Cake-off: Rue de Passy's Opera Pistache over Toshi Yoroizuka's Annya

Going back two weeks (Aug. 2), I did a Sunday cake with Annya from Toshi Yoroizuka, in for the summer (they told me the day before that Saint-Marc was also in the line-up, though I didn't see it. I should check back. To match it, the recent winner Rue de Passy's Pistache Opera matched it, as another two wins to one loss cake. They are both old favorites: simple but great. In the end, I have to give it to nuts (Pistachio Opera) over fruit (Annya), which is also sort of vote for cake over pie, which is what the latter is like. That's two loss for Annya, but I might not get it's fifth round in for two years.

Let me also show some appreciation for Rue de Passy's Croissant, which was excellent: nice crust on the outside around a relatively soft inside.

Pierre Gagnaire, Green Tea Tart

Last Sunday, I found more cakes than I expected. First, I didn't expect Pierre Gagnaire's bakery and pastry shop in the ANA International Hotel to have any new cakes this month, but they had two among their small line-up, bumping their great chocolate and yuzu mousse cake, though they still had the large version. Everything is also still 20% off. More people over there, though the hotel is not crowded compared to the past. I went with what is easy to guess is the Green Tea Tart. They seem to stick to simple English for the main name; the Japanese description is matcha and blond blond chocolate, which is caramelized white chocolate. Can't say that blond chocolate seems like a good idea to me, even after this excellent tart.

Speaking of matcha, Sadaharu Aoki had another new pastry, and I keep trying them. This time it was Croissant Mâtcha aux Amonde. It was good, but too wet for my tastes in almond croissants. Let me also say, that Blogger updated their editor to some buggy thing hates images (won't let me move them next to text, and trying to makes mousse clicks into backspaces) and labels, which I'm going to have to add after publishing. 

Cake-off: Bien-être's Mont-Blanc over Au Bon Vieux Temps' Chocolat Framboise

Sunday, I went out by bicycle, as a little cross-training is good, plus it was predicted to be around 30 degC, although it wasn't sunny, so it didn't seem especially hot on a bicycle. The goal was to get cakes for a third-round cake-off, which I'm still trying to finish off: I'm up to October at the same time I'm current on the fourth-round. This time was between two one and one cakes. I started by going to Au Bon Vieux Temps to get Chocolat Framboise, as the far point. I got few hundred meters and I was thinking I would visit Paris S. nearby, and realized that I hadn't actually looked carefully at ABVT, so I went back and confirmed that the two great cakes I haven't seen for a while there still aren't there, whereas the other one I have is there, ready for its next round. At PS, I saw they had a new cake, so I made a plan to visit Sunday, but kept to the schedule to go up to Bien-être to get their Mont-Blanc, which they always have (and it was early enough that they we're close to selling out). They seemed to have three new cakes, but (looking ahead) one had disappeared the next day and one turned out to be a known cake by a different name. Still, I should get the Melon Shortcake soon, before it's gone.

Got home and had lunched and then went out again, this to to Ginza Mitsukoshi to get what I missed the previous weekend, special croissants from Frédéric Cassel, by #2 shop. These just started last weekend, only on the weekend, don't start selling until noon, and were sold-out last Sunday before 3 pm. I got the regular Croissant and the Croissant aux Almondes. While I was there, and because I've been busy during the week and gotten into the habit of squeezing all my cakes into the weekend (plus I'll be busy next weekend), I also got a new cake, though I was surprised that they had two. My choice was two cakes similar to ones I just had, but that's not much of a problem with a shop this good. I went with the Roulé Pêche, though I'll get to that in a different post.

The croissants came with instructions for heating them up, so I followed them, even though usually I prefer not to, as I'm not so much into the soft croissant. I have a regular oven rather than a toaster over, so I went with 150 degC, which seemed about right. These were both excellent, I can say, and certainly high quality, but didn't convince me that FC's viennoiserie should be that high a priority, though these were only the 2nd and 3rd of those, since usually they stick with cake and packaged things (and macarons). Still, after their cakes, these are the best I've found from them so far, but usually (when they aren't closed for two months), I don't have trouble satisfying myself with just cakes from them.

