Michalak, Paris-Brest

Thursday's vain attempt to get the 7th year anniversary cake item from Sadaharu Aoki at Shibuya ended with me betting the Dutch Crumble from the Granny Smith counter. It was okay, but I can't say that cold cooked apples with soggy crust is good, though I'm not sure what was different from good pie. There would be more cinnamon and sugar in the recipe I know, and maybe I should always heat it up. Certainly. vanilla ice cream would be traditional, but I was never a big fan of adding to the sogginess. I can image trying the cheesecake or maybe even the French apple pie version, but I'd rather have cake.

Friday, I had other things to do, but it took me to Isetan, where I decided to make up from only one (normal fresh) cake during the work week to get cake from Michalak. Since I was not impressed by the previous tart, though I see how my choice was not likely to suit me, I went for a different type of cake, their Paris-Brest. This is a sugar bomb of praliné creme, which is just what I like. It was great. I will stop complaining about things being called Paris-Brest even though they are not wheel-shaped. Since other great Paris-Brest I've had was a slice from a large cake, scale clearly matters for the texture and balance. It should be possible to get a delicious balance of praliné cream and choux pastry regardless of shape, but I won't begrudge the maker their choice of how to achieve that.

Kouhii Chakan Shuu Gâteaux Naturels Shuu: Mont-blanc

This week, I'm trying to get a 7th anniversary cake from the Hikarie Shinqs Sadaharu Aoki, with not a lot of hope, at least during the week (and I'm busy over the Golden Week holiday, but I could get over there). Monday, I walked and ran a little (probably 1.5 km total running) and they were sold out. I went to the top-priority shop for cake on the neighborhood map, but they were renting out their space to promote beer (not the first time for that sort of thing), so I finally got to the new counter in the basement of Gyre, Dandelion Chocolate, a beans to bar place that I had seen went I last (perhaps) went out to the main shop of P. Clair de Lune, though they were closed. Besides chocolate bars, the biggest thing they sell are macarons. They have "cake", but its less than bite-sized. The macarons are several bites-size, though, bigger than average. I got the Anamalai, India one, which I was told was fruity chocolate, versus sort of standard and white chocolate, as the other options. It had the perfect texture, in my opinion and was a little fruity, as chocolate. It was great, certainly as satisfying as most cakes, so I was not disappointed. I don't have plan for buying macarons, so I don't know when I'll get back, but it will be a good backup, other than they are not open that late. The running, as it turned out, was premature. My feet hurt a lot the next day (actually both, which was disturbing, though the problem one lingered more), other it subsided fairly quickly. I'll still to other forms of exercise probably for the next few weeks and start smaller with running next time I try.

My second try, on Tuesday, was by bicycle. It was my first time to use the bicycle parking, which was pretty empty, so useful for visiting that area, if I can finish within 2 hours. No cake, so I walked around to Kouhii Chakan Shuu Gâteaux Naturels Shuu and got the Mont-blanc. I would have eaten in, but the tobacco smell suggested that would not be a good idea (they have separate seating for smoking, but apparently not separated enough). This was way too soft for a bicycle ride, so it collapsed, but was still edible. There was not much more to it than a pile of whipped cream under chestnut paste with some chestnut pieces inside, like many other mont-blanc. Nothing special, but it qualifies as good. Still, disappointing as a new place that might secretly have had great cakes.

The third try (Wednesday), was just walking. No cake again at Sadaharu Aoki, so I walked back first to What a Tart! where they did not have any tarts left (but I could see the crumbs). They did have some little cake squares that reminded me of something I bought at Doutor once. I choose the Chocolate Orange. It was good, as dense (like pound cake, but with icing) cake goes, but not fresh cake and not worth going back for. In this batch, only Dandelion Chocolate has come through. I should mention that Fabrice Gillotte has, at least temporarily, closed their Aoyama shop as of March.

Cake-off: Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier over Coffee Parlor Hilltop's Pistache Chocolat

Somewhat according to plan, I walked to Coffee Parlor Hilltop again to get Pistache Chocolat, though this time a little after noon, so it seemed a least a couple sold before me, but no problem getting mine. My purpose of being in a hurry was only secondarily because I'll be busy next weekend and they will close for renovation soon after that. It's been a year since I had Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier (which I need to go back to old posts and correct the spelling of throughout, now that I'm decided) and I'm not confident I'll find something else to pair it with for a second-round match of first-round losers. Took a few pictures along the way for future expansions of the neighborhood running course, though I didn't do any reviewing today, since I was so tired yesterday and didn't get a lot else done all day (was slightly more productive today).

