Cake-off: Sadaharu Aoki's Marron Fruits Rouges over Viron's Bonaparte

Sunday, for cake-off day, as the earliest great cake available for a second-round, I tried Viron's Bonaparte again, this time against something not another chocolate cake, Sadaharu Aoki's Marron Fruits Rouges, which was conveniently next in line, though it is available through November, so there was no hurry with it. I ran to Viron first and then ran carrying it north at least as far as Shinjuku Takashimiya, and then walked from there to Isetan to get the second cake and walked both home.

This time I had the Marron Fruits Rouges at my preferred temperature, and it made all the difference: definitely great cake. Again, the Bonaparte was not working for me, so I can't keep in among the great cakes. It was an early choice and from when I was more enthusiastic about Viron (though their Mille-Feuille is still definitely my favorite). These day, maybe I'm used to a moister cake. I wouldn't have minded some whipped cream on the Bonaparte, if I were ordering it in a cafe (which is not possible, since their cafes' serve different desserts than they sell in the bakery section).

In the afternoon, I went and checked the current line-up at Clair de Lune, which I should get cake from soon (they are third to sixth in priority, in no particular order). Since the previous pastry I got there was excellent, and I didn't get any during the last week, I got their Boulette au Marron and ate it within a kilometer (though I arrived by an unnecessary detour) at a park. I've never had this seasonal pastry from anywhere, I think, though I'm seeing everywhere now, it being the season. This is pastry around a baked (I think) chestnut, but also there is marzipan inside, which makes a differences, as far as balancing. Again, I don't have much comparison, but this seemed great to me. I also got a small bag of chocolate almonds as service, which I've saving to share, and I could have gotten a flower, but passed. It's their 5th year anniversary.

I also checked out L'abbricotier and Jun Honma, again to verify their lineups, again. This time I made proper notes, so I can move on the checking other places. I did go to check out a new loop in Honmachi, Shibuya-ku, and found that I was mistaken about there being an underpass to cross back over Yamanote-dori Ave., so I was wrong about being able to reach the north part of Yoyogi by curling the course back east. I can just barely get into Nishi-Shinjuku, where there is not actually anything I need to reach. At least I found a crosswalk with a signal for getting to Tokyo Opera City, where there's a bakery cafe.