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Handmade bread and drinks made with care
"2C CAFE LAB. & COPPE STAND"

[Interview, text and photography]
Waseda Weekly Reporter (SJC Student Staff)
Rinka Nishimura, 2nd year School of Human Sciences

Tokorozawa Campus. If you walk to the right for about one minute from the ticket gate, you will see "2C CAFE LAB. & COPPE STAND", with its striking illustration of a koppepan bread on a white wall. The shop was opened by the president of a local real estate company with the desire to liven up Nishi-Tokorozawa. In 2021, two stores, CAFE LAB. and COPPE STAND, will open on the same site as now, and will reopen as "2C CAFE LAB. & COPPE STAND" in 2022.

The "2C" in the store's name stands for the first two letters of CAFE LAB. and COPPE STAND, and for the "west" in Nishi Tokorozawa. It is a place of relaxation beloved by locals, visited by a wide range of people, from parents with strollers to the elderly.

The interior of the shop is enveloped in the warm light of the bulbs, creating a gentle atmosphere. The wood-based space overall, with the dried flower decorations soothing the mood. They also pay special attention to the interior design, changing the illustrations on the windows according to the season and events held around Tokorozawa, so you can be sure to have fun all year round!

Left photo: The white exterior and the flag with the words "agepan（揚げパン）" written on it are the landmarks. There is also terrace seating, creating a stylish atmosphere.
Photo on the right: There are three table seats, and a separate private room at the back. Wi-Fi is available, and there are electrical outlets at the counter seats.

There are more than 20 kinds of koppepan on the menu! They have a wide range of items, from savory dishes such as "Croquette Dog," "Fish Dog," and "Chicken Nanban" to sweets such as "Fruit Koppe," "Chocolate Banana Koppe," and "Caramel Forest," and all of them are apparently popular.

The "Croquette Dog" has a crispy croquette coating, piping hot potatoes inside, and a rich sauce that goes really well with both the croquette and the bread. The "Fish Dog" has a superb tartar sauce that pairs perfectly with the fried white fish! The "Chicken Nanban" is packed full of chicken. The cabbage that comes with it is crunchy and adds a nice accent to the dish.

From the back of the photo, "Chicken Nanban" 402 yen, "Fish Dog" 418 yen, "Croquette Dog" 366 yen

The "Fruit Koppe" has fresh fruit and the whipped cream is just the right amount of sweet, so you can eat as much as you want. The "Chocolate Banana Koppe" is a surefire combination of chocolate and banana, topped with whipped cream and fluffy bread, filling your mouth with happiness. The "Caramel Forest" has a great texture and aroma of the mixed nuts on top of the whipped cream and caramel sauce, and when combined with the slightly bitter caramel sauce, it has an adult taste.

By the way, all of the koppepan can be taken out!

From the left: "Caramel Forest" 330 yen, "Fruit Koppe" 330 yen, "Chocolate Banana Koppe" 319 yen

Other popular items include the deep-fried bread, which comes in three flavors: sugar, kinako, and cocoa. You can choose between large and small sizes, so you can mix and match to suit your mood that day. If you order it as takeout, you can enjoy freshly fried bread. There is also a menu item called deep-fried bread ice cream, which is recommended for the hot summer.

Bread is not the only popular menu item. The store also makes all their drinks from scratch. From the many drinks on the menu, I tried the "Almond Mango Milk." Of course, the mango sauce is also homemade. The mellow flavor of the milk was a perfect match with the mango and almond, creating a very rich flavor. The accompanying rusks were also crunchy and delicious.

Left: Clockwise from the back, "Fried bread (small)" in sugar, kinako, and cocoa flavors (large: 250 yen, small: 150 yen). There's also a nice 50 yen discount on rainy days!
Right: "Almond Mango Milk" 550 yen. If you order a set of your favorite roll and drink, you will receive a mini dessert of the day, and there is also a special set that offers an additional 50 yen discount off the regular price.

The "Adult School Lunch" is also a popular menu item, available in limited quantities. In addition to a roll or deep-fried bread, it comes with Hokkaido milk and a main dish and side dish that change daily. You can enjoy the unique school lunch experience of putting your own side dish between the roll and eating it.

"Adult school lunch" 660 yen. The menu for this day was bread roll, Hokkaido milk, fried white fish and salad, and stir-fried burdock root.

In fact, this shop also has a food truck on Tokorozawa Campus! I'm sure many students at Tokorozawa Campus know about it.

The food truck operates from Tokorozawa Campus on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11:00 to 15:00. Payment methods are cash or PayPay only. The food on offer includes the "2C BOX" with a different bread roll and side dish of the day for 680 yen, "fried bread" for 300 yen, and "churros" for 250 yen.

The menu, which was created with the utmost consideration given to customer feedback, is sure to please. There are also seasonal menu items, making it a shop you'll want to visit again and again. When you visit Tokorozawa Campus, whether at the shop or at the food truck, why not try finding your favorite koppepan and enjoy it?

store information
[Store name] 2C CAFE LAB. & COPPE STAND
[Address] 1-13-7 Nishitokorozawa, Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture
[TEL] 04-2937-5742
[Opening hours] Monday to Friday 9:30-19:00, Saturday and Sunday 7:30-19:00
【No regular holiday​
【X】@cafelabcoppe
[Instagram]@cafelabandcoppestand

*All prices in the article include tax

A message from store manager Moriyama-san (right) and store clerk Furuichi-san (left) to Waseda students

"Not only do we have a food truck, but our shop also has menu items that are not available at the food truck, so please come and visit us. We also have Wi-Fi and power outlets, so if you feel like working in a cafe during exam periods or when you're busy job hunting, we'd love you to come and relax at our shop!"