Viron, Pomme Caramel

Thursday (sometime in December, as I just found this draft), I had the day off to prepare for a busy long weekend. In the morning, I had a hard-to-get-to shop lined up, but more cakes from Viron is a higher priority and I'm not sure how long cakes introduced at Christmas will stick around, so I went there first and got the Pomme Caramel. This is was definitely a nice cake, but apple is a pretty weak flavor in general and they choose not to go so heavy on the caramel as to drown it out, which I can respect, so while good and enjoyable, and of course high quality, it wasn't something particularly interesting to me.

Café Mikuni's, Tarte Tatin

Finally caught up to last weekend, when I was busy, so not as much to say. However, it did involve cake for two, so in some ways there is more. First, at least in photographing, was a Tarte Tatin from Café  Mikuni's, which is on the list of quite fine shops and I only had three cakes from there, so a deliberate choice. We weren't very early getting there, so the selection wasn't very brought and the person ahead of us took the last two of what would have been our first choices, but I'm still looking for a Tart Tatin as good as the one I had at Viron's restaurant, which is probably an unreasonable comparison. This one was definitely good and had a crust with buckwheat, which is unusual but didn't make eating it that strange. Even though this shop probably won't make the cut to stay on this overfull list, it's still a fine shop attached to my favorite fancy French restaurant (Viron being my favorite, but casual). 

Éclat des Jours, Tarte Tatin

Thursday, I took the afternoon off and got back to Éclat des Jours to get a new cake to balance a cake-off win (I'm more behind on ABVT, but they open at 9am and would not likely have anything new by the time I could get there). Managed to get the last of the only cake new to me from there, Tarte Tatin. It was a long run there, as I went around the imperial grounds to the north so I could swing by the Palace Hotel. Going back, I didn't run, to protect my cake, but I did walk as far as Ginza Mitsukoshi, to check out the new cakes at FC, since they aren't posting about this month yet, before catching the train back, so it took more than 3 hours total. I'll confess that I also got high-calorie bread at Éclat des Jours, which I failed to stop myself from eating all of, so it probably wasn't a successful day as far as getting my weight back down. Anyway, the tatin was quite nice. I'm making some allowance for the simplicity and my appreciation of the shop, but it was definitely one of the better tatins that I've had and I enjoyed it, so it should be fair to say that it was excellent.

Pomology, Pomology Shine Muscat & Tarte Tatin

Sunday, got cake for two from Pomology, a fine shop, at Isetan. Obviously fruit is their thing, which is not my thing particularly, so I won't be returning there just for myself (especially at those prices), but didn't mind an excuse to give them another chance (can't immediately find the post on the first two cakes, which were also for two, so maybe I never posted, though it was this year). From the choices given, I went with Tarte Tatin, because tatin can be very nice sometimes. In this case, I thought it was excellent, finally raising this shop above average, though the fruits were always obviously above average.

The other cake selected was Pomology Shine Muscat. Though I'm all about the cake, not the fruit, these high-quality fancy grapes made this a definitely good cake.

Atelier Kohta, Shortcake and Tarte Tatin

After verifying that Pierre Gagnaire wasn't going to give me a new cake Wednesday morning, I walked and ran with an umbrella down to Paris S'éveille Thursday morning (this time taking half-day off work), which hasn't changed it's new cakes, though the recent new cakes are excellent. I came back by train to Atelier Kohta, but I went to the wrong location and had another 1.5 km to walk, plus it isn't close to the station I wanted to come back, so maybe half that again, besides the final walk, so I had an active morning. 

I actually owed them for a cake-off, plus the whole category is about to get reviewed, so I got two cakes to be efficient. Actually, there wasn't much choice, though there was also a tiny tart that I suppose would count as a cake. When I got was the Shortcake and the Tarte Tatan. I've learned to appreciate shortcake, and I guess I was in the mood for whipped cream, as I decided that it deserved an excellent rating.

