和興餐飲集團成立拾楀股份有限公司引進嵜本 SAKImoto Bakery，在時尚潮流匯聚的信義區裡，原汁原味的日本關西仿舊風吹入靜巷，幾乎完整仿造大阪難波本店樣貌，以暮色提煉木質裝潢從櫃檯、餐桌至商品陳列架溫暖了視線，但也透過新穎的水泥灰色工業冷調，以及外頭庭園包裹的綠意，調和出淡漠卻愜意的氛圍。
集團執行長曾柏憲以餐廳思維經營，翻轉一般麵包店營運模式，除了店內裝潢考究，物件使用細節也悉心規畫，以套餐呈現餐食，包括盛裝生吐司的烤網、果醬專用瓷器皆由日本進口，而木質托盤則委託台灣廠商製作，溫潤手感和天然紋路就連社長嵜本將光都驚嘆於台灣工藝之美。
待氣候微涼時，最適合坐在戶外庭園區享受抽離都市的靜謐時光，現烤生吐司在手裡透出微微暖意，日本直送果醬質地通透，恍若寶石舖鑲於吐司隱隱閃耀，咬上一口齒頰間立刻流淌著別樣的甜蜜滋味。
“A series of surprises create a world of happiness where people are compassionate.”This is the operating philosophy held by the CEO Sakimoto Masamitsu of Doroquia Holatheta in Japan. SAKImoto Bakery, a subsidiary that specializes in jams and Shoku Pan that foregoes dairy and eggs but manages to retain rich wheat aromas and fluffy texture. The source of these natural flavors come from a father’s love for his daughter, who is allergic to eggs and dairy; after 2 years of research, he created a”present”specifically for his daughter. When it launched at the end of 2017, it revived the therapeutic powers of food’s natural flavors. SAKImoto Bakery became a hit in Japan before expanding overseas to Taipei’s Xinyi District; within half a year, the brand expanded into Taipei 101 and revolutionized Taiwan’s bakery industry by conquering adversity.
Shih Yu Food and Drink Co., Ltd introduced SAKImoto Bakery and their authentically retro Kansai-style into a quiet alley of the ultra-trendy Xinyi District. The store nearly replicates the style of the original store in Namba, Osaka. The wooden decor extends from the counter to the tables and display shelves, eliciting a feeling of warmth which contrasts with the cold industrial-style cement. Greenery located in the outdoor garden harmonize into a cozy atmosphere.
CEO Henry Tseng revolutionized the bakery operation model through the use of restaurant concepts. Attention has been paid to the shop’s decor down to the planning of every object; food is presented in set menus, including the grill racks used to hold the natural toast. Ceramics for the sole purpose of containing jam are imported from Japan while the wooden trays are manufactured in Taiwan. Even president Sakimoto Masamitsu was amazed by the warmth and natural patterns created through beautiful Taiwanese craftsmanship.
Sitting in the outdoor garden will be perfect once the weather becomes a bit chilly. It offers a tranquil escape from the city where the warmth of fresh toast radiates in the hand as the imported Japanese jam glitters like a carpet of gems. Take one bite and the sweetness will immediately become an otherworldly experience for the taste buds.
精品吐司原初感動
近年台灣烘焙產品趨之若鶩，推陳出新的口味挑戰消費者味蕾，行銷公關許嘉莉則表示 SAKImoto Bakery 台灣店製作吐司就像打造精品，「精品不會有過多裝飾，不希望太花俏，可以回歸到最自然的模樣。」
台灣團隊赴日學藝，展店前主廚也親自來台「驗收」成果，4 月營運至今單日千條吐司的產能，是團隊每日清晨現烤，最終悉心於左下角印燙品牌商標「嵜」字的是「極美自然吐司」，右下角則為「極生自然吐司」。
採訪當日實際品味不含蛋奶的「極美自然吐司」，以湯種手法延續更強化吐司濕潤口感，也得把關麵糰發酵、烘烤的溫度和製程時間，雙手掰開濃郁麥香已經沾滿空氣，手中仍能感受麵體的濕潤感，入口原始直接的麥香和社長對女兒的愛一般簡單卻深刻。另一款「極生自然吐司」則得歷經 18 小時的低溫發酵，超越一般吐司至多 2 小時的發酵時程而能鎖住麵體水分，製作時多了奶油和鮮奶，為該款吐司平添醇濃奶香，喚起童趣而單純的美好時光。
一片吐司兩種文化
SAKImoto Bakery 來台不到半年，便拓點觀光地標台北101，用餐區前，一面聳立的玻璃牆，其紋路恰似清澈水流，一旁還引入綠色植栽，而社長嵜本將光喜愛的多肉植物，則沿著天花板擺放形成綠色環景。
事實上，嵜本將光與和興集團執行長曾柏憲是好朋友，籌畫101店時配合社群魅力計畫設起玻璃牆作為打卡點，一度讓堅守本店古樸風格的嵜本十分猶豫，然而曾柏憲「希望未來展店都能保有台灣特性」多次商討才讓 SAKImoto Bakery 朝向融合台日文化的可能。
除了經常探訪日本培養餐飲敏銳度，進而帶起台灣生吐司熱潮，曾柏憲也回頭看見家鄉土地蘊含的力量。101 店聯名屏東巧克力品牌福灣，選用其於 2017 年「世界巧克力大賽」冠軍品項「台灣一號屏東黑巧克力 62%」獨家製作「福灣巧克力生吐司」。經來回試驗揀選出 0.1 公分的巧克力磚，透白的吐司頓時添上幾筆大理石紋，可可酸味與自然麥香相輔相成，日方社長更願意將嵜本與福灣商標並列印燙，令台日加乘的美妙滋味在精裝小盒裡醞釀芬芳。嵜本SAKImoto Bakery 年底渴望開設第三間分店，甚至逐步推往中南部，生吐司「減法」製作，如同一份驚喜篩去華美只為聊表心意，以慢工烘焙出感動人心的美味。
Gokubi Natural Shoku Pan
