Sadaharu Aoki, Saint Honoré aux Fraises

On the 8th day of GW, I went to Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs and finally got the 7th anniversary (of the location) Saint Honoré aux Fraises from Sadaharu Aoki. I'm not sure what the rules are for saint-honoré cakes, but this one is heavy on strawberries an light on pastry, as well as cream and custard. It was good by not a combination of indigence that excites me. I went by bicycle, after a lot of problems with my feet from too much time on them early in GW walking around Tokyo (I rested in Kobe). Even the next day (when I'm writing) after another 20 km ride, they aren't noticeably worse than a couple months ago. I think I'll still avoid being on them more than an hour, at least until the next weekend end, and then set 2 hours as the limit.

Le Chocolat de H/Paul Bassett, Tarte Banana

Wednesday, I had to work late, but did a run down past Tokyo Midtown from 8 pm trying to get Sadaharu Aoki's Matcha Croissant, unsuccessfully. I did a counterclockwise run to confirm the Roppongi 7 east loop neighborhood course loop, which completes the National Art Center clump of loops. There was rain, but not heavy enough that everyone carrying an umbrella opened them.

I also tried to do the Nishi-Azabu--Minami-Azabu loop and I might have been successful if I followed my intuition, but doubted and checked my map early on. Anyway, I know I'll be able to get it next time, maybe Friday. On the way, I stopped at Café 3206 and got something like Croissant d'Almonde Custard. Not that there was much almond or custard, but the latter doesn't belong inside a croissant. It was good at least, but I don't need to return there soon. The run was about 80 minutes.

Thursday, I also had to work late but could run sooner. This time I went the opposite direction go to Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs to visit the Le Chocolat de H/Paul Bassett café. I arrived by 8 pm, but didn't need to. The eat-in places seem to stay open until 9 pm. This time I got the Tarte Banana. This is pretty thick and heavy, I assume with walnuts, because it reminded me of coffee cake (though that could mean just cinnamon). I should ask next time and update my label. Anyway, it got the balance right, not too moist or dry. I can easily say that it's best banana tart I've ever had, since I usually avoid banana in the my cakes. I might be being generous, but I'll say that it was excellent. Unfortunately, I forget to take a picture.

This shop is currently at the top of the excellent group and higher than some quite excellent shops, but with the advantage that I haven't had to dig as need into the line-up. I'm down to a seasonal Mont-Blanc (not available to me today) and a regular Tiramisu (which was, but banana seemed the lesser or two evils compared to coffee). For running, I finished confirming the new version of the Shibuya east loop. The next one in order is over by Yoyogi, so not so convenient.

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.

Le Chocolat de H/Paul Bassett: Chocolat Framboise

Ran down to Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs to visit the Le Chocolat de H/Paul Bassett café again. I promoted this shop to excellent already, but it's also challenging some quite excellent shops by giving nothing but excellent cakes. Nothing I need again, but still there is potential to find a great cake there. Today I had a few choices but went with the Chocolat Framboise as this seemed to be seasonal. It was very fruity, which is not my favorite. Still, the quality is difficult to deny. I'm not sure that this was not just as good as JPH's cake, though different. The raspberry is definitely foremost compared to the chocolate, and actually there is a cream layer rather than stacking in more chocolate to compete with the raspberry. In the end, I think I'm going to have to say this also was excellent, the fifth in the row. It looks like I'm going to be continuing frequent visits until I run through their line up, though I'm close to doing that. Probably won't finish this month, though. Still waiting to see how frequently the seasonal ones change.

Did lots of little neighborhood loops, including east Shibuya (not even officially added, since I discovered I need it), Minami-Aoyama 5, Minami-Aoyama--Shibuya, and Minami-Aoyama south loops. Just adds up to a few kilometers (plus the kilometers to get there and back, so it was more than 1 hour of running). Since I'd like to go to Sadaharu Aoki at ShinQs next or hotel pastry shop further along the same road, I'll probably do the same loops tomorrow (though I finished confirming both directions on Mianami-Aoyama 5).

Le Chocolat de H/Paul Bassett: Tarte Fromage

Did another run down to Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs. I was trying to get something from Sadaharu Aoki, but I guess I should have been more efficient about leaving home, as it sold out just ahead of me, so I went for a fourth cake from Le Chocolate de H at Paul Bassett. They only had one variety left that I hadn't had, but I didn't mind getting the Tarte Fromage. It's simply baked cheesecake in a tart shell with whipped cream on top. But it's better cheesecake than I've been able to make (I've given up on the old recipes and haven't been looking for anything new) and keeping it simple avoided ruining it, so I'm going to say it's excellent. Actually, that's four excellent cakes in a row, so I'm going to go ahead and promote it to the excellent group, as the 15th member (still space for one more).

