Art Nouveau and Tarte Tatin.
Cafe La Cremaillere TEXT/REINA ABE, PHOTO/NAOKO TAKAHASHI“This is the one thing we’ve kept as the pillar of the shop,” says the owner of the signature Tarte Tatin. With its fragrant caramelized crust, the first bite is surprisingly juicy — apple juice bursts through. The method is simple, they say: just simmer apples in butter and caramelize the surface. But depending on the season and the apple variety used, the baking technique has to shift, and getting it right took plenty of trial and error.
The shop opened in 1991. The name “Cremaillere” comes from a cafe depicted in an old French painting, meaning “pot hook” or, by extension, a “housewarming party.” A cremaillere is a hook hung over a hearth to suspend a pot — and since cooking preparations could only truly begin once one was hung, it came to be seen in France as a symbol of settling into a new home.
Besides Tarte Tatin, there's cheesecake and gateau chocolat too. In the early days, the menu centered on cake, coffee, and tea, but now it includes plenty of savory dishes as well — gnocchi gorgonzola, quiche lorraine, pasta, and more. The savory menu grew, they say, with the local community in mind, and many female customers stop by after watching ballet or theater performances at the Hokkaido Kosei Nenkin Kaikan (now Nitori Culture Hall) or the Sapporo Community and Culture Center. At one point, a film crew reportedly kept coming back throughout their entire shoot in Sapporo.
What stands out most, without question, is the Art Nouveau interior. Lalique glassware, cups and saucers, spoons — every single piece of tableware reflects careful attention. The comfortable layout of the seating was arranged by actually sitting in each spot to test it, one by one. When opening the shop, owner Sahara received advice from various people in Tokyo and Sapporo, including acquaintances deeply knowledgeable about art and kissaten owners. "A lot of different people's thoughts went into this place," he says, looking around the room. He's also continued a long-running music career under the name "Risuke Yoshida," and the shop occasionally hosts live performances. It's a place where, over a single cup of coffee, you might just encounter both art and music.
Cafe La Cremaillere
1F Hanasawa Building, Odori Nishi 14-chome-3, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
TEL.011-231-1858
Hours: Mon–Sat 12:00 PM–9:00 PM
Sun & Holidays 12:00 PM–5:00 PM
Closed: Irregular
www.cremaie.com
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