Having put it off to the end, as my might have noticed from the photo, the Chocolat Framboise was a little worse for wear: the top of the brownie shifted off the rest of the base and circled, so I had to shift it back and break it up a little to get it back together. Probably not a big deal, since the different parts don't hold together under cutting anyway, so I don't think it affected the texture. Still, I have to acknowledge that, as I have having trouble feeling the greatness this time. It's appear is chocolate and raspberry, of course, a little strong on the raspberry and definitely rich with the chocolate on top, with the brownie base there to keep it grounded. Still excellent, but I'm not sure. The Mont-Blanc, which doesn't have any obvious tricks or accents, like currant or meringue, and yet still great. I think maybe there is liquor or something that vaporizes so that you get a lot of flavor in the back of your mouth. Despite moving to lose some excess mont-blanc from the greats list, this one definitely stays, and should see a fourth round this year, since it's only got one loss.

Cake-off: Bien-être's Chocolat Cuit over Très Calme's Mont-blanc

Saturday, I tried again and was successful at getting Bien-être's Chocolat Cuit. I wasn't quite as early as I intended, but it didn't look like they had sold much based on other items, even though they only had two of these out. It's was too light for the trip back, even though I was half running half walking. I did come back a longer way than I needed to because, in my confusion, I stopped at the newly opened Isetan, though the counter I wanted for the other cake-off cake was not available. Still, I bought the nonfood item I wanted. Once home, I took off by bicycling to get up to Très Calme and get their Mont-blanc, as a second two-wins-one-loss cake for a fourth-round cake-off. 

It was getting late at this point, so I also got a croissant there, as my first pastry and ate that first. It had a coating of syrup, I assume, or at least a coating that ended up sweet in the overall flavor, which is what I ask for in a pastry croissant versus a bakery croissant, so I can easily call this excellent. I'm back to the new interface on Blogger, which doesn't give me an option to rotate photos before uploading (whereas, somewhere something automatically decides to rotate long pictures so they are vertically oriented).

The Chocolat Cuit, despite the name, is pretty raw, being a very rich chocolate mass, which I'm giving the win. The Mont-Blanc is distinctive in being my favorite coffee cake, which adds coffee-flavored meringue to chestnut paste with cassis accent on whipped cream  in a way that you can taste all the flavors and yet the bitternesses of the chestnut and coffee cancel out and are together pacified by the sugar in a way that makes this acceptable to someone who doesn't like coffee (me) or chestnut (the chef). It stays among the greats, no problem.

Cake-off: Atelier Kohta's Classic Chocolat over Ryoura's Mont-Blanc

Saturday, I ran out to Yoga again for a cake-off, this time for the Mont-Blanc for a third round between two one-and-one cakes. On the way, the stopped at Bigarreaux for a pastry, though they don't have much, instead making breads and meat pies. But they did have a Croissant, so I got that. It's on the bread side rather than pastry, but still well made and it was substantive rather than a soft hotel buffet style morning croissant, as I think of that type, so just good isn't so bad, if you're not looking for something sweet (though I am).

The other cake for this time was Atelier Kohta, which I first got 5 years ago, and it's probably been a couple years since it's cake-off (I have records, but don't bother to look). This is a Classic Chocolat (or at least that's how I recorded it), but if a different kind that my lass one. This is like a classic chocolate layer cake, but small. It was raining, so I walked, but it was enough.

Actually, these are both weak members of the great cakes (I didn't before the comparison, but wasn't surprised) who have one non-great evaluation. The Mont-Blanc is excellent, so I enjoyed having it again, but I still can't detect why I thought it was great. There was a period when I was just starting to get Mont-Blancs and I probably overcompensated then. Certainly, if Ryoura is in your neighborhood, it's a good choice, but I don't need in on my list. The Classic Chocolat makes me think of chocolate layer cake in the American mid-west. I manages to capture and probably improve on the basic taste in a tiny elegant form. I can't say that it is the style of cake I appreciate now, but it still has a place in my heart, so I'm keeping it in the greats list and giving it the win this time. Not sure Atelier Kohta actually has a new cake for me, though I've only had 4 from there: the shop only has about 4 cakes. I might end up giving something a second try.