The Tarte Tatin had so much cinnamon on top, that I could really see how to eat it to balance that out without a lot of drink, but I don't want to rate it too low, because I accidently left it out on the counter for a few hours (and put it back for a couple hours before eating), so it obviously wasn't in peak condition. Still, I can't see how that would change my appreciation of the amount of cinnamon, so I'm going to rate it as good, which sort of balances out the first. This shop should remain in the quite fine category, I think.

Yoshinori Asami: Caramel Pomme

Last Thursday I caught Yoshinori Asami and got the Caramel Pomme, which is a modern shaped cake, though it got a little mangled on the wrong side, so I took the picture from the top. The bottom is an apple tart and the main part is caramel mousse with apple compote. I haven't had much luck with these in the past, but this one was definitely excellent, so Yoshinori Asami stays as a exceptional shop.

Lotus: Apple Cheesecake

Monday, I worked late, of course, and Isetan closed early, so along with verifying my knowledge on some revised neighborhood running courses, in that direction (though doing that particular one came later) I finally visited Lotus, on the Jinguumae Shopping Street. Eat-in requires a drink order, but they do take out and they're open until at least 3 a.m., last I checked. I got the Apple Cheesecake and ate it in the park in front of the new Olympic Museum. It's a dense cheesecake with a thick layer of apple on the bottom, well balanced to the cake. Definitely excellent, which surprised me. It's solidly in the fine shop group, so I should get around to having a second cake eventually.

Viron: Tarte (Pear) and Tarte Tatin

Sunday, went to Viron (with a reservation) for a nice lunch for two. For dessert, we had Tarte Tatin, which I've had before, but can't find a posting for, so must of been preblog, and the seasonal tart, which was pear. The tatin was great, as before. Apparently, the season would usually be over but is extended this year, so it's still possible to get.

The seasonal pear tart was a pretty standard baked tart, but baking is what Viron is good at, so it was definitely excellent. I need to get over there more often. This is the only place I know with great café desserts (though there are places that sell their take-out cakes for eating in that have some great cakes), despite trying various other places, so I've pretty much given up searching.

Sadaharu Aoki: Feuilletée aux Pommes

Long spell without cake last week, but continued running the normal amount, if latter than normal, trying to learn new highly revised neighborhood routes, mostly with success. The lack of cake was due to shops closing early and me working late.

Saturday I had time in the morning to swing by Sadaharu Aoki before running, and I got their Feuilletée aux Pommes and ate it outside before going down and hitting the main looks in southern Sendagaya and slightly east. It was excellent, as expected. Apparently, it's apple season, which seems backward to me, but apparently it would normal end in February but is extended this year, at least that's what I heard Sunday at Viron.

L'Abricotier: Pomme Caramel

Eighth try at the Daita--Daizawa--Hatagaya--Kamiyama-chou--Kitazawa--Motoyoyogi-chou--Nishihara--Ooyama-chou--Shouto--Tomigaya--Uehara loop counterclockwise got me another 800 meters farther before failure (turned one street to early). Also, I could include two revisions since the last run, no problem.

Decided that it was easier to go straight to L'Abricotier (chosen because they are challenging the bottom of the Superb group) rather than run home and then go by bicycle. It was still a little under 7 km after almost 3 hours of running, but I walked much of it (though I also didn't take the shortest, 7 km path, because I wanted to pick up some photos).

Today's new cake was Pomme Caramel, which uses green apple mousse. It was definitely good, but this layered cube cake was hard to eat with a fork (at home, I'm used to using a knife). I suppose I need to practice.

Lenôtre: Verrine Tiramisu Pomme Crumble

Ran Tuesday to Viron starting late, but nothing new there, after which I ran to the Hilltop Hotel, where the cake counter was closed (I mis-remembered or never knew that they closed at 8 pm), so a long run with no cake. Instead I bought some bread a Paul, which I toasted and ate with various toppings.