I did counterclockwise runs on a lot of little loops on the way back: Shibuya west and north loops and the Jinnan and Jinguumae-Jinnan loops. That brings me past 37 km in successfully reviewed loops. I need another 13 km before I'll allow myself to add a new loop, though I might make an exception for the newly created one that expands on an old link.

Le Chocolat de H/Paul Bassett: Chocolat Earl Grey

Did a run combining various purposes. First, I ran to Il Pleut sur la Seine, where Saint-Marc is still in the line-up but Chiboust Poire has not returned (probably I need to wait for pear season is, whenever that is). Also, on the way, I notice Landtmann in the Ao building along Aoyama-doori, so that's another cake place on my neighborhood map to get to.

Then I went to Le Chocolat de H/Paul Bassett at Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs (my current newly visited neighborhood shop) and got, I think, the Chocolat Earl Grey (a seasonal cake). Like the previous cake, this was very much a café cake versus a patisserie cake. It was not solid like a torte, but softish biscuit or a coarse sponge, not sure which (it's somewhat spongy but not the spherical bubbles of a sponge cake, more a bread-like weave). The chocolate is also not dense, but enough for flavor and it is balanced by the small amount of fruit. I was completely ready to just call this good and keep this place firmly in the quite good category, but I ate in and had it with just water, so there was an after taste: I really nice harmony of chocolate and raspberry, it's inconvenient, but even though it's not what I look for, this was an excellent cake, so I'll probably back back soon, since now it's challenging a lot of my excellent shops.

Next, was a visit to the Shibuya Seibu, which I had overlooked. In stretches over a few buildings and the food section is tiny and fairly empty of customers. I wouldn't be surprised to see them go out of business, although I was probably going minutes before closing. Isetan or Mitsukoshi would have several times the density of people. Anyway, they have two places with cake Factory Shin, which I've visited in Kobe, so I've blogged them, but not as Tokyo cake. The other is Kihachi, which is at Isetan.

Lastly, it did the Jinnan loop of my neighborhood course correctly this time, so I can do it and the other loop in that clump counterclockwise next, though I'm maybe not going to get time until Saturday night.

Le Chocolat de H/Paul Bassett: Imporatore

Tuesday, I went down to Monday's backup. I've been wanting to visit this place since I realized that they were hiding cake in the back (the Le Chocolat de H counter doesn't have fresh cake, but in the Paul Bassett part, they have the cake). This doesn't count as an unvisited local shop because I've visited the Ginza Le Chocolat de H, but there, as cake, I've only had a café dessert (made fresh), which is a different category. However, among local cake shops that I haven't had cake from, I figured this was the prime choice for someone who likes chocolate cake. Certainly, it has a relatively high-class atmosphere and is in good company in Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs.

I choose the Imporatore, which is pretty standard in someones, having vanilla crème brûlée in the middle of milk chocolate mousse surrounded by a chocolate coating and on a dacquoise base. Usually this type of cake is a glazed dome rather than a coated cylinder. The almonds in the coating are a small but appreciated touch, and the shape allows some whipped cream, on which there is chocolate (I think there is a special name for that shape, but I'm not looking it up now) and dusted with coco powder, all of which I appreciate and wouldn't mind seeing on more cakes. While I prefer mild chocolate, this was still excellent, so I'll probably be back there next week or so for a second cake.

On the way back, I practiced clockwise runs on a couple small loops without trouble, except I found a Benten branch temple (a Buddhism-based Japanese new religion) on my Shibuya north loop, so I should add that to the map.

Frédéric Cassel, Pistache Griotte

I decided late to switch my next neighborhood run to Thursday, since I want to test doing a really long run (maybe on the scale of what started my foot problems last time, though I seem to be better, and wiser, now) Saturday. So I went down to try out the recently modified again Daikanyama-chou--Dougenzaka--Ebisunishi--Hachiyama-chou--Nanpeidai-chou--Sakuragaoka-chou--Sarugaku-chou--Shibuya--Uguisudani-chou loop. No surprise, but it needs further modification, again due to recent construction. I was fine until near the end, where I wasn't sure whether I need to run down a side alley before heading to the main road, so I scouted ahead before doubling back. Also, they've finished constructing a sort of park/pedestiran walk along Shibuya River, so I want to incorporate that into my course, though the last bit seems overly private/commercial to count, being more part of a food court than a park. Long run, almost 2 hours of actual running and I was feeling it in my muscles, which is rare, and yet still running strong at the end.

