Paris S'éveille, Bagatelle

Way back I had Bagatelle, but I just got the name so I'll post. Seems to be pistachio biscuit dusted with pistachio powder. It's good pistachio cream, as are the strawberries, but I'm not sure that the whole is better than the parts. Still, I'm willing to say that it's semi-excellent. Now if I just knew what it was called (the tabelog entry showing a picture doesn't know the name either). Eventually, the shop will probably post on Instagram, but not yet. Lastly I need to say that the shop is Paris S'éveille and I picked it up during the last cake-off run down there, which might be the last of the year unless I can get a couple 3-time winners together from a 4-round cake-off.

Rue de Passy, Fraise Pistache

I had delayed getting a cake from Rue de Passy when I worked through the exceptional shop because they had a surcharge if you only bought one cake, which is only unreasonable in that no one else does that. Anyway, since I was there fore a cake-off cake, I also picked up a new cake, the Fraise Pistache. The (raw) meringue layer on tope makes it different, though so does having a relatively thick, but I guess the first requires for stability. So it's an interesting combination and unique, so it gets an excellent rating from me.

L'Atelier Motozo, Torta di Ricotta

Did what passing for running with me these days, 1-min intervals, but only about 20 intervals, and then just walking, due to my knee. After confirming that Viron had nothing new (though the Valentine's cakes were gone), I made a 4th visit to (L'atelier) Motozo in Miguro-ku. They're only open 4 hours a day, 4 days a week now, with no café or bar visible. They do Italian desserts, so not a lot for me. I've already had their mont-blanc (and a variation) and one other cake. This time I went with their cheesecake, Torta di Ricotta, which seemed like my best chance. Still, it didn't look particularly encouraging, reminding of me of a café cake from Kobe, though that one was probably pretty good, now that I think about it. Anyway, it was much better than I expected, probably better than average for patisserie cheesecake overall, which is impressive. However, it's a tough call and I think I have to go with calling this definitely good, which isn't going to be enough to keep it in the quite fine group if I make a cut. Still need to find 7 more better shops, though.

Paris S'éveille, Verrine Provençal

Third Friday of Auguest, I went down to Jiyuugaoka to visit Paris S'éveille again, this time not by bicycle, so I was able return with a reasonable similarity to what I bought. This was the last of the current new cakes, if one allows this kind of class dessert as cake. Note that it has meringue cubes on top, which is enough to make it at least as much cake as some non-glass desserts. The name is Verrine Provençal, but I can't hang onto the ingredients long enough, even have having already visit again once and looking. I'm thinking jasmine, but maybe just because that was in the JPH verrine last month. Regardless, this is definitely excellent, perhaps the best verrine I've had from anywhere. I'm looking forward to the next batch of new cakes, though this still continues into the first weekend of September, at least.

Rue de Passy, Éclair Caramel

From their last cafe-off win, I owed Rue de Passy another visit, so I was there August 14th and picked up their Éclair Caramel, which worked out well, since it was excellent.

Paris S'éveille, Savarin Exotique

 Still trying to catch up, I can't even remember what flavor this was. Also, road vibration wasn't kind, so the topping is what I scrapped up from the sides. It's a fruity verrine (their instagram account says its Savarin, which I'll believe), so doubly not my thing, but it's the season of verrine and the new cakes are all fruity (which is reasonable to balance the standards, though there are a couple old fruity ones I'm missing). Still, good cake/verrine/savarin.

Here's what it's supposed to look like https://www.instagram.com/p/CDfV_wdpTUG/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Rue de Passy, Figue Fromage

Avoiding the one-cake surcharge, I had gotten two cakes from Rue de Passy (the second from the previous cake-off win): Figue Fromage. It's as named. Can't remember what type of cheese, though not one of the strong ones, so fig dominated. It was definitely good and was a nice change from other cakes earlier in the day. 