Wednesday, I worked not quite as late and went straight to Ginza Mitsukoshi to visit Lenôtre, which, unusually, had just two items left, both Verrine Tiramisu Pomme Crumble. Since I was expecting to get one of the verrine teramisu desserts, that was fine with me. It is quite expensive (like all their things) for something that seems like someone would make easily at home (if one made such things, which I don't, so I could be wrong). Fortunately, it was excellent, so I'm doubtful I could make it so well.

This is a 12th cake, and I'm ready to promote them to the quite exceptional group, since Origines Cacao has now officially announced that they are closing: the Ginza shop closed today and the Jiyuugaoka shop is planned to close at the end of the month, so shops from four levels advance one spot, and the exceptional category still has weakness in the bottom that the top of the quite good group can challenge. Also, new cakes have appeared at JPH, and they include great cake Tonka, which has only one loss in three cake-offs, so perhaps I should prioritize them for the weekend after next.

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).

Monmouth Tea: Apple Tart

I've got some catching up to do. Friday, I ended up working late, did some shopping, and then was really exhausted, so exercise at all. I also didn't get fresh cake, which was as planned, but I did get something from Sadaharu Aoki, since it doesn't look like I'll ever have as many new cakes as befits their ranking. I tried the seasonal Fondant au Marron. Definitely had the chestnut flavor and was definitely soft. I would say that this was excellent.

Saturday, my main plan was to try the longest (now revised) loop, Daita-..., but I had an appointment in the morning, so I went out for a couple hours before that and scouted Around Ebisu, taking photos and figured out that my proposed route enclosing Ebisu Garden Place was not going to work, due to where I could cross to the south side of Ebisu Terrace. The Kamioosaki part is going to have to be separate loop. I also ran the Ebisu-Nishi west loop counterclockwise while was down there, so I was up to date on revised loops at that point except for the Daita-... one.

Starting out of the big look, I took the route through Sendagaya so I could stop at Monmouth Tea, which I had an excellent tart from. I want to call it a pastry because it's relatively cheap, you can eat in by hand, and I want to have my tart and cake too, but they list it under cake (but not gateaux) on their website, so now I'm conflicted. Supposedly they can also have other cakes, including whole cakes (which I assume you have to order), but I've only seen the tarts and muffins to date. This time, I got the Apple Tart, and it was definitely good, but they it didn't get ice or seem to need it (though I didn't eat it quickly enough to tell whether the display case was a cooler), so I'm going to keep called this as a pastry or baked good, though there is some custard under the fruit (not a lot and it could be baked, like the apples). I'll keep looking there. Anyway, I recommend it for baked goods so far, as cheap and definitely good to excellent, though I'm not interested in milk tea, much less ice milk tea, so I turned town the free sample at this second visit.

Before I reached the milk tea shop, I went by a Japanese tea shop that had sweets that I decided justified adding it as a site, so I've had to revise the Sendagaya central loop. I continued on to the Sendagaya south loop and found a place called Moon Dog that had baked goods, so that blows that loop. Later, looking a Google maps (which doesn't show Moon Dog) I found at least the workshop of a cake maker (maybe it's the same guy: couldn't remember when I saw the cake maker the next day when I confirmed the location). At the end of this run, I stopped by and had a (not cheap) Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie (might not be the correct name). This is a soft cookie, but not a doughy/oily cookie, which was maybe excellent as a cookie, though I little sweet (I probably should have gone for the Dark Chocolate).