Had a little trouble with this cake-off. I only had a half-lunch, and yet late, but toward the end of the cake testing, I think I got full, or at least something upset my stomach. Suddenly the chocolate in the Pistache Chocolat was overly strong and disagreeing with me. It's possible that someone changed the recipe, but not likely. Before that, I had already decided on the Fraisier, which is simple but has the quality to pull it off. I'll give the Pistache Chocolat the benefit of the doubt and all it excellent, so it will stay on the great list but have to prove itself in the third round (which I'll leave for December or next year).

Cake-off: Origines Cacao's Printemps over Coffee Parlor Hilltop's Pistache Chocolat

Thursday, I took the afternoon off and first went to Isetan early enough that their Croissant Chocolat was not sold out. It was excellent. It is not sweet, but more a burnt (maybe literally) chocolate taste, which I approve of. Definitely better than average as a croissant. In news, there is a cake and a "parfait" that has cake elements enough that I'm interested, more than the average verrine, which I've grouped with fresh cakes. They limited to through Golden Week (and the parfait is only after 2 pm), so I'll have to act fast. No cake planned for tomorrow, saving it for Saturday. Since I've busy over golden week, I might try to fit in two cake-offs over the weekend to deal with seasonal cakes/shops. It depends on how the first cake-off goes. My bicycling for the day confirmed availability from the cake I wanted for take-out from the Coffee Parlor Hilltop and then I briefly tried to do the Akasaka--Azabudai--Roppongi--Toranomon loop but failed almost immediately. I didn't realize immediately, but I failed again later on more obviously, so I went hope to review.

Friday, I got another pastry, this time Croissant d'Almonde from Christa. It was definitely good but not really so different from most. I tried the Akasaka--Azabudai--Roppongi--Toranomon loop again but got confused once I had to cross the Roppongi-doori, since I guessed incorrectly whether I would stay on the bridge (if I had been on foot instead on a bicycle) and continue on to cross Azabu-doori, which I should have. It's coming back around that I need to cross in stages.

Saturday, I finally got cake again, making up for the two previous days by getting two for a cake-off. For the first one, I tried walking to Coffee Parlor Hilltop, and my feet seem okay, so that's huge progress. I'll maybe try running longer than enough to make the light next week. I was there at opening time (no line, but someone came in immediately after me). I got the Pistache Chocolat to go. Then I used Marunouchi Line to go to Ginza 6 to get Printemps from Origines Cacao and then I went home by train. I still found that the raspberry rolled off the Printemps, but it was in better shape generally than last time by bicycle.

These are both recent cakes that I worried I might have labeled as great without sufficient cause, but the first result of this first-round cake-off is that I still feel that both bring something special, so they pass that hurtle. I felt like Printemps brought slightly more complexity, or maybe I was just enjoying the white chocolate more, so it gets the win. Printemps is obviously a seasonal cake, but it's relatively recent, so I hope it can stick around a couple weeks to get in a second-round at least. I know Pistache Chocolat, and anyway F Cassel has a cake that has been waiting for an opponent and it lost its first-round, so I'm planning to do another cake-off tomorrow (so no cake-off next Saturday) for those two. I'm sure Hilltop will think it same to see me again for the same cake, but so it goes. I might manage fourth new cake them before they close, but really, except for that, three other shops would be my priority, and I wouldn't get back there next week in time.

For further exercise, I made my third attempt at the Akasaka--Azabudai--Roppongi--Toranomon loop and finally got it (as well as reviewing after two previous attempt, the sun up was probably helpful, though it still took a long time to find a way of crossing by bicycle as easily as the main bridge. A couple coffee shops are gone, but I added a couple Japanese confectionery shops.

