Hyperlocal Tokyo

If you come on a day that fits the store's schedule, you can buy delicious bread. That's all. The bread is individually bagged, but you'll need an eco-bag. **Addendum 2023/07** Personal notes on queuing... You can only line up in a single file behind the people in front of you, but customers should be mindful of the residents of the Kishocho Nagaya (such as in front of their doors) and line up accordingly. I always avoid standing in front of people's homes and store doors, but many other customers don't seem to care and block the doorways. Ideally, it would be best to line up along the fence on the street side, but if each customer could be mindful of their manners, it would make shopping a more pleasant experience. The best solution would be for the owner to post a notice on Instagram or a sign about queuing etiquette (since they're working alone, it's probably not feasible to do this every time they open), so consideration is needed. I'm adding this note because I saw a review from someone who seemed to be a local resident, and I also noticed some poor queue etiquette while I was waiting. If you're planning to queue for OVAL's bread, please be mindful of this, so the bakery doesn't get any negative reviews and we can continue to enjoy their delicious bread. **New Review Below** Google said they were open on Saturdays, but they were closed! So disappointing... I've been walking by on weekends and haven't been able to catch them open... When will I finally get to buy some? (Autumn) 2021/12/24 I wanted to get a baguette for dinner, so I went to the shop around noon. Where was it again... next to the flower shop... next to... it's closed, isn't it? They're not open because it's Christmas! Or maybe because it's Christmas Eve? I couldn't buy any again... bummer... I saw their Instagram story, and it seems like the sales time and method were a special case. February 2022 I saw on their IG that they were opening at 11 am today! I'm going to go today!! I waited for an hour! The owner is working alone, so the line moves slowly, but I waited in line and bought some! I was hoping they'd have canelé and croque monsieur, but they didn't, which was a shame. When I go to a bakery, I always buy croissants and pain de campagne. Croissants are so juicy... delicious... The owner runs the shop by themselves, so there's no customer service, but I understand it's hard work, and the bread is delicious, so it's okay.

I saw their opening and closing announcements on Instagram. Since it's in my neighborhood, I knew about the opening and arrived an hour after they opened. It was around 12:30 PM on a weekday, and there were about 5 people in line. I bought a croissant and a pain au chocolat. They were delicious. Not flashy, but simply delicious. The ciabatta was also amazing. I think a store is built on supply and demand, so it's fine to open when you want to, have simple customer service, and still have a lot of customers who want to eat there. If it's this delicious, it'll be a constant line unless they're closed, and the surrounding stores and houses will be in trouble. Personally, I worry about bakeries because they open so early in the morning, and I wonder when they sleep! I hope they continue to run their shop happily, opening around noon. lol

The taste is truly amazing. However, everything else is problematic. As others have mentioned, the opening hours and days off are unclear. I once lined up relying on the lights inside the store, hoping for the best, but it ended up being closed that day. The store has an Instagram account. Sometimes they announce things like "Opening at [time]" or "Closed tomorrow," but often there's no announcement at all, and they open without warning, making it very frustrating. It's a pain that I can't just go back next week because the food was so good. I don't understand why they continue this secretive operation when they could just say it on Instagram. I wish they would consider their customers more. Other details: The bread selection includes croissants and round hard bread, but the lineup varies daily. Some delicious breads were only sold once. The staff is taciturn, which might bother some people. Also, the owner handles the register and bagging, so there's a long wait.

I saw an opening announcement on Instagram Stories and happened to be nearby, so I went. They only accept cash. The owner has a gruff demeanor, and the sound of the tongs is a bit intimidating... But I'm a big fan of hard-style bread, so I love it. It was a weekday, and I arrived within 30 minutes of the announcement, but there were already people in front of and behind me.

I found out about this place on Instagram and decided to check it out on a Wednesday afternoon around 3:15 PM. There were a couple of groups waiting ahead of me, but more people kept coming in, likely after seeing the same Instagram post. I took a big bite of the croissant and was blown away by how delicious it was. It was truly unlike anything I'd ever tasted before. I was surprised, in a good way. For this quality, I'd happily pay ¥300.