Continuing on, I decided that Rapha Tokyo, which is a cafe/bicycling meet-up location, deserved to be on the Sendagaya west loop, so that revises that one. Finally, I got to the target loop and good a good ways around it, at least enough to correct my last mistake and get the revised part including Jam House and an inari shrine and do the continuous park strip from Honmachi 1 to past Gojou Bridge, but coming back, there was construction (an excuse) that distracted me so that I forget to turn after Equal (pastry shop) to go by the late addition Padders Coffee (which I have gotten correct in the past). Given that I had two hours of exercise in the morning (though mostly by bicycle), I wasn't devastated. At first a turned to home, but that I reconsidered what I should do and decided that I should try another incomplete look nearby, so I did the revised Kamiyama-chou--Tomigaya--Udagawa-chou loop counterclockwise (because I wasn't convinced I could do clockwise, and still it's going to be tricky to remember where the new turn is). Nearby, I also tried a look loop, as well as taking the photographs for it, which I hadn't even named yet, but is the Udakawa-chou loop. I failed this simple loop because I couldn't remember where to turn (which either means, don't until you have to or immediately and I choose wrong). On that loop, I found another site, but also noticed a new shop (though a known chain), flippers on the Jinnan loop side. It's a pancake place, which I don't do, but there but the sign out front was readable across the street declaring a kind of sandwich treat which maybe should qualify, so that blows that loop, too. I also found another site already on the Udagawa-chou loop (I had seen it before, but not looked at what they offered, which includes a pastry and bread display) and on the course link there (as a place selling ribbons that also has drinks and a fresh brownie with whipped cream). Also next to that loop is the reopened Parco department store, so I had to checkout whether there were any shops I need to add.

Café Marly

Café Marly looked interesting, but not for running, so it goes as special information. However, there is a Starbucks on the fifth floor, so I suppose that counts.

Origines Cacao, Mille-Feuille Tatin

From the last great new cake, Origines Cacao is challenging shops two levels about its shop group, so I was back again this week. This time I went with the Mille-Feuille Tatin. But mille-feuille cakes are tricky constructions at the best of times, so putting a heavy tatin on top isn't the greatest idea, I think. Your only choice is toe separate the two halves, which is reasonable, but a tatin is pretty mild by itself and this cream-filled base doesn't really add much (in hindsight, I probably should have raised the temperature of both parts before eating). Still, good, though and still challenging the quite superb group, so it remains a top priority for new cakes: I expect I'll be back there next Wednesday.

Frédéric Cassel, Tarte Tatin

Went by bicycle (since the main exercise was indoors) to Ginza Mitsukoshi and got my target cake, Tarte Tatin. Not sure whether it will continue after today, since I see on Facebook that a fig tart is starting tomorrow and running to mid-November. This has a pretty hard pecan sablé base, which is what set it apart enough that I can call it excellent (not that tarte tatin are so common).

Succession Kanditoratelier (Nishimura Coffee): Apfelstrudel& Pistazien Torte

Milk pudding

On day 7 of GW, and the last day in Kobe, I went to a Nishimura Coffee shop for lunch and got Succession Kanditoratelier deserts (I'm not sure whether these are in anyway independent or whether they are both just brands of the same company). I went for cake, but their actual cakes seem pretty perfunctory, if that's the correct word, so we went with more pastry-like torte, the Apfelstrudel (with whipped cream, which makes this pastry at least a café desert) and Pistazien Torte, basically, coffee cakes.

Apfelstrudel

The strudel was very nice, much nicer than pie. It has raisins, which seems like a traditional sweetener, and apple strudel predates sugar becoming a non-luxury, apparently. I definitely appreciate the cream, though that's pretty true for any torte. I would call this excellent.



I had the pistachio cake afterward, so it might have been too much. Certainly it was more sweet than I needed without something to cut it with, so I should have order tea. The milk pudding cake with my lunch and I didn't really want it, but it was actually good, so better than I expected.

Le Salon Jacques Borie: Tarte Tatin

Tuesday, I was back at Isetan, this time to get cake at the new  Le Salon Jacques Borie counter (the tea salon has been around since I've been visiting Isetan). The selection is limited in general, but they had Tarte Tatin, so I chose that. This is a first cake from this as take-out. I don't get Tatin very often, so I did not have high expectations, but this was really rich. That probably means a lot of sweetener, but I've wondering whether any of that was alcoholic (though I guess there was not an obvious alcohol taste, so if there was, it was probably burned off in cooking). This was excellent, which is consistent with most cakes I've had from the salon. Next I'll probably get the fruit tart.