Paris S'éveille: Tarte Matcha Mangue

Now I'm almost two weeks behind, so it's not clear when I'll catch up. I've gotten a little head of revising my new neighborhood course map, but mostly I've been wasting time on other obsessions are just exhausted from the heat. Way back on Aug. 1, I stopped in at Paris S'éveille on the way to ABVT (since it was their turn to try to enter the superb shop category, though they have the farthest to go) and happy to get this cake. Actually, it wasn't chance, as I had seen it posted online, so I suspected it was a new cake. The base is holding mango and mango cream, so it has to be pretty moisture resistant, thus it's a pretty hard tart, which it's great for texture but is necessary. The top is matcha, of course, but I forget in what, probably white chocolate, though coconut cream would fit with the theme. Sorry, I can't remember. The important thing is that it was excellent. Their new cakes are all fruity, whereas their classic great cakes are mostly nutty or chocolaty (their most fruity great cake has been out of the lineup for a while), but the new fruity cakes keep improving, so I'm actually looking forward to the next one. Still slightly behind on this one, because they don't have so many cakes and I don't have such a great way to keep up with them, plus they will a lot of cake-offs, so actually I've had more new cakes from them than any other superb shop, and two of those I'm ahead on because they got dropped down from quite superb and only gotten new cakes from cake-off wins for years.

Paris S'éveille, Tarte Rhubarbe Orange

Sunday, I went out to get a new cake from a superb shop, specifically, Tart Rhubarb Orange, or maybe they used French spelling. You aren't allowed to take pictures. The tart seemed to be pistachio.

On the way, I hit a local shop in the Jinguumae/Kita-Aoyama area north of Omote-Sandou Sta., which was actually not that far out from home, though that's why it's a high-priority area. They had a selection of 7 kinds of baked goods. I went with the Matcha Donut. It was good. It was a quite moist (but not wet) cake donut. The other things were similarly vegan pseudo-healthy things. Though the staff was Japanese, when spoke English to me, the website shows a young Euro-looking family of three, and the person behind me was a young white woman, which is a tough market segment in this travel environment. Just because of their selection, and the college-aged English speaking Japanese staff, I wonder whether they are related to the folks to took over the bakery Tournage one running neighborhood loop to the north, who were also doing the vegan baked good things. They had a kitchen, though it's the middle of Tokyo, so it wouldn't be hard to move containers of small baked goods from any of hundreds of shops. Anyway, one shop to visit down, and I found another one I hadn't recorded one building further along (I knew they sound some coffee, as well as whatever their main thing was, but I hadn't noticed the baked goods before).

The tart reminded me of rhubarb pie, which my mother frequently made but I did not appreciate, so it was usually made at the sime time apple pie was made. It was good, but too much of what I'm not interested in. I have no memory already of what running if any I did. It was a lot of walking carrying cake and an umbrella, so probably I didn't.

the whatever spelling they are using. . Actually, I intended to get them from two, but it didn't work out. It was raining, so I went walking with an umbrella.

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.

Paris S'éveille, Tarte Fraisette

Last weekend, went down to Jiyuugaoka by bicycle, which is a mistake as far preserving the cake. As the pictures shows, this Tarte Fraisette did not like the vibration, though jogging is slightly better. I should perhaps give up and use the train, since there probably would not be many other passengers. Anyway, this tart is strawberry and orange compote on a pâte sucrée almond base, where the almond is mixed with cinnamon. I missed this last year, apparently, but was glad to catch it this year, as it was excellent. As I just wrote about them, probably thinking about this cake, they seem to be getting a the hang of fruitier cakes relative to previously, or I'm learning to like them more. I hope to make another visit next week, as I don't think I'm caught up on their new cakes. If the weather is good, I might try to eat outside. This time, I was also getting cake for a cake off so that was not practical.

