different from the meringues we usually have—it’s slightly soft. Thanks to the matcha and nuts, it has a more fragrant taste.

Mixed Berry Tart
I personally really like this one. The crust is very crisp, and the filling is chocolate—but it’s not overly sweet or too bitter. The berries soften gradually after resting at room temperature, offering a sweet and sour flavor that balances the bitterness of the chocolate. It’s an outstanding dessert, truly well done!

Handmade Pudding
This was something the shop owner asked Little Cherry if she wanted to try. She said she was experimenting with a new dessert and asked if Little Cherry would like some pudding. But our Little Cherry didn’t eat it—my wife ended up having it all. Truly, the pig doesn’t get fat, but the dog does... Although it was just a trial version, I thought it was really delicious—soft, tender, and smooth. Shop owner, you should start selling it already!! XD

Then came Little Cherry’s solo comedy moment—after sneaking some nuts, she also stole my phone... XD. The shop owner mentioned that they’re still in the trial sales phase, so only desserts and drinks are available for now. Once they officially open in May, they’ll probably have Japanese-style dishes like stews. Fans should definitely come and check it out. Especially the desserts at “Little Forest Space” are handmade by a private chef—I personally found them really tasty and enjoyable. Since there’s no separate dessert section on the menu, I don’t know the exact prices of each item, but I just remember spending a total of $350 that day.

Little Forest Space．Komori
FB:https://goo.gl/ULBko6
Address: No. 133, Section 3, Meichuan East Road, North District, Taichung City
Phone: (04)
Business Hours: 12:00–20:00

Feitian Xuan
I record the eating, drinking, playing, and emotional ups and downs of my life in a lighthearted tone"锛br /> Blog、FB