Libre: Fleure Pomme and Paris-Brest Marron

Friday afternoon, I took off, so I visited P. Libre down in Shirokane, which is peripherally connected to the neighborhood running course, but requires a long detour, so I haven't plotted out the specific path that would include it. This is the first shop recommendation taken from Sweets Magic! (see your local NHK Premium listings). The eat-in capacity is 11 or 13 people, and it's hard to image that many people there. Besides the chef (who took my order) and three other underlings there was a man and woman in black who were also staff, which was more than really fit in a place not that much bigger than my living room. They were busy though, so I suppose they were preparing for the night French restaurant time, as cake time was about over. The guy in front of me ordered 5 packs of 3 large bonbon-sized chocolate "pyramids" for >4,000 yen.

The closest thing they have for cake are the "fleure", which are mousse or sauce in a shell in a jar. I saw him make just little balls like that by dipping frozen mousse or sauce in the coating. If you eat in, you can probably see him do it, because the bar counter is both the eating and preparation surface. I asked for the apple version, Fleure Pomme.

The other like that I allow as cake is their Paris-Brest. They only had the Marron, but I didn't have a strong preference, so no problem. They both survived the train ride home. These are certainly interesting, and good. They were nice as something different, and excellent as art, but maybe too far from what I'm looking for in cake to take me back unless it is for the restaurant, which I bet would also be interesting.

Toshi Yoroizuka: Tarte Tatan

Was somewhat busy (or my computer was) until now, so it might take some days to catch up, though I was busy for running and cake as well, so there is less to it than might otherwise be the case. I'll try to reconstruct my movements and cake from the photographic evidence, but there are gaps. Actually, I had a headache today and took a break from running, but there was still cake, which I'll eventually get to.

On last Friday (Dec. 27), I took a shortish run to Tokyo Midtown, where I could get Tarte Tatan from Toshi Yoroizuka, in response to their recent cake-off win. This has been in their line-up for a while, so I was happy to get a chance to sample it. It's very nice. I'm not big on fruit in my cake, and apple is not a common choice, but the mildness of the fruit did not overpower the tart aspect, and the texture is a nice variation. This was excellent.

Tooth Tooth (Salon): Fig and Caramel Nuts Mille-feuille, and Chocolat Mont-blanc

Went to the salon at the main P. Tooth Tooth, in Kobe for tea and cake for two. The Tooth Tooth Blend tea was good (we only ordered tea for one, but it comes in a pot for three cups worth, so it was plenty).

Chocolat Mont-blanc: P. Tooth Tooth

The main desserts were Fig and Caramel Nuts Mille-feuille and Chocolat Mont-blanc, which were both good.

Fig and Caramel Nuts Mille-feuille: P. Touth Touth

I liked the mille-feuille better, though the actual pastry was somehow a little different in construction than what I usually see, but it's hard to say how. It was still "leaves", but they seemed more interweaved, maybe.

Chiboust Pomme: P. Tooth Tooth

The next day, we went again for lunch with cake, and you can choose cake from the regular boutique/takeout cake line-up (though maybe some things were omitted; I didn't compare). The lunch was nice, so I would go back again for that. This time we went for the Mont-blanc and Chiboust Pomme.

Mont-blanc P. Tooth Tooth

The chiboust was the heaviest chiboust that I've ever had, but it was still definitely good. The Mont-Blanc was also more solid than usual, with very little whipped cream. Inside, besides a chestnut, was a layer for semi-solid custard, I don't know whether I've seen custard before in a Mont-blanc, but its seems very Kobe-style. The base was a walnut biscuit (coarse cake) and there were walnut pieces throughout. Actually, the paste of the "mont" did not have much of a chestnut flavor, as far as I could tell, so this was really more of a walnut mont-blanc, which makes it interesting enough that I'll hazard an evaluation of excellent.