Viron: Tropézienne

Still trying to catch up. I went out Thursday for cake, running and it ended up being a long run. I was trying to get a new cake from F. Cassel in Mitsukoshi Ginza, but no cake. JPH had a little, but nothing new. Lenôtre  had just Concerto (lots of them). There was one counter there I would have taken a new cake from, but also no cake there. I forgot about Ladurée, on the 2nd floor, but checked out Ginza 6 and came up with nothing from two shops (though no surprise for the soon closing Origines Cacao). Anyway, Viron is a top priority and hasn't rotated new cakes in so quickly, so even though I had just bought two days before, I went back (though in Marunouchi) and got one of the two I had seen before the brief Christmas cake takeover: Tropézienne. This is a brioche-based cake (easy for them, since they're a bakery) with custard cream using Échiré butter, fresh orange, and some sort of liquor (I would guess orange). Definitely not my usual thing, and not what I as expecting (since I wasn't paying close attention), but it worked for me and was excellent.

Friday, I did not get cake, but worked on neighborhood course loops and completed another one.

Saturday, I tried my biggest loop counterclockwise for the seventh time and got much farther, about 3/4 before I got to a point where I didn't remember what to do and made the wrong turn (there are two similar sharp corners and on the first one I should have gone straight after the sharp turn, but thought I needed to turn off). It was okay though and I'm willing to leave it at that for now. It was a 3.5 h run with relatively few stops. I added three sites afterward and revised the map slightly in ways that will hopefully be easy to remember on the next run: just slight detours. On the way I tried two pastries and had better luck than the previous week. First, Path Cafe was not mobbed at 09:00 on the Saturday before New Years and I could get a (the one) Pain au Chocolat. This fresh-baked pastry was actually very soft inside, which usually I would not respect, but fresh, it was melt in my mouth delicious, which I definitely respect. I suppose it was great, but really this is my first experience this is fresh a pain au chocolat. Maybe next year, I'll bet able to get a fresh Croissant without a 30-minute wait.

The other stop was after failure, I stopped at Levain and got their Butter Croissant. This seems to be a multigrain pastry (I didn't read beyond the name), in keeping with their theme. Actually, for including "butter" in the name, less buttery than average, but what great layering throughout. It's more of a super dinner role than a pastry, but its definitely something special, so I have to rate it at least excellent. I look forward to getting something else from them as well.

 

Ryoura, Fromage Cru

Friday night was a neighborhood run. I only managed the revised Minami-Motomachi--Wakaba--Yotsuya--Sugachou--Shinanomachi loop, which itself is just 4.17 km.

Saturday, I had some time before a 10 am Skype appointment, so I went out before 8 am. At the last minutes, I decided that I'd try the updated Tomigaya--Yoyogi loop, which I hadn't reviewed and failed. Still, I went around to the new sites I had added that prompted the update and confirmed and photographs them (one of which I decided was a mistake to add). Since it nearby, next to route, and famous, I tried looking in on Path Cafe, which was full and had people waiting and eating take-out outside. The freshly made Croissants and Pain au Chocolat were already spoken for, so I would have had to wait 30 minutes. I could buy a Cannele immediately, so I went with that. On one hand, it seem perfect, not like my fake ones (which don't replicate the outside coating). On the other hand, in the end, they were too strong for me, at least without some sort appropriate beverage. Maybe I'll not that into real canelé. If I get by there nearer 8 am (when they open), I'd still like to try their Pain au Chocolat. Coming back, I could do the updated Jinguumae east and Minami-Motomachi--Moto-Akasaka loops clockwise.

The cake run came from after 11 am. I went to Yoga and visited Ryoura for a 16th cake. I've had the least luck with seasonal variations there and recent good look else with Fromage Cru, so I got that from Ryoura and brought it back for eating at home. It's two layers, so I suspect it's actually a rare/baked cheesecake combo, but whatever it was, it was definitely excellent. Not sure what a great one would be like, but I'll have to consider that when I get to a third-round cake-off with my favorite cheesecake.