Le Salon Jacques Borie: Savarin au Rhum

Went to Isetan for a croissant and didn't consider carefully what having a backup of cake implied about the rest of the week, but anyway, I got the Savarin au Rhum from Le Salon Jacques Borie, as well as confirming what the next Isetan 1-week cake shop visitor is (one I'm not interested in) and that the current 3-week visiting sweets shop doesn't have fresh cake, at least not this week. Besides other shopping, when I went out by bicycle, I confirmed the Tomigaya--Yoyogi loop clockwise. One turn is still going to be hard going clockwise, because the apartment buildings aren't that distinctive, and I spaced on one turn and started down a hill but remembered what do to before getting to the next intersection and went back, so I think it's time to move on.

I've gotten somewhat used to savarin by this point, and verrine deserts to a lesser degree, but I think I'll judge this excellent. Three excellent cakes in a row doesn't have the same urgency  as under the old system, so I have a lot of places to catch up on before I get back there, but they're definitely at least a quite good shop, which suggests I should have better ranking system for these.

Origines Cacao: Printemps

Under my reorganized rating system, Origines Cacao is the top of the quite excellent shops, which now are above the superb shops, though based on fewer cakes (it the advantage of having had several great cakes that never got a chance to disappoint me since they haven't been available again), so I'm not included to immediately move any shops, just I wouldn't otherwise have been ready to get another cake from this shop. Tuesday, they had three cakes I haven't had before (and it seemed to be the full line-up). I chose the newest seasonal cake, since it appealed most, Printemps. It didn't travel well by bicycle, but it mostly survived. Like Sunday's cake, it was a mixture of different textures encircled by a shell that had to be cut. Sometime I'm going to try heating the knife to see how that works out (I also want to cut up the macaron, which was really nice separately, and mix it in). This is red fruit and pistachio, though not overpowering in either among cream and firmer parts inside (I didn't read that far down on the description), so it lives up well to the name "spring", as in the first appearance of a freshness. I'm going to say that it's good enough to be called great, though that needs testing, which now I plan to do this weekend (though I still need to verify that Hilltop allows take-out, which I failed to ask when I was just there yesterday.

Coffee Parlor Hilltop: Mont-blanc

Bicycled to Coffee Parlor Hilltop and ate in. There were a few cakes available (but only one of each visible), so I choose the Mont-blanc. It was definitely nice. The layer of chestnut was fairly thin, but it was also strong, so it was a good balance with the cream. I'm wondering whether there was some sort of alcohol involved, but it might have been just vanilla. I didn't care for the base, though, which is not visible. I guess I was expecting a biscuit or meringue but I'm not sure what it was, since it wasn't soft or crunchy, but was almost chewy, or at least it had some resistance to it. Maybe it was just a disk-shaped slice of chestnut, since chestnuts maybe have that texture. Still, it was good cake, so I might get back there before they close for renovation for 7 months starting April 30.

Paris S'éveille: Menton

Sunday, I finally got, by bicycle, the new cake at Paris S'éveille, the Menton. They were busy to the point of asking someone to wait outside, but the tables were not full, so I could eat in. This is a very light lemon cake. The top is lemon flavored milk foam, but the inside is a very dry, very aerie meringue (or something similar) with space for some more lemon (compote or something; I still don't have those kinds of things straight in my head), but nothing to overpower the milk foam, so fairly milk tasting. I'm into stronger cakes, but can allow that this was excellent.

Afterward, I went to Dalloyau. I hadn't had any pastries the previous week, so I decided to make up for it by having my first pastry-off. My favorite shop for pastry is Fraoula, so I was looking for a match for their Croissant d'Almonde. I was open for an orange pastry, but Dalloyau didn't seem to know what I was talking about. My previous pastry purchases were mainly from the Mitsukoshi counter, and there may have been changes since the Ginza shop was closed. The other great pastry I've had from Dalloyau is their Croissant, which I've had more than once. But when I tried it this time, it seemed rather ordinary. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and say it was excellent, so Fraoula wins the first pastry-off. There is no reward other than staying on the extremely short list of great pastries.

On the way, I ventured to grab a few pictures of sites along planned future parts of the neighborhood course. Hadn't known about this school/restaurant? They have a Tabelog entry, but there is only one comment, from 6 years ago, and no pictures, which I've never encountered. The homepage link gives an error message in Chinese and the Facebook page posts are from 2014. Maybe it really is just someone's house now.

Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's Giverny over Sadaharu Aoki's Cheese Cake Citronné

Thursday, I verified another neighborhood running course loop by bicycle, this time the longer and more distant Tomigaya--Yoyogi loop, counterclockwise. The problem is I turned early toward the end, but checking the map, that's probably a better route anyway, so I should practice that version clockwise next. There was no cake, nor was there cake Friday, though I also rode that day, out to Ginza Mitsukoshi to confirm that F. Cassel has their Fraisier, which I'll put in a cake-off if I had a suitable match for it (either because something else becomes available or I'm able to get another great cake for a 1-round cake-off and the loser survives).

Saturday, I did a cake-off with, once again, a cake from Paris S'éveille, Giverny. Actually, this one lost one of two rounds, when I also questioned whether it belonged in the great list. As it's appointed a picked a cake that similar has lost one round and coincidentally I questioned it's inclusion, Cheese Cake Citronné  from Sadaharu Aoki. So the same situation as last weekend, which surprised me, as I did not think there were so many such cakes. I stopped by ABVT again and verified before things started selling out that they really don't make what would have been the cake-off cake any more before heading to Paris S'éveille. I'll go back to Paris S'éveille again tomorrow for a new cake, which wasn't out yet, so I confirmed that I'll probably want to arrive around 11 pm, since it's apparently a time-consuming cake to make. I'll cross my fingers that it's great so I that I can get in some first- and second-round cake-offs.

Finally, the cake-off: Cheese Cake Citronné is definitely excellent, and convenient, but I guess it really doesn't need to be on the great list. Giverny, which is also a mind fruity cake, is definitely more interesting, so it takes the win and stays, despite being a little worse for wear from the journey by bicycle. Sadaharu Aoki will also get another visit soon, however, as they have chocolate croissants and I've never had one but I've had a couple excellent croissant from them. I have to wait until next Wednesday, though since they're only available Wed-Sat.

Megan: Strawberry Cake & Kibi Sugar Cream Puff

Tuesday, I went to Isetan and got a second cake from Megan, which is visiting Isetan for three weeks. This time I got the Strawberry Cake, which is basically what is usually called in Japan strawberry shortcake. This is not a type of cake (or fruit) I have great appreciation for, but I am trying to develop my tastes. My conclusion in this case was that the taste, proportions (this has an unusually about sponge cake), and construction of this cake were all of high quality, so I am going with excellent. For exercise, I decided that I was up for trying a bike ride on a weekday. I went and confirmed my knowledge of the updated Jinguumae north loop. I went around rather than try carrying my bike down stains, though it would have been lighter than the groceries I carried today.

Wednesday I was back at Isetan. I wasn't intending to visit Megan again but when I found my target cake sold out, I decided that a third cake from Megan would not be a bad idea, since if it were excellent, I might want to go for a fourth (which would be the carrot cake) before they finished at Isetan. I got the Kibi Sugar Cream Puff (going with the name off the online English menu). This was definitely good but I can't say that I could detect the change in sugar or that it stood out except for the unusual shape (which does not make much difference). No running, but I did my indoor muscle training exercises excluding the squats, which my right foot is not up for.

Sadaharu Aoki, Chou à la Pistache

No running this week, but Isetan still has things I want, so I walked there. This time it was Chou à la Pistache from Sadaharu Aoki (whom I am ready to get almost any new fresh cake that they put out, but not an Opera). I can't find an official announcement, so I'm not sure whether I got the name right, but I'll update as necessary. Their regular vanilla cream puff is excellent, and this seem to at least meet that standard. Very nice. It does not try to be strongly pistachio, so it still maintains its basic custardness, but the pistachio flavor is there. They have it at all the usual Tokyo outlets, so it shouldn't hard to find.

L'Abricotier's Le Piemont over Paris S'éveille's Fondant Chocolat

Still not running, which is starting to affect my back in bad ways. I'm going to have to do some stretches for that regularly again. Today, I bicycled down first to ABVT, in Oyamadai, but they did not have their Tentation Chocolat. I didn't ask why, I just went to get the backup choice, Paris S'éveille's Fondant Chocolat. Then it felt like a long ride to go to L'Abricotier and get Le Piemont (French article, no accent on the e, like the German, and the phonetic Japanese matches the Italian, which would have an e on the end, but so it goes in cake naming). These were both cakes that had lost their first two cake-off rounds. I did not know when I easting, not having reviewed my notes that deeply, but I had also questioned both of them as belonging among great cakes after their second round. This time, I was appreciating them both and don't feel a need to drop either down from the greats.

