Cake-off: Toshi Yoroizuka's Annya over Fiorentina Pastry Boutique's Estate

My plan for Saturday, was to run the newly revised (after failing the previous attempt) Akasaka--Azabudai--Roppongi--Toranomon loop by cycling to Tokyo Midtown, parking, doing the run, getting one cake at Tokyo Midtown and the other cake at Roppongi Hills, which are on either side of Roppongi Station, not so far from each other. This time I got about halfway before I failed, do to not remembering where to turn to cross from Roppongi 1 to Roppongi 2. I didn't help that where I needed to turn was at a T with a long blank wall on one side (the American Embassy dormitory compound) and new construction sites on both corners. I still went on to get a danish at Pierre Gagnaire, since it had been more than an hour of running (plus a little cycling), and I specifically forewent a pastry Friday, and forgot to pack my energy cookies. Specifically I got the Ananas Danish, which was the only pastry-class bread they had that I hadn't already tried (the other three were all excellent). As the name says, this was pineapple, which doesn't sound so good, but with hyacinth, I think. Anyway, it was an excellent fruity pastry, and I don't consider myself that into fruity pastries, so I'm impressed.

Coming back toward Tokyo Midtown, I saw that I had left another Natural Lawson from my map, and I have another excuse to revise this loop. After making sure I included all Natural Lawsons in Minato Ward (there was one more that I had missed on the sound end of the route), I decided to address other deficiencies (such as not going by the entrance to a certain temple, just because it is inconvenient) and after several attempts split the loop back into its main Akasaka part and smaller southern end. Next up, then will be trying the new revised Akasaka loop.

For the cake off, I got Toshi Yoroizuka's Annya for a third-round cake-off for one-and-one great cakes, because it came available, and Fiorentina Pastry Boutique's Estate because it was highest priority, being earliest in the year of potential opponents. These are both cakes that are fruity and delicate, so it was a good match in that way. Also, I've had my doubts about both of them. Not doubts this time, these were both great. With repetition (the four tastings have been all in the last couple months), I'm satisfied that Estate belongs in among the greats. Note sure what the fruit is, something citrus or apricot, both in goes well with the pistachio and still less the white color really express itself. I'm giving the win to Annya, though. I've compared it to pie before, and it is a little tart, which many cakes are, but I realize that more than any other cake it reminds me of while berries from my childhood, and the pies we made from them. This is, of course, a rhubarb cake, so it might be some sort of harmony.

18 km to Naoki

Today was 18 km, which I cleared, and then I walked back, so I needed a nap eventually. The route went first to Meguro River at Nakameguro Station. I followed Jakuzure River Green Way (蛇崩川緑道) to Highway 3 along Tamagawa Road, then down to connect to the Nomigawa Persimmon Tree Slope Tributary Border Road (呑川柿の木坂支流縁道) around to Sakurashinmachi (桜新町) Station, and then doubling back to get to Patisserie Naoki Laboratoire, which is on the northeast edge of the Jiyugaoka (自由が丘) cluster of cake shops, across from a Takagi, which I like very much.

As you can see, it all looked good, so I got four. Left to right, these are Chocolat Florence (ショコラ・フィレンツェ) for 464 yen, Tarte Noix (タルト・ノア), a walnut tart, for 389 yen, Framboise le Gel (?) for 454 yen, and Chocolat Noir (ショコラ・ノアール) for 464 yen. The first is pistachio mousse and chocolate mousse, a favorite combination of mine, which was good. The raspberry was good too, but a little strange: there was a kind of irregularly shaped nut cluster in the middle, which I was not expecting, but which worked as an anchor to let the cake hold its outer symmetrical shape, which is okay, I suppose, but it was hard not to think that it was a mistake. The "dark" chocolate was actually three layers of mouse under the glaze, maybe chocolate, white chocolate, and milk chocolate. This last was very good or at least very much my kind of thing, although not my favorite even of the type. The nut tart was also good. Overall, a good shop that I would visit again if it were convenient, but I don't need to. I didn't have any kind of recommendation, just I noticed it there from going to Takagi, so they may have some specialty that I don't know about.

Coming back, I wanted to try an Indian grocery (really just one little room) and didn't resisted checking out & Market. I had the best gateaux chocolat when they were at Isetan, but it is not something that they usually make. The carrot cake lost some frosting to the box (which I recovered) on the way, but was fine.