Paris S'éveille, Tarte Printanière

Got an early start, about 8 am, with the intention to try the Daikanyama-chou--Ebisu-Nishi--Hachiyama-chou--Nanpeidai-chou--Sakuragaoka-chou--Sarugaku-chou--Shibuya--Uguisudani-chou loop. I'm not too surprised that I failed, though large parts of it are unchanged. It's up to 13 km now and I did most of it before I saw that I had skipped a cafe in a religious bookstore; it was on the map, but I needed to make a little loop around it at around halfway. Otherwise, I made some on-the-fly changes, which would have be fine (I knew the official route, but could see how it needed to be fixed). Will try again tomorrow if I wake up early, which I tend to do. On the way, and only 30 minutes out (which wasn't that early with my breakfast before 6 am), I tried a Croissant d'Almonde (not sure if that was the name they used), from the Crossroad Bakery over in Ebisu-Nishi. They require a drink to eat in, so I got takeout and ducked into a garage next door to get out of the rain and maintain social distancing from anyone using the sidewalk, though the streets were pretty empty everywhere I went, except maybe near the supermarket coming back. The Croissant was the kind I liked: baked through, not wet. Definitely good, but didn't seem like the best I've had, or I'm just not into this particular pastry now. I didn't bother to get a picture.

After finding where I went wrong, at around 10:20, I had an hour plus walk (I had had enough running) to Jiyuugaoka, where I got a new cake from Paris S'éveille: Tarte Printanière (Spring Tart). This is a cherry compote tart (with a lot of cherry) as a base and I think almond and pistachio paste/top. I'm not that into cherry, but I'm trying to have an open mind. Certainly, appreciate the nuts and it's a quality tart, so I have to say it's excellent. I'll look forward to the next tart, if that's what comes next, but I'm up to day now, so probably I won't have anything to get from this this month unless it's for a cake-off, but next one with them probably won't be until August.

I also got a Croissant from them (which I ate immediately coming home, whereas the cake was after the first half of lunch), which I've give them the benefit of the doubt and say was excellent. Unless I want to include their brioche, I might be up to date surveying their pastries, though there are probably some pastry-like baked goods that I could retry, but don't necessarily need to be fresh, which is my excuse for revisiting shops for pastries.

Tokyo viennoiserie: Caffe Pascucci and Pierre Hermé

Sunday, did a long morning run to Aobadai to practice a new loop counterclockwise. On the way, I made my first stop at a new brand of shops in Tokyo, Caffe Pascucci (the Japan flagship store in Kitaaoyama, though the other two are also within the same Tokyo running neighborhood). I got the Saccottini al Cioccolato, which is different from a typical Pain au Chocolat as it's not trying to to have big flakes on the outside. The main texture is similar and it's more compact and less messy, so I can say that it was excellent.

Was successful at the loop, which is tiny and simple. I circled back, stopping at Fukuras (which has at least one interesting high-end dessert shop, besides coffee shops and a tapioca tea shop). Went to Isetan for cake, which I'll post separately, but since it was morning and I'm reviewing all the pastries, I also picked up plain Croissant from Pierre Hermé, who I dismissed after two a while back. As it happens, my opinion of them stands: its well made enough that I have to admit it's good, but suited for some sort of spread rather than to be eaten alone.

Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's Gateau Vanille over En Vedette's En Vedette

In the name of completion, I'll mention that I did a quick weights workout on Friday night, but that Saturday I was busy. Had some time to kill in the afternoon near Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. I saw that the Starbucks there was listed as "Reserve", so I was hoping that it had some of the fancy baked goods, like the Starbucks Reserve in Aobadai or the Princi on the other side of the river and the old Yamanote Road in Sarugaku-chou, but no, just the usual Starbucks stuff, except for a fancy coffee bar with their reserve brand. I shared the New York Cheese Cake, which is good, and The Chocolat by P. Libre's Ichiei Taguma, which has chestnut and caramel, besides the obvious chocolate, and ultimately didn't work for me, though it was okay.

Sunday, there was running, cake from proper shops, a pastry, a neighborhood course run, and indoor muscle training: a full day. I wrote a pastry, but on the run I started off with a pastry from Excelsior Caffé, because they are convenient, and higher priority targets along my route were closed. It was okay as a pastry (maybe good as bread), but better than that. By the time I left, they had Pain au Chocolat, which would have been a better test.