In recent years, Taiwan’s bakeries have flocked towards releasing new flavors that challenge the taste buds of consumers. Public relations manager Dora Hsu states that SAKImoto Bakery’s toast is produced as a luxury good, “luxury items lack adornment and avoid being excessively fancy, allowing them to exhibit the most natural state.”
A team from Taiwan traveled to Japan for learning and prior to opening, the chef personally traveled to Taiwan to “inspect” their results. Since operations began in April, the store boasts a daily output of 1,000 toasts all baked by the team at dawn. The store’s trademark “㟢” is branded onto each loaf with the “Gokubi Natural Shoku Pan”displaying the logo on the bottom left corner and “Gokunama Milk Butter Shokupan” displaying the logo on the bottom right.
On the day of the interview, we tasted the egg and dairy-less “Gokubi Natural Shoku Pan” which is produced through strict monitoring of dough fermentation, baking temperature, and production time as well as the Utane method to enhance the toast’s moist texture. As soon as we broke open a loaf, the aroma of wheat filled the air while the bread still felt moist in the hands. When eaten, the simple, primal flavor of wheat left a lasting impression, similar to the president’s love for his daughter. “Gokunama Milk Butter Shoku Pan” is another product that surpasses the maximum 2-hour fermentation time of regular toast by undergoing an 18-hour fermentation at low temperature to lock in moisture. Butter and milk are added to the toast to give it an extra layer of richness that calls back to the simplicity and beauty of childhood.
A Piece of Toast Flavors with Two Cultures
Less than 6 months since arriving in Taipei, SAKImoto Bakery has expanded to the tourist landmark Taipei 101. In the dining area stands a glass wall with a pattern eliciting images of clear, flowing water. Nearby are several green plants and CEO Sakimoto Masamitsu’s favorite succulents lined across the ceiling to accentuate the space with a hint of nature.
Truthfully, Sakimoto Masamitsu and CEO Henry Tseng are good friends. While preparing the 101 location, plans to transform the glass wall into a popular check-in location caused the quite the dilemma for Sakimoto, a champion of the quaint style of the original location. However, multiple discussions and Henry’s insistence in the hope that “all new branch stores can preserve Taiwanese cultural” finally gave SAKImoto Bakery the possibility of integrating both cultures from Taiwan and Japan.
In addition to frequenting Japan to hone his sensitivity towards food and driving the trend of natural toast in Taiwan, Henry Tseng also has his eyes set on Taiwan’s potential. The 101 location will collaborate with Fu Wan Chocolate and utilize their champion product “62% Taiwan NO. 1 Ping-Tung Chocolate”, awarded first place at the 2017 “International Chocolate Awards”, in the exclusive creation “Fu Wan Chocolate Shoku Pan”.
After repeated testing, 0.1 cm chocolate tiles were selected to add marbling to the pristine toast. The sourness of cacao matches perfectly with the natural aroma of wheat. CEO Sakimoto has also given his blessing to brand his logo alongside that of Fu Wan, creating an exquisite and flavorful product born from the synergy of Taiwan and Japan. Sakimoto hopes to expand to a third location by the end of this year, possibly moving southward to Taiwan’s central or southern regions. The design by subtraction method adopted in the creation of natural toast is a time consuming labor of love, yet the no frills approach is the perfect vehicle for conveying the chef’s intent.