Viron, Moelleux Marron Chantilly

I was disappointed Monday that the Baba was sold out at Viron (Shibuya-ku). I wasn't surprised, though, since it was a work day, after which I went (running) to get my dry cleaning before coming back and then heading out to Isetan to get a PH cake. However, the latter cake definitely would be fine an extra day, despite them saying it needs to be eaten the same day, regardless of the cake (for JPH, for example, I note that the Paris website indicates 2 days for the same cakes as sold in Japan). Back to Viron, I was happy to see new cakes, since their new items appear slower that I would like, so I'm always looking for something new. In this case, I went with the Moelleux Marron Chantilly, which pretty much tells you everything there is to know, at least with the picture. On one hand, it's just a soft chestnut-based cake with whipped cream with candied chestnut pieces. On the other hand, this creates a well-balanced dessert that I have no hesitation about calling excellent.  

En Vedette, Meringue Chantilly

In the evening of Saturday, I went out to do a neighborhood run for the Nezu Fine Arts Museum clump, which comprises the just revised Minami-Aoyama--Nishi-Azabu south loop, which I did my first clockwise run of, and the tiny Nishi-Azabu 1 north loop, which requires a long run through Aoyama Cemetery, a pretty popular running a bicycling route with a slope. With dinner I actually had a third cake (no holidays this week and I have a lot of priority shops, so I'm working), but I forgot to take a picture. It was Meringue Chantilly, and it looked like the last one I had, except there were some tiny blue/black berries of some sort and the whipped cream was caramel flavored. It's a basic desert and good, but not beyond that. En Vedette needs at least one excellent cake in the next two be able to get promoted at this point, and the choices are getting slim, which is how I ended up with Meringue Chantilly this time.

En Vedette, Mont-blanc

Monday of last week, I had lunch at Isetan and could make buy cake in the middle of the day on a workday (and in fact would be the only such cake during the week). En Vedette was visiting, so I took advantage of the opportunity to buy their Mont-blanc. This is the usual whipped cream under chestnut paste arranged horizontally between two meringue disks, which makes for a high meringue to cream and chestnut, and a rather sweet cake, which suits me, especially for something that get verge on bitter like chestnut. In fact, I want to have it again, which is another way of saying that it was great. This puts En Vedette on a path to challenge the category above, quite exceptional shops, though this third great cake probably isn't going to be enough to take it all the way, even if it stands up under testing.

Ryoura, Récif

Sunday as a big cake and running day. First, I did the run out to Ryoura. I stopped at Hikarie to check Sadaharu Aoki, but it seems to be one of the shops closed during a 1.5-month renovation. Next, I went to Viron and got their Bostock aux Pistaches, which I decided was excellent, though I'm not convinced that pistachios, much less with cherry, are an improvement.

At Ryoura, I decided that chocolate was a dependable choice (plus, I've had most of their line-up), so I went with the Récif, which I hadn't seen before. This is chocolate and whipped cream, with oat and currant sablé and cacao-scented blancmange, which sounds a little weird perhaps, but the taste was a definitely good chocolate cake, but it didn't really stand out. Maybe the interesting ingredients actually cancelled each other out. I'll included the double picture and split up the post, since I don't have enough space for all the labels.

Fiorentina Pastry Boutique: Paris-Brest

Working through catching up the established exceptional shops that aren't under threat from below before going back to Hilltop, I did the short run to Fiorentina Pastry Boutique, with the plan to do some non-weights indoor working out afterward, which I did. As a 7th new cake, I choose the cake Paris-Brest, which in the tradition of many Japanese cakes, is in almost now way what it calls itself: it's not tire-shaped and no hazelnut praliné. Instead, it's custard cream, whipped cream and strawberry sandwiched between choux pastry, which is also pretty common. Actually, they got the balance of ingredients just right for me, whereas usually I don't like mixing custard and whipped cream, much less popping strawberries in. It's still not my thing, but it was definitely good and I enjoyed it.

Noix de Beurre: Meringue Chantilly

Today was no running due to having gotten a flu shot, so to reward myself for not running when I shouldn't (or really, because it was somewhere I could go with minimal effort), I visited another quite fine shop which I've had just one great cake from, Noix de Beurre, at Isetan. This time I got Meringue Chantilly, which is exactly what the name says and it looks like: meringue with whipped cream. The center meringue is actually dense (and took some work to get through, but the outside part is light enough as a guide). It's good (and cheap) but not enough to convince me that this shop needs to be promoted. I've got room to promote two shops, and one might be Coffee Parlor Hill Top (when and if they reopen in December), but there's a three-way tie even after that.