I went first to Bien-être, where I expected to get Cuit Chocolat for a fourth-round 1st runner's up cake-off. I had just been thinking that they hadn't had a new cake for a year, but they proved me wrong: the chocolate cake had evolved, though now I'm confused about into what. Maybe it was Anzu Frais Chocolat, which would be fresh Japanese apricot chocolate cake, which I could deal with, but at the time the topping looked like but the topping actually looked like Azuki Frais, fresh sweet beans. Either way, I considered a new cake (though the base cake might be the same) and wasn't prepared to deal with it. Since I was still particially in that direction, I stuck with the second target of Paris S'éveille's Gateau Vanille (though I had scare when the tray sold out in front of me, when it was already afternoon, but fortunately another tray was brought out) and instead matched it with En Vedette's signature cake. It's a little early for them, so the next couple cake-offs at least won't be fourth-round one's, as I still have a third round ones to do (I have a second-round one, but Sunday doesn't work for it).

Gateau Vanille is perhaps the best presentation of vanille (the competition being PH's vanille tart, which is currently one and one among cake-offs) in more or less pure form (actually, white chocolate), whereas En Vedette is an interest mixture of strong flavors. Both are interesting, but maybe the En Vedette is more challenging and I was in the mood for straightforward and am giving the win to Gateau Vanille.

Didn't notice any new cakes at PS to go for in response to their win, though I was more worried about getting my Gateau Vanille, so I didn't look properly. I've reviewing their pastries, though, so I got the Pain au Chocolat. This thing is huge and looks perfect. It's pretty hollow, intentionally, which isn't a problem but isn't particularly helpful. There isn't any more chocolate than typically, though more would probably imbalance it. Not my favorite, but I can't fault it, it was excellent.

The evening run was trying to do the updated/new Minami-Motomachi--Samon-chou--Suga-chou--Shinanomachi--Wakaba--Yotsuya loop. I knew all the sites and I might have worked out the correct order, which would pretty much determine the route (I know the roads I need), except there was a flaw in the previous map down at the nearest point to Shinanomachi Station that I fixed but going straight instead of turning a block early but didn't remember, so tonight was just practice. Still I could do the revised/new Suga-chou look successfully clockwise, all 152 meters of it, so there's that. Maybe later in the week, after I've taken cake of my main cake targets (or if I'm starting too late to try Monday or Tuesday).

Lenôtre, Espirit Tartelette Fraise Chocolat & Viron, Charme

Was busy in the afternoon, but squeezed in a run and bought cake for later. I tried a neighborhood run through the just-revised Akasaka-Azabudai-Roppongi loop. Even though I wasn't up on the progress in Azabudai, I'm pretty familiar with most of this loop, so I could finish it clockwise this time, and also do the full Roppongi Itchoume Stn. clump (there isn't much to the extra link and loop), so I'm ahead on that. Tomorrow I'll probably work on clumps closer to the base, as I'm off and there's a shop that's only open during normal work hours that I want to visit over in Sendagaya. Along the way, I got a Croissant from Pierre Gagnaire, since Libertable doesn't seem to have pastries any more, or at least now (I was over that way because I first did the just revised little Yotsuya north loop clockwise). The croissant was more of a hotel breakfast croissant than a good patisserie croissant, so it gets just an "ok".

I was getting cake for two, so I got two cakes: first, Espirit Tartelette Fraise Chocolat from Lenôtre, which I had been trying to get since last Wednesday (though they have one more new item I haven't had, a strawberry verrine). The other was the new cake I spotted at Viron yesterday, Charme, which is a chocolate dome cake, but with a hard shell. I had to save them, though, so for my lunch dessert, I also got the Almondine, which is an almond petit four, I would say. It was good, but this kind of dessert isn't going to become a focus of mine, I think.

I liked the cake in the evening better, though I did add tea, which was lacking with the Almondine. The Espirit Tartelette Fraise Chocolat was good, but not so exciting and I'd rather have less fruit and more other parts. The Charme did a better job of meeting my chocolate cravings, and I can say that it was excellent.

I expect I'll have to wait another month before I can get another new cake from Viron.

Ginza Sembikiya, Banana Shortcake

Finally made a visit to Ginza Sembikiya, in the form of a visit to their the basement of their main shop, which has pasta lunches, as well as the menu of the Fruit Salon on the 2nd floor. As far as cake, it's limited to the current shortcake, which was banana, perhaps the last fruit I would choose (the 1st floor shop has a mont-blanc and a pear tart as well), but that's what there was, so that's what I ordered. It was lunch and dessert for two, so I'll say that the other dessert was a very limited-time (3 days) Le Lectier Parfait. Le Lectier is a French variety of pears that only the Japanese seem interested in. The parfait was good, though I'm not a good judge, since it's an ice cream dessert.