Paris S'éveille, Palet d'Or

In the afternoon, I tried going down to Paris S'éveille, as I was thinking they might have a new cake, which have been rare from them, so I've fallen behind in that respect. I went with Palet d'Or, which seem very familiar, as something that I ate in, but I can't find any record of it and the experience wasn't that familiar, so I'm not sure what I'm thinking of. This is a layer of dried fruits and almonds under passion fruit sauce (congealed). I suppose the sauce and the whipped cream on top are what make it a cake versus a cookie, but I'm not going to quibble, as, whatever you call it, it's quite nice. I can say that this is excellent, which usually I can't about their new cakes. They've been playing around with fruitier cakes for a while, but it seems now like they're finally getting the hang of it.

Rue de Passy, Chocolat Pistache

When they didn't have the great cake I wanted for a cake-off two Saturday's back, not to waste the trip at a time with fewer opportunities to get cake, I choose the Chocolat Pistache, on the reasoning that the other best cake I've had from there was this combination. This was a more traditional cake, though, and was maybe cream rather than ganache, so I should have eaten it at a warmer temperature. Actually, this combination is tricky, as while pistachio can accent chocolate, the latter has a strong taste that doesn't benefit from being diluted or give way to other flavors easily, so I didn't really feel like this harmonized the best, though it was still good.

Happily, I did much better on Sunday for a cake-off, which I failed to photograph, apparently. The cake-off was a third round between two cakes from the double-loser's bracket, between Pistache Chocolat from Coffee Parlor Hilltop and Concert from Lenôtre. I learned from Saturday's mistake and let the Pistache Chocolat sit out for 5 minutes from the refrigerator. It was definitely great and the light pistachio and chocolate taste was harmonizing well, though it still lost to the chocolate simplicity of Concert.

While I was at Ginza Mitsukoshi, visited Johan and got a pastry (which used to be my favor pastry source when they were in Shinjuku). Ig to the Kouign Amann. This seems to be the traditional shape, which is not my favorite, but I felt that I was recognizing it's good points finally, as this was excellent.

Paris S'éveille, Tarte Bergamote Framboise

Eight days behind, I'm sure I did some neighborhood running course running in the afternoon, but I can't remember what I was working on back then. In the morning, I was trying to get cakes for the next cake-off, but failed. First I failed at Rue de Passy, which is not too surprising, given the epidemiological conditions (no pastries today) and that maybe the great cake I was looking for was seasonal, since it was fruity. I went on to try my backup cake-off, which involved a cheesecake from Dalloyau, which was another couple kilometers down the line (though I was running) which when it came to it, I finally realized had changed. So I went to Paris S'éveille, to at least get a new pastry. They did have pastries, but it was still a little early for them to have everything out, so I went with Chauson aux Pommes. It's very traditional and excellent but not the most interesting type of pastry and I wouldn't have minded a recipe with more fruit.

There were a couple new cakes at Paris S'éveille, which doesn't get many. The other was sold out (or not yet sold), but I could get the Tarte Bergamote Framboise. This is in the form of a lemon meringue tart, though bergamot oranges are less tart than lemons but not sweet like other oranges. It was definitely good and interesting as a variation, but I think I'd like lemon or yuzu more, though maybe those wouldn't harmonize with the raspberry accent.

Rue de Passy, Mille-Feuille Praliné Citron

Started my Sunday run by heading down to Rue de Passy in Meguro-ku. They are on my exceptional shop list and were near the bottom, so I had been giving the top of the quite fine group a chance to challenge them but no replacement, so I finally went for the next two cake from them, #8. I ate in, which is usually the most convenient thing to do, but can affect the results. I decided that the Mille-Feuille Praliné Citron was the most promising even before noticing that it was the one recommend by the chef. The chef gave a good recommendation, as this was a great cake. Neither the praliné or the citron was very strong, but all the parts balanced well and I liked how a more buttercream filling rather than custard worked with mille-feuille. Not sure that it was actual butter cream or just there was enough nuts in the praliné to give that effect, but it worked either way. Too great cakes in less than a week: I feeling like I'm doing pretty good.