Cake-off: L'Abricotier's Montelimar over Noix de Beurre's Fraise Chantilly

Walked as far as L'Abricotier's, then to nearest JR Station, then Shinjuku Stn. to Isetan, and then home, which was a lot, and certainly more than other controlled walks, but seemed reasonable, so better than previous walking tests. I was there to get Montelimar for a third-round cake-off of cakes that were one and one. It's opponent was Noix de Beurre's Fraise Chantilly, which is why I went to Isetan. The wait was less than 30 minutes there, which was less than I feared, given the lines from opening time (not sure when or why this started). I questioned last time whether the Fraise Chantilly belong among the greats, but when you want cream and strawberry and a little sponge cake, this is still my favorite, and it is nice sometimes, so I'm keeping it in. However, I like the hazelnut accented by apricot of Montelimar better. Wish it was a little more solid, but then it would be a different cake.

Maison Douce: Macaron Chocolat Mon Amour

Le Poulpelin

Maison Douce, which I've only had two cakes from, though one was initially rated as great and got a first-round cake-off (neither was declared a win and I demoted both, the only time I've done that), so by in terms of a place where I might find a great cake, it has more potential than some supposedly excellent shops, so it was a high priority to resolve where the shop belongs among my grouping of Tokyo shops. Unfortunately, they are a minimum 35 kilometers out, they don't have eat-in space, and it is not weather for eating outside (see snow above), so I run there and take the train back. I did a 45 km run recently, no problem, so I figured that I would be fine as long as I kept at the same pace, but my right little toe is giving me trouble, and my whole foot tenses up trying to protect it. The shop last told me I need narrower shoes, which might be true once the swelling goes down. I wore new socks with toes this time, but that doesn't really help. I'll use a lot of petroleum jelly and consider taping it, though I'm not sure that I have the right kind of tape now.

Maison Douce: Macaron Chocolat Mon Amour

On the way, I stopped at Le Poupelin whose chef was on the NHK sweets show I started watching. I got a Chasson au pommes, which I'll say was excellent, though it's 27 km, so maybe not in a good position to judge. If I run that far to try them for cake, I think I'm going to get two.

As it happens, I'm probably not going to have to worry about how far out Maison Douce is. I really didn't like the chocolate in this. I suppose it's the chocolate whipped cream that makes for a really weak watery taste. I've had this experience before with chocolate cakes from specialists, so maybe it's just my physical condition. Still, it was ok, but ok isn't doesn't justify going anywhere. The shop still has some potential above shops that have given me nothing better than one excellent cake, but I don't expect it to make the cut to stay in quite good shops.

That clears some excellent shops, though now I saw some other partially challenged by Les Cacao and En Vedette. I hope I can get a visit to Les Cacao next weekend, even if I don't get cake there. Now, I'm really looking forward to a cake-off tomorrow, though reviewing, I'm convinced that Fondant Chocolat au Rouge is just a slightly differently decorated Foondant Chcolat aux Framboises from Yu Sasage, so I've got two choices from them to go against JPH. I need to ask tomorrow how long the two Yu Sasage cakes will stay in the lineup. I need to also review Numero 7 to see what's in it: maybe it's been give a more appropriate name and also can be found in Yu Sasage's line-up without me realizing it.

Toshi Yoroizuka, Rouler

Resting up somewhat, I just ran to Tokyo Midtown and back Thursday. I noticed that D&D has cake from a shop I haven't sample yet (couldn't remember the shop name correctly later when I tried to look it up), but it has to get in line after other local shops that I haven't sample yet (Lotus, you are my #1 back-up, since you're open the latest as well as being on the closest loop that I haven't finished sampling from). Today's goal was to get a new cake from the shop providing the last cake-off winner, Toshi Yoroizuka. Not a great selection at night, of course. There were a couple cheesecakes that I haven't had, but I just had cheesecake on Monday and I think my previous new cake from Toshi Yoroizuka was a cheesecake (they still had it, as well as a variation with a little whipped cream and a strawberry). So, for the first time, I got roll cake from them. I'm going to call it Rouler, but between the ambiguity of Japanese pronunciation and French spelling, I'm not sure. Maybe Roule. Anyway, it's strawberry roll cake. This was much better than I expected from the type, though not from Toshi Yoroizuka. The cake was not too dry, having absorbed a good amount for strawberry juice, I think, but not mushy, the strawberries were good, and the amount of whipped cream was restrained even that it was not dominant and I could enjoy the other parts. It was sort of like eating café strawberry and whipped cream pan cakes. Still not my thing, but definitely good, to the point that I'm tempted to call it semi-excellent, but I'll still to the base rating system.

I'm not disappointed, though I still keep hoping for another great cake. I might need to do a run to FC, even if it isn't a priority. Friday, I rest (or rather, buy a new pair of running socks, since they don't last very long).