What was surprising, was that the banana shortcake was excellent. I generally have a banana everyday, but I haven't had a good banana like this for a long time, I think. I suppose you have to go to a specialist fruit shop. Also, I wouldn't mind shortcakes of other fruits from them, judging from this one. This excellent cake puts this "sembikiya" at the top of the pack of three, though one excellent cake only qualifies it for the fine cake shop group under the current system, which only rates one cake, though it is secure in its position and a second cake is allowed, just not called for. We wouldn't mind going back and visiting the second-floor salon for just desert, though that's not convenient on a weekend, since a line develops by noon (for the basement, as well).

In the afternoon, I needed to kill time in the Tokyo Station area, so I did pretty fast walking from shop to shop without discovering anything much. I got a Croissant for Toshi Yoroizuka. As bread it was maybe excellent, but as a pastry, I'm going to have to say that it was just okay.

I also got the Croissant Chocolat from Sadaharu Aoki, though it was getting late by that point, about 4.5 hours after opening, so not ideal. It was still excellent, but if I can get one within 2 hours of opening, I'd like to reevaluate. Right now, Sadaharu Aoki is the best place I know for pastry croissants, so a repeat is reasonable.

There was a couple hours and hard walking and another hour or so of slower running, but I was tired enough that I decided to use a bicycle to get to Tokyo Midtown as a starting point for doing a counterclockwise run of the Akasaka--Roppongi route, which I was successful at, so that revised loop is confirmed. I might try the same strategy for Nishi-Ebisu, which is next in priority. It's a pretty small loop, so I might try a few other loops nearby as well, if I can use a bicycle for the first/last 4 km.

Croissants: Sadaharu Aoki, Fraoula, and St. Marc Cafe

Thursday, I was busy. Friday, I took the day off. Mid-day, I worked on two revised and one loop I'm adding to the neighborhood running course. I failed at the Jinguumae 5&6 loop going counterclockwise because, after stopping at the new Hotel Chocolat, I thought I needed to run farther for the turn to go by Number Sugar. Now I know. Going down to the Shibuya Stn. area to start the next loop, I got a Croissant Matcha from the Sadaharu Aoki at ShinQs. Like the plain, it was high-quality, but I thought the match was unnecessary in this case, but it was still excellent. I look forward to catching their chocolate version some time.

I was successful at the Kamiyama-chou--Tomigaya--Udagawa-chou loop counterclowise, interrupted at the north end by doing the Tomigaya--Yoyogi loop, so the latter has been reconfirmed and the former has been officially added, which is out of order, but I had to run what I had time for. Before finishing off the former, I stopped at Fraola, at got their croissant. This also was a proper pastry croissant and was definitely good, but I'm raising the bar on croissant now that I've confirmed that they can be great. They have other pastries there that I want to retry on other days, so I'm not writing them off by any means.

Saturday, I had more time for running, so I made an attempt at the Daita--... loop, but failed almost immediately on a new part near the beginning (with respect to counterclockwise), but at least could confirm the proper route. It was just as well, since I wasn't well prepared (hadn't charged my phone for a couple days). Coming back, I passed near Yoyogi-Uehara to confirm the Starbucks there and also found a Fujiya bakery nearby (on the route) and confirmed the route near where I previous failed. I can also say that at least I did the tiny Moto-Yoyogi-Chou loop correctly this time, so just counterclockwise to go. At the station, there is also a St. Marc Cafe, which I had a bad experience with several years ago, but since they have fresh pastries, I figured I should give them a try. I think they call this little thing a ChocoCroi.

My memories was that it was disgusting. Actually, though it is overly soft, the chocolate is fine so actually this is good. I thought adding this chain would disrupt a lot of loops, but actually I only have to revise two, the Kamiyama-chou--Tomigaya--Udagawa-chou loop that I had just done and the Ebisu-nishi west loop. I did have to add a couple tiny loops near two other loops because I couldn't incorporate them directly into existing loops, due to the needs of other sites. However, after returning home and having lunch, I went out by bicycle to confirm sites (and take pictures, though now Google maps is rejecting all my pictures) and found a dessert shop that's forcing a revision of the Akasaka-Roppongi loop again, which just doesn't seem to settle down. Most of my effort was confirming new loops east of Ebisu Station.

