Cake-off: Origines Cacao's Mont-Blanc Japonais over Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne Rouge

I'm late for the usual reason: I've got absorbed in updating my map, and now I've decided to change the way I update it to make future updates more automatic, supposedly, or at least the calculations involved.

First, Friday was no cake, but I did some neighborhood running course work, confirming two revised loops: the revised Jinnan and new Uwada-chou loops, both on the far side of Yamanote Line between Shibuya and Harajuku stations. Along the way I also noticed a new shop advertising macarons along the north side of Cat Street, Remicone, but fortunately it's already on that neighborhood's course, so no updated required.

The next day was a cake-off day, despite my not being able to get an early start (though I did a weights indoor workout), since I trusted Ginza sources not to run out even if I didn't arrive by noon. I confirmed a couple sites in Akasaka don't need to be on my map (they advertise fresh-baked bread, but it's already in plastic bags in the morning, so not worth my interest).

The cakes were great cakes from earlier in the week, since I'm otherwise up to date on any pair of great cakes available without a loss in the same round. It was Origines Cacao's Mont-Blanc Japonais and Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne Rouge. I noticed this time that the mont-blanc bears some similarity to JPH's, which is my top mont-blanc in that the meringue in the middle is perhaps almond (since it's got that kind of color). It's still great I don't get tired of it. Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne Rouge wasn't disappointing, but there's a lot of chocolate that breaks into pieces, making it difficult to cut and eat efficiently. I might try a different strategy next time.

Evening running (since the Ginza running didn't amount to much) was in the area between Yotsuya, Kojimachi, Akasaka, and Tameike-Sannou stations and managed all four clockwise (changing one loop after the fact).

Origines Cacao: Mont-Blanc Japonais

Failed to get the new cake of Sadaharu Aoki from Isetan, so I went to Ginza. Normally, I wouldn't go to Origines Cacao so soon, but they are holding up FC, who has new cakes, and there is only one new cake from Origines Cacao to try, so I figured it might take a few tries (even as it is looking like getting SA's new cake is going to take a few tries, but I'm free Thursday afternoon, so certainly by then). And I was successful and got the Mont-Blanc Japonais (corrected), actually the first mont-blanc I've ever gotten from there, as the 24th new cake. I mostly walked it back because I was using the big bag and because I planned (and did) the non-weights indoor workout when I got home.

This was another great mont-blanc, and again I'm not sure why other then just pure simplicity and I could have kept eating more, and yet it was different from the last great mont-blanc (it will be interesting if they get to face off against each other). The Japanese chestnut is milder than the standard import, which should work for someone like me who isn't that into the strong flavor, but that hasn't proved true until this one.

I'm going to officially call it and promote Origines Cacao to the superb category, knocking down poor Bien-Étre to quite exceptional, so they need a cake-off win to get a visit from me (though, speaking of mont-blanc, they have a great one that hasn't had a third-round match). Also, now Origines Cacao is slightly dominated both quite superb shops, though will only half the cakes, so they are a long way from that promotion. Still, it means, I should hold of on FC at least, whose slightly below SA. Also, now that the superb shops are resolved (and Viron's dropped slightly), I should get a new cake from Paris S. Wish now that I had paid closer attention to new cakes when I was there yesterday. Maybe that's where I'll go Thursday, though I can put that off while I visit the returned Hilltop Coffee Parlor and go there Saturday.