Enkyu in Kagoshima offers sandwiches, melt-in-mouth Basque cheesecake
The Basque cheesecake and sandwich from Enkyu
Three months have passed since Enkyu, a takeout shop offering Basque cheesecake and sandwiches, opened in Yoshinocho, Kagoshima City.
Kubo Yuji, the owner, has been in the restaurant business for 17 years and opened the shop on July 12. Before the opening, he had a sideline business with a food truck, but he decided to build a new log-cabin-style shop in Yoshinocho. He said that he chose this place because of “the flow of people to Yoshinocho, its livability, and its future development.” The eye-catching green color of the exterior walls is the same as his food truck, and he chose it to blend in with the lush greenery of Yoshinocho. The name Enkyu (縁久) is a combination of the words “縁 (en)”, meaning connection or fate, and “久 (kyu)” meaning eternity. It expresses Kubo’s wish that the encounters and connections he has with people will last forever.
The signature item on the menu is the Basque cheesecake (400 yen for a slice, 2,400 yen for the whole), which is “rich and melty.” He offers two other flavors of cheesecake, Black Sesame and Sweet Potato, and a set that includes all three is also available.
Sandwiches are available from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. only. Sandwich fillings include richly seasoned hamburger steak, grilled pork, and chicken, all sandwiched between homemade bread (from 370 yen). Since the ingredients change with the seasons and Kubo modifies the menu depending on the availability, the shop announces the available fillings on Instagram. Baked donuts, which will be discontinued at the end of October, cookies, and other baked goods are currently available.
“I am currently working on expanding the lineup of homemade baked goods and creating a menu for the colder season. I want to make this shop a place where people can feel happy while enjoying the sweets,” he added.
Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (until 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays). There are three parking spaces.