Rue de Passy: Peru

As planned, I worked on two revised neighborhood course loops and skipped the big loop to work ahead on something different. I started with the Jinguumae 5&6 loop, which I quickly messed up. I needed to think 3 sites ahead to figure out which way the current course looped. I continued as a practice, which I needed as I needed several turns. Discovered Hotel Chocolat on the new route, which was useful, and added Brook's Cafe, nullifying the old route. Also, I realized that the old route was never good, even with the sites I knew about, because it went by the back of a building it needed to go by the front of. I had to add a U-turn to resolve the problem, but the new cafe simplifies at end, so I should have an easier run next time.
Before I even got to that loop, I stopped at the nearest Excelsior Caffé, which I had noticed had fresh pastries in the morning and is the highest priority food site. I tried the Pain aux Raisins. It was okay, but too soft for me, or maybe it just didn't have anything going for it especially. Not shocked that they aren't a prime source of pasties, but I need to give them a try. This was early in the run, so I let it be enough for a couple hours, whereas usually I've very strict about regular Calorie Mates, since with long runs, I think I've underfed myself in the past, which led to getting sick later.

The next two loops went well, together stretching from near Shibuya Station up to near Hatsudai Station: the Kamiyama-chou--Tomigaya--Udagawa-chou and Tomigaya-Yoyogi loops (also, finishing off the tiny Yoyogi 5 loop that I had done one direction Friday night). While I was nearby, I confirmed a Starbucks and a tiny private (?) temple on a dead-end street on the Hatsudai loop, so I could revise that one for its turn. Back at Shibuya Station, I explored Shibuya Scramble Square, the new building: lots of sweets brand names listed, with shops on two floors and maybe some cafes elsewhere, though the floor I visited seemed smaller than ShinQs', where I went next to get a Croissant from Sadaharu Aoki as my second snack. This croissant had a clear sugar (and egg?) coating, which transformed it from a bread croissant to a proper pastry. Great! It was the only flavor they had, so I need to get to Midtown or Marunouchi maybe to get chocolate and matcha versions I saw recently during the day to get them fresh in my review.

From there, I ran to the recently promoted Rue de Passy and choose Peru this time, a chocolate cake. It was good but didn't stand out among chocolate cakes. This enough to keep them in their current exceptional position relative to the one it deposed, but it's vulerable to attack from a couple other shops from below, so want to resolve those challenges before getting another cake from Rue de Passy.
Though I was tempted to take the train back, I (mostly) ran, so I ran almost as much as if I really had done the big loop, which was more or less my plan.

Cake-off: Frédéric Cassel's Tan Gram over En Vedette's En Vedette

Monday, which was a holiday, after a morning appointment which ran late, I went out around noon to try to gather cakes for a cake-off. The main target was Frédéric Cassel's Tan Gram which is a standard that I wasn't too worried about having to be early for, but I've had experience coming too late for En Vedette's signature cake, so I had a back-up in mind in the same direction. Also, it seems seems to be on rainy days that I've going to En Vedette, although Monday was relative light.

I stopped early or snack at a future neighborhood course site, Chez Kazama, out in Ichiban-chou neighborhood in Chiyoda-ku and got a Croissant d'Almonde. It was good, and had some almond paste inside, plus the powered sugar on the outside to give it sweet kick, but dry for my taste, though perhaps not really for the type. Part of my review of pastries is turning out to be a review of what type I should be targeting. Later, I got a regular Croissant (not shown) from Dalloyau (at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi), who I once thought great croissants. Note sure whether they changed (they have a lot since then) or just my perception but, while definitely good, it was not extraordinary as a baked item, being more bready than I expected.

I was successful at getting En Vedette from said store, and took the train to Ginza to get the Tan Gram and took them home to chill. Meanwhile, after a half-lunch, I went out to do neighborhood course loops in Sengadaya that I had updated. I was successful, but since revised one loop. That took about an hour (including taking photos of three sites).

The result of the cake off was a win for Tan Gram. Unfortunately, En Vedette, with it's rum, doesn't pair with everything, so the choice of green tea (which goes with chocolate fine) maybe didn't match well. Still, two great cakes.

