Bankam Sato Coffee (Coffee Shop) near Aomori City Hall (1 Chuo, Aomori City, TEL 017-722-3809 ) is now serving cream stew for lunch on Wednesdays.

Bankam is a pure coffee shop that offers a variety of bread menus such as toast and hot sandwiches, as well as flannel drip coffee that has not changed since its establishment in 1962 (Showa 37). Only on Wednesdays in winter, the salad that accompanies the lunch set is served instead of the cream stew.

According to Shuichi Sato, the second-generation owner, he started serving cream stew about 30 years ago. “I started to think that customers would get tired of having the same salad every time, and that customers would be happy if I served something warm during the cold winter months,” says Mr. Sato. “For some reason, I thought the middle of the week would be better, so I decided Wednesday to be ‘cream stew day,’” he said with a smile.

My wife, Junko, makes the stew. There are two types of stew, cream stew and curry stew with curry powder, which alternates weekly. "Curry stew was devised by my husband and I. It tastes a little spicy," says Junko.

The Wednesday lunch set (800 yen) comes with cream stew, bread, coffee, and yogurt. You can choose from 18 types of toast and hot sandwiches. Stew can be changed to salad. Addition of salad is 200 yen separately.

Mr. Sato said, "Since I started cream stew, there have been more customers who have been waiting for 'When will the stew start?' I hope you have a good time,” he said with a smile.

Business hours are from 7:00 to 17:30 (7:30 to 14:00 on Saturdays). Closed on Sundays and public holidays. Lunch time is until 14:30. Wednesday stew offer until March.