I microwaved the Fondant Chocolat so that it was indeed fondant (20 seconds and then it needed 10 more seconds, because my microwave is big, so it takes longer). It's still my favorite cake of this type, which I count as a cake, though it overlaps with café desserts, since it requires a cooking step just before eating, and baked goods. Le Piemont is mild but has almond and chocolate for flavor and a variety of textures, though no hot chocolate sauce, of course. Still, despite recognizing the merits of the Fondant Chocolat, I'm giving the win to Le Piemont. It was an enjoyable cake-off.

Del'Immo: Noisette & Montblanc Chocolat

Went to the Del'Immo café for cake for two. I knew that they were not a high priority after the shop ranking reorganization, but I didn't like to give up on them as a back-up and the new Sadaharu Aoki Marunouchi exclusive cake seems to be Opera, which is no good for me. The cake was Noisette and Montblanc Chocolat. The noisette had a strong enough hazelnut flavor to stand out against the chocolate and there was also a layer of passion fruit and orange, which harmonized well. This was definitely good cake, but I was bored with the texture, perhaps. The Montblanc Chocolat was also good, as a mixture of cream and chocolate but stood out less.

They were still pretty good cakes for basically a café restaurant, but I may never get back there, as I don't think I'm likely to find anything great. Of course, it also depends on how comparable shops do.

Charmant Gourmand: various

Friday I took off work and went to Charmant Gourmand (after lunch, though from Thursday they had lunch there, which I had not known) and got a variety plate, the name of which I'll have to update later, though I think the menu varies. This had their Moelleux au Chocolat Figue, Madeleine Lemon Lime, Crème d'Anjou, and I think some kind of dacquoise sandwich, though it's not something I found outside the salon. The moelleux au chocolat was the most interesting, being more like a thick chocolate filling than anything baked. (This is my first time to find a moelleux that had a separately made firm base.) I would say the moelleux was excellent and the rest were good. Since Crème d'Anjou is not so different from cheesecake, I'll treat it and the moelleux as cakes, whereas the other two are baked goods, so they don't really affect my cake shop rating. Still, one excellent and one good makes it at least in the running for quite good, so I'll go back and get one of the other flavors of moelleux au chocolat some time, though they are expensive for the size. The house-blend tea was also definitely good.

Yoshinori Asami, Tendresse Orange

For Wednesday's cake from Isetan (since I'm still not running, though I'm definitely much better), I took advantage of the visit by Yoshinori Asami to get a 6th cake from this excellent shop. This time I got Tendresse Orange. I might have to go back and check the details, but obviously there is orange and definitely chocolate, though not so much as to dominate, and I think caramel. The base has poppy seed sized elements that give it some texture, maybe chopped orange peel? Not sure, but the cake really showed off a nice orange flavor without being too fruity for me and with a good texture, so I can say that this cake was excellent, which confirms my evaluation of the shop.

In other news, Sadaharu Aoki has a pistachio cream puff, through May, they told me, though it's not on the web page. Haven't heard what the featured cake at the Marunouchi salon will be this year and JPH also hasn't updated their line-up yet, so I also have those to look forward to. Next week, perhaps, I'll get out by bicycle for some weekday cakes, even if I'm not ready to run. I was fortunate in my timing for being limited to Isetan in terms of a new counter opening, two visiting shops worth trying, and many excellent cakes, even if I haven't found the next great one yet.

Le Salon Jacques Borie: Tarte aux pêches de vigne

Today, I got the Tarte aux pêches de vigne from Le Salon Jacques Borie at Isetan. This is a tart of a particular type of red peach. I don't get too exciting by fruit tarts, but I have to admit that this was exceptional, so I can say that it was excellent. I'm still not going to try their Opera (too much coffee), but I will try their Savarin au Rhum sooner than I would otherwise.

Michalak, Tarte Delphine

Went back for a second cake from Michalak. This time it was Tarte Delphine, which is a mild chocolate, almond cream, and caramel. It is thick and decadent, and yet kind of boring. Good, but not exciting. They still might be quite good overall, but they can wait their turn for a third cake (though, since they are conveniently at Isetan, that might not be that long a wait).