Jean-Paul Hévin: Verrine Mésange, Verrine Chocolat Coco Framboise, Verrine Mascarpone Café

It took me a while to remember at least somewhat what I did on Wednesday, but I'm finally there. I got some sesame bread from Andersen for eat with olive oil. This was different from their Trekonbrod and the name was completely Japaneses (though using "pan" as the word for bread). It was good, but I didn't bother to take a picture. I was at Isetan for another errand, which I forgot to do, though I verified what the next two visiting shops are (both worth visiting, but I'm up to date on both), and saw that Sadaharu Aoki has a very promising tart for just this month at Isetan. The more important errands on the way home I did not forget. For running, I may have tried to do the revised southern Cat Street loop (and failed very early on), as I think I did the revised Jinguumae central loop (which covers northern Cat Street) counterclockwise on Monday and forget to record it.

In any case, Thursday, I definitely tried to do the southern Cat Street again and realized that my route was flawed, so I've had to revise it. I also failed to get food at Steamers for the good reason that their shops close at 6 pm, so I'll have to hit them on a holiday. Instead, I got a croissant from Natural Lawson, which I've added to routes and on the grounds that they have fresh pastries. The croissant was not special but it was not worse than an average bakery one and definitely better than some, so I'm happy to keep them on my routes. There are not that many of them and I'm not sure that I've found any that the route was not already going by for the neighborhoods covered.  They have eat-in space, which is an advantage over most bakeries, though the atmosphere is what you would expect from a convenience store.

Friday through Sunday I was busy, but I was indulged. Friday night, I sampled all three of the new verrine from Jean-Paul Hévin, though I failed to take a picture. I was busy. If you hurry, I you catch them on the website. These were Verrine Mésange, Verrine Chocolat Coco Framboise, and Verrine Mascarpone Café. The first is Peruvian chocolate mousse, matcha Mousse, and passion fruit gelatin and was not really very exciting, but good. The second is chocolate mousse and coconut mousse with raspberry and lychee gelatin in between again good but not exciting (particularly the coconut mousse). The last is basically a verrine version of tiramisu, but the mascarpone mousse and coco powder is really excellent; I would prefer it without the coffee, but it didn't make me sick, so I'll overlook that. I'm hoping for a different version without the coffee if are more verrine at the end of the summer, but I'm expected to be disappointed.

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.

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.

Bien-être: Mille-Feuille au Fraises

Monday, in light rain, I went to Bien-être (double points) in response to a cake-off win for a new cake. There wasn't actually a new variety, but I had never had the Mille-Feuille au Fraises, which is much like theother five mille-feuille cakes I've had there, except with strawberries (not sure which one was the best, so I'll guess mango). All the ones previous had been excellent, though my appreciation was diminishing. This time, it dipped below excellent, though it's still pretty, and good, but not one I'm interested in having again. The run was my first attempt to verify the revised Tomigaya--Yoyogi loop. I could do the main parts but missed a sharp turn to take in AfterHours, an early turn to reach the main road to run past the pedestrian bridge next to the Cosmo Hatsudai Service Station, and a detour away from Sanguubashi Park to hook around Flotto, all fairly new additions. The second deviation was at least was an improvement and I've updated the map, but I need to fix the other too for next time.

Tuesday, with a break in the rain, I did a short run down to Tokyo Midtown and successfully got the Croissant Matcha from Sadaharu Aoki. The eating space was occupied by a promotional event for some communication company, so I ran it home. As part of the run, I reconfirmed clockwise the Minami-Aoyama east loop with a minor variation to take in NinoCaffe. They'll be a good backup in the future, since they have relatively late hours, such as for Viking Bakery F, which requires me to get off work on time and not spend too much time changing and stretching. The croissant was very nice, and matcha is an interesting change (the inside is quite green), so I can say that it was excellent.

Blondir, Bourgeonner

Monday, I worked late, so I did some neighborhood course confirmation near Tokyo Midtown and stopped for a croissant from Sadaharu Aoki, since they don't have any fresh cake that I haven't had. It was excellent. It says that it was imported from France, but I expect in the form of butter and flour, not already baked, though they could import frozen dough. I completed confirming the Minami-Aoyama east loop and the Roppongi 7 west loop and did the Roppongi 7 east clockwise (all in the National Art Center clump of three loops).

Tuesday, I ran down to the Sadaharu Aoki at Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs and got their exclusive Tokyo-yaki Macaron Chocolat, which is a traditional Japanese cake made from batter and a mold with a macaron inside instead of bean paste. Also, the cake part was mochi-like (chewy) and green tea flavor. I microwaved it for 20 seconds as recommended, and it pretty much recreated the traditional texture despite having a macaron for filling. I'll never do that again. I'll call it good because it was as designed, but if I try another flavor, I'll have it cold, though I don't expect it would be better. Hopefully I'll find better things elsewhere. For the running, I did a one-way neighborhood course run to formally add the newly designed Shibuya east loop and well as confirm my knowledge of it, which completes the Shibuya Station Southeast clump of two loops.