For a snack, I stopped at Hikarie, thinking that I would try again to get quiche from Quiche Yoroizuka, but they were gone, so no more Quiche Yoroizuka, as far as I know. I respect their effort, and there is no lack of other little tart places with people lining up, so it was not a ridiculous idea. Anyway, they were replaced by Stone Cold Creamery Sand, which are buttercream between cookies. I considered getting one, but they gave me a little sample of the mango (which I wouldn't have picked) and decided no, I don't need any more again. Instead, I visited Bagel & Bagel and was ready to get a chocolate bagel with white chocolate chunks, or something like that, but then I saw the brownies. I took the straight chocolate. I ate it in a park and it was fudgy and high energy, but it took frustratingly long to unwrap and was just ok, so I regret not getting something fresh.

Friday I again deviated from my initial plan and decided I'd do Frédéric Cassel instead, and got the new Pistache Griotte. I walked home, to save my feet for tomorrow, but I took an unnecessarily long path, swinging by Del'Immo and then through Hibiya Park and the long way back way down to Akazaka-Mitsuke. Fortunately, the rain did not return.

The cake was excellent, as mostly expected. I haven't appreciated pistachio and cherry cake much, or cherry cake in general, but this was a deep/dark cherry in some sense, with the cherry on top soaked in cherry liquor. There was also some crunch in a layer of the cake, as well as cherry gelatin, which was all fine. This is definitely on the sweet side, which suits me, but still high quality.

Bien-être, Figue Mille-feuille

Yesterday, did my first Bien-être run since they reopened, as I confirmed. They had three great cakes and one excellent cake but no new cakes, so I ran to Shibuya Hiharie ShinQ and got a sweet quiche fromToshi Yoroizuka, but I should have been more careful, as it needed to remain flat, whereas I was given it a paper sack, and I didn't worry about it. It was still good, but I don't want to judge it based on that experience. About an 80-minute run.

Today, trying Bien-être again, I ran slower and shouldn't have, as they were more busy, and though they had more and different cakes left today, the short cake sold out in front of me and I had to settle for Figue Mille-feuille. This time, I was more careful about my cake (and my feet), and walked home. This is my fourth type of mille-feuille, but I'm going to stick with excellent for now, as I still like the balance of lots of dense pastry and maybe equal parts fruit and custard. I may have to result in reserving a piece or going near opening time (which is what I do for cake-offs, when I need a specific cake) to get a new cake. I'll see how next Wednesday goes, which is probably when I'll get back there next. I still have three cake back-ups and two pastry back-ups, so I can be patient for a while.

Libertable: Laitir

Finally got back to Libertable, which is an excellent shop that might be quite excellent, but so I need more information. This was only the sixth cake, I think. I went by the neighborhood route and finally finished a one-way neighborhood revisiting of the Kita-Aoyama--Jinguumae--Shibuya loop and the (central) Shibuya loop. It takes about 40 minutes by the shortest route on the neighborhood course to get to the south end of Shibuya station, from which I can cross into parts south. So actually I went to the ShinQ counter of Libertable, but it worked out and they had another cake that haven't had yet (Grace) so it's reasonable to go back there again, but I'll hit the Akasaka main store if that doesn't work sometime (there are a couple shops at ShinQ I'd hit for pastries as backup.

The cake is Laitir, which is baked cheesecake with epoisses cheese and cream cheese with marc cream and marc gelatin and streusel on top (soft of a reverse crust). This is the cheesiest-flavored cheesecake that I've ever had, I think, and is a pretty substantial ball of cheese, if obviously tricky to know how to approach it (radially, cutting between streusel and marc gelatin cubes). It's not my new favorite cheesecake, but it is definitely excellent and certainly recommended to anyone who likes cheesecake. Looks like more visits to Libertable are in my future.

Sadaharu Aoki: Chou à la Fraise

Saturday (I'm sure this time; had to correct the previous entry) afternoon, I ran down to Shibya Hikarie ShinQ again, this time to get their exclusive strawberry puff pastry, Chou à la Fraise. Unfortunately, the strawberries and whipped cream cancel out the big advantage of the regular version, which is the great vanilla custard. It still has the custard, but its overpowered (which doesn't take much, with vanilla). It was still good, but not my thing. I walked back mostly, as I try to let my right foot recover, which seems to going well.