Maison D'ahni, Béret Pistache

Wednesday, I had pretty sore feet all morning and knew it was time to take a rest day, which I hadn't this week. And yet, I'm an addict, so by evening I wanted to run and didn't stop myself. I ran to Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs again, hoping from something from Sadaharu Aoki, but instead of 4 people in line, there were more than 14, so I gave up. Instead, I went for a third pastry from Le Pain de Joel Robuchon, this time choosing the Kouign Amann. It was the usual but excellent, so no complaints (I didn't eat it then, obviously, but after dinner, after which I was really full).

I worked on confirming my knowledge of the neighborhood course. I failed on the Minami-Aoyama--Shibuya loop but succeeded on the Minami-Aoyama south loop. However, it was a net loss in that, on the way back, I recognized a shop that should be added to the Minami-Aoyama 3&4 loop, though what kind of chocolate shop is empty of customers February 13? I won't be surprised to find it closed next time I go by, as it seems a hopeless case. Nevertheless, for now, I need to relearn that loop and I'll probably keep the new loop even if it does close.

Thursday, February 14, I followed by plan to rest. I had pain in my left thigh, which was new. Now sure how that happened or how to avoid it.

Friday, a tentatively good shop that I've only had one cake from visited Isetan, so I decided to give them a second chance early. I got the Béret Pistache, which is a pistache mousse dome with a milk chocolate center. It was reasonably good, but definitely not anything that excited me, so that will probably be my list trip there.

In good news, Blondir in the next visiting shop. They are only potentially quite good, but I've reviewing the quite good shops and they are one of the less conveniently located (I took care of the worse last weekend and plan to handle the next most distant one this weekend). Now if Ces Jours would just visit.

Actually, before eating my cake Friday, I did another neighborhood course run. This time I did the Minami-Aoyama--Nishi-Azabu and Nishi-Azabu northwest loops counterclockwise, but successfully, so that puts me over 40 km of loops confirmed both directions. I still want another 10 km before any major additions, though I might fill in the Shibuya east loop before that, and while I'm at it go for some more loops in the Shibuya area.

Maison D'ahni: Iéna

Got down to Maison D'ahni for the first time (at least going inside). Had a little trouble, since streets around there tend to split and merge a lot, though the reason for all the cops is all the embassies (also lots of foreigners), particularly families that time of day (around noon). My point is I am somewhat guessing where I mistook my timing due to crossing the wrong way and an intersection and needing to wait for an extra light change. Still, I'm pretty sure I was averaging 11 km/h there (and definitely 10 km/h back). On the way back, a (American) guy who had just said "hey" or something to a family cycling out of a building that Google Maps doesn't identify or give street views for ran after me a bit and asked whether I was exercising and doing delivery at time same time, so I explained that it was my own cake. He said that was "awesome", which was nice and maybe I should have directed him to my blog, but I realized afterward that he could be weird guy just chatting with anyone who came buy, since it wasn't clear whether the family that he had said something to him actually knew him (they and I were both busy). Not that he seemed weird otherwise, maybe just curious about what weird stuff goes on in Japan.


The cake I chose was Iéna (イエナ; 561 yen), which was layered chocolate (-almond?) biscuit with chocolate and plain whipped cream layers as filling and the whole thing covered with a chocolate coating with nuts. The same chocolate whipped cream appears on top, along with some caramelized hazelnuts. It was definitely good, but the whipped cream layers were much thinker than the biscuit layers, which is not my idea of cake (too light). The chocolate coating just gave it more of a snack cake feel, though it probably helped keep it together on the run. Still, good cake that looks nice, just not enough to get me back there soon.