The Lobby Lounge at The Ritz Carlton Osaka (Osaka, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

I thought I wasn’t going to make my usual visit to The Lobby Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton Osaka this time, given our super tight schedule. But I managed to negotiate some me time with my boss, and everything was good.

As usual, the lobby was buzzing, and I could only find a seat a bit farther away from the pianist. Still, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the live music.

When I was presented with today’s pastries, I wasn’t particularly impressed — but it happens here sometimes. Occasionally, you just can’t find anything that appeals to you visually. That’s when you go back to their roots.

As a dessert-bakery institution, The Gourmet Shop at The Ritz-Carlton Osaka is generally excellent with its old-school favorites — mille-feuille, Paris-Brest, and more. So I decided to turn back the clock and try some classic French desserts.

Paris-Brest — The choux pastry had the perfect texture.

And there was a delicate, rich hazelnut praline cream in the middle, tying everything together and making the trip worthwhile.

I also got to enjoy a cup of tea. It's been a week since I had my tea fix, so that felt truly priceless.

I’ve always wanted to check out Café Del’immo at Herbis Ent next door, but they’re always full—this time was no exception. I couldn’t help wondering why…

Food Rating: 6.8/10

Price: ￥￥￥￥

Address: G/F The Ritz Carlton Osaka, 2-5-25 Umeda, Kita Ward, Osaka 530-0001, Japan

Closest Metro Station: Nishi-Umeda 

Tel: +81 (0)6 6343-7020

Website: lounge.ritzcarltonosaka.com

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 9:00pm (Mon - Fri), 11:00am - 9:00pm (Sat - Sun)