Wednesday, I got cake at Isetan from Blondir, as a third cake from a seemingly quite good shop. This is supposedly pistachio ganache with strawberry soaked in red wine, but then there is Kirsch in there somewhere, maybe in the raisins on top, as they were definitely soaked in something. The feeling was more like a rum raisin cake, but then pistachio is the fruity nut. It was interesting and I approval of the design. Definitely wouldn't mind having it again, so excellent: Blondir will make the cut. Now on to the "C" quite good shops. Running was to Ginza, touring from Mitsukoshi and then (walking underground) to Viron and to 14 Juillet, none of which had anything unexpected.

Cake-off: Jean-Paul Hévin's Mont-Blanc over Aigre-Douce's Tarte Caramel Salé

Strictly speaking, I'm not behind posting, though I am behind on other types of communication, due to other obsessions.

Friday night, I worked on testing my memory of (near) neighborhood course loops. I got at least Minami-Aoyama 3&4 loop correct clockwise this time, after failing again on the Jinguumae central loop. As a snack, I got Salted Butter Bread from Pier's Cafe (I'll translate the name as), which is a croissant like roll with basically two layers created by a little butter between them (versus an actually pastry croissant, with a lot of layers with butter between). It was good and it was fresh (in that it was not wrapped and kept toasty hot by a heat lamp (so it was still warmed after I ran the loop). I had thought this was claiming to be a bakery cafe, but I was misinterpreting a single advertised menu item. It's a just a cafe, but I'll keep it on the map.

 Saturday I ran during the day. I started reasonably early, but had an afternoon dentist appointment, so I didn't want to stay out too long. I combined trying to do neighborhood course loops with getting missing photographs of new sites. For example, Crayonhouse, which has simple cakes and tarts.

What I actually bought was a wholewheat Croissant from the grocery section. The actual making has the name Natural Pao and they're in Chiba, but I'm not going to Chiba. It was definitely good. Probably because it was wholewheat, it didn't get soggy from being bagged, but it still had croissant layering of crisp buttery layers. I was not expecting the snow, which in Tokyo was supposed to be in the mountains mainly or at night, but not the morning. Not that there was a lot, but my smartphone glass is cracked and I want to protect it from moisture, so I might have done a different kind of run if I was sure that the clouds wouldn't keep all their moisture to themselves. I got as far out as Aobadai 4, where I now have photos confirming the sites on a little loop.

Sunday, I first went to P. Clair de Lune, where I had not confirmed ahead but was hoping to get a Chiboust. Alas, the chef was not able to source ingredients. He asked for my number and said he would call when he was at the preparation stage (so that would give me a couple day's notice). I was a little unsure whether that was good, since that means it's going to be too late to get what I wanted to pair it up with, but I would like ti have it again anyway. We'll see whether I come up with something else I want to match it against, since Jean-Paul Hévin at least is ending three items from it's line-up (not sure why they only list 2 on the web site; maybe they aren't offering the third everywhere now but don't want to be bothered with being precise about when and where it will finish it's appearance). Not sure when it will end, but not sure when it will end, so I switched to what would have been the plan of doing a third-round cake-off with JPH's Mont-Blanc. Unfortunately, now I was in the opposite direction from Jiyuugaoka and wasn't feeling excited about running another 20 km run to see whether they had what I wanted. It seemed more reasonable to go to Aigre-Douce, which was 9 km away, for the one great item that I know of in the line-up, Tarte Caramel Salé. Not that busy at JPH around 11:30, but we're going up on Valentines Day, which is peak chocolate madness, when they shut down the chocolate bar and use the space to sell cakes and the primo chocolate sets (for people willing to pay double to avoid the line for their regular stuff). I was not disappointed by either cake and I could not easily choose between them. In the end, thinking about which one I would least want to drop from the list (not that I do that to losers), I choose Mont-Blanc, which is a standard for me as a mont-blanc, though I can't think of any better format for sweet caramel than Aigre-Douce's Tarte Caramel Salé (because Sadaharu doesn't provide theirs again for me to check, though January was when last appeared, so I'm keeping an eye out).