On the way I kept a sharp eye out for what shops were open, as I found too closures Saturday night and hadn't noticed some others. Lotus is looking different these days, and is hard to spot. I decided that Chavity right before them deserves to be a site on the neighborhood running map, but I'll need a different photo, as I got serious glare on the one I took. I'll also add Candyapple in Daikanyama-chou. Down near the Daikanyama Stn. the entire Tenoha shop block seems to have closed, so I'll probably need to revise that 10.4 km loop, but I'll put it off until its time do that clump.

Paris S'éveille: Goutte d'Or

Decided that now that I had promoted Origines Cacao to the same category and given Viron its chance, I should use an afternoon off to visit Paris S'éveille in Jiyuugaoka. On the east side of the same pedestrian path is the main Origines Cacao shop and they are opposites in terms of cakes: most great cakes in the regular lineup but seasonal cakes that don't interest me, versus zero and enoguh great seasonal cakes to reach the #4 position.

Today I had cake in. I got Gouttes d'Or, which is a kind of apple dome over layers of cake and cream maybe (I didn't read the card at all and only the apple taste really comes through). It came with a spoon rather than a fork, but the only other new things were even more pudding-like. Very fresh tasting, so it would be a good compliment for some or all of their regular line-up great cakes. Otherwise, good is the best I can rate it for my tastes. I'll probably not it, but even if I only have the same other two things to choose from, I'll probably go back. It's still my #5 shop, even if it's been years since I've had a new great cake from them, so they aren't going to get bumped out of their category any time soon, unlike #6 and #7.

I went there and came back by bicycle, but afterward, I did the no-weights indoor work out and then went out for about 2 hours doing neighborhood running course loops. Got the Sendagaya south and west loops finished, as well as the Kamiyama-chou--Tomigaya--Udagawa-chou loop, and did clockwise on the Jinnan and new Udagawa loops, so tomorrow will probably be doing the latter two counterclockwise (which would not be a long run, but they aren't close to my starting point, so that should be enough, with an indoor weights workout).

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.

Vincennes, Délice au Cassis

Working through a list of cakes I want a third cake from, I finally got to Vincennes out in Meguro-ku, when I went to by bicycle, taking a break from running and doing my short indoor workout. I got Délice au Cassis, which is almond biscuit with some cassis butter cream (?), and some "raw" chocolate on top. It's a nice little cake from a nice little shop, for a nice price, and was good. Don't imagine that I'll need a fourth cake, but I respect them, even if I search for fancier things.

Sourire, Sicilian

Working on the last two of the 9 remaining 2-cake possibly quite fine shops that aren't accessible on a weekday, I cycled (since it was above 30 degC at 9 am) out to Sourire. Since I was not willing to buy beverage, I got take out and consumed a box and three ice packs (perhaps I should figure out how to re-use those, but they get dirty easily) bring it back.  That took about an hour. Then I went out for another two hours and hit two shops north looking for maboroshi (phantom, by which I mean not visible) great cakes on the north side, of course not finding either, as always.

After lunch, I had the cake of choice, Sicilian. I didn't actually read the card beyond the name, so I left it as a surprise what was inside. Actually, it remained a surprise as I ate it, but by the end I could tell that the center mousse was (milk?) chocolate. It harmonized better than maybe dark chocolate would, though in general I prefer dark chocolate, if not necessarily with pistachio, but still, I don't think it was a good choice over fruit, which I don't generally prefer, though maybe it would work with stronger, fruitier chocolate. It was well-constructed and pretty (and traveled well by bicycle), but I can't rate it higher than "good", so Sourire doesn't make the cut and get sent down to join the fine shops, though in the upper fraction that will make the next cut of them, which I have about 60 too many of.

In the late afternoon/evening, I went for a run to confirm changes to the the Jinguumae central loop to add the Starbucks on the west corner. Noticed a tea shop that should be added on the current route. I need to make a slight change to avoid running through the middle of a outdoor eating area and I confirmed the Starbucks at Omotesando Hills, which replaced a Tully's Coffee, I think.

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.