Sadaharu Aoki, Saint-marc Praliné

Jogged to Sadaharu Aoki in Marunouchi for a new cake. Unfortunately, too late for the Baba (I hope I understood right, that they weren't just sold out, it had ended its run). Guess I was too slow. The next new thing is a variety pack of little pieces of other cakes, which doesn't interest me, unless someone visits and I want to give them a sample. However, the main shop in Marunouchi also has Saint-marc Praliné, which I had only had a little of before, not enough to give a fair evaluation.

I also went to Ginza Mitsukoshi to make sure JPH hadn't stuck something into their line-up (since I don't have another good source for information), which they hann't but I got the little Boulette au Marron from Dalloyau again because I thought I didn't give it a fair evaluation before. The problem before was that I put it on top of my cake box for the trip back. I didn't keep it there, but pastries need to be warm and I didn't do anything to heat it back up. I tried it again, eating it as I crossed back west underground to Hibiya Park (I continued walking the entire way home, as Sadaharu Aoki boxes are too unstable to run with, being basically just big enough and in the same shape as their cakes), and I'm willing to change the rating of it to excellent.

The Saint-marc Praliné is subtle, which saint-mark usually are, but they could have gone heavy with the praliné, but didn't. It pretty much took until the last bite to decide that was great (i.e., I definitely want to have it again). I wonder, though, whether there was maple in the top caramel layer or that was harmonization. In any case, happy to find another great cake, even if it's not one that I'll see much after it's gone (I'm not sure whether it will continue through December or March, but I think it started this year as the exclusive Marunouchi cake and will have a one-year run). I don't feel in a huge hurry to do a cake-off with it, so I'll stick with the Mont-Blanc from Ryoura for the next one, but I should get to it next month, if I can find another great cake to pair it against.

L'Abricotier: Mont-Blanc

Was off in the afternoon, so I did a run to L'Abricotier, had cake, and walked back. On the way back, I tried following the Chuuou Line, which I had not done for long enough that I had forgotten what it was like. The fastest route is along Waseda-doori, which I'm not fond of, but I'm not sure I like along the train line better, at least where cars are trying to use the same trick, since there is not that much space along the road (though it's common for people to walk there and there are fewer traffic signal stops). There is perhaps no perfect route.

For cake, I finally got the Mont-Blanc, as my 11th cake. I might not have thought of it if the person ahead of had not ordered one, since they are made to order, so there are no examples to attract my attention, just a little card with an explanation on the shelf with almost all the rest of the cakes. I ate in and this is almost a café desert rather than fresh cake, as they recommend eating within an hour of purchase rather than the usual same day.

In a way, this mont-blanc was perfect in its simplicity: just a biscuit, probably the traditional almond, but it seemed a little coarse for meringue, so maybe there was some flour in there; a light whipped cream center, and probably the reason for the one-hour limit, as this is going to collapse over time; and a thick covering of chestnut paste, which was not too heavy a taste for me. This was clearly assembled on the plate in this case, but you can get it as take-out. It was definitely good, but I'm not enough of a fan of just chestnut paste to rate this higher than that. Mont-blanc that I've though were great always had something else going on to balance the chestnut, such as cassis.

I walked back partially to conserve my strength and partially because I'm a little worried about my right ankle and I wanted maintain control. It seems okay and I'm still thinking an endurance run is possible Sunday. I was worried about the cold after today's few ours outside, just because I lost finger strength and was really hungry in the afternoon, but I'll be maintaining a continuous supply of pastries and energy cookies and not they are saying that Sunday will be a more reasonable temperature for being outside. I should mention that today was a low temperature advisory for being the coldest weather in Tokyo for 48 years, but running generates enough of its own heat as long as it's not cold and raining and today even walking I was fine except for my hands.

Au Bon Vieux Temps: Mont-Blanc

As usual, I'm behind on most things, such as answering mail and messages. Sunday, I went cycling for about 3 hours. As reward for winning a cake-off, I got a new cake from Au Bon Vieux Temps, Mont-Blanc, not that it's likely new to them. Unfortunately, for the cake, it had a long trip by bicycle after that, so it was plastered up against the side of the box by the time I got to it. I scraped it off as best I could, but imagine it symmetric to begin with, but still small. It was a pretty basic Mont-Blanc, being a cream surrounded by a relatively thin layer of mind chestnut paste on a forgettable meringue base. It was basically good but pretty far from what I want in cake. I more positive news, The cake I want for the next 1st-round cake-off was still available, at least as of last Sunday, so I'm going to go for Afternoon.

Monday, I tried to get the new cake appearing today at Jean-Paul Hévin but I was pretty late, so it seemed to be sold out (lots of other cakes still there after 7, though. I'll try again tomorrow. Instead, I got a Croissant from Andersen. I've had their Croissant before and knew to expect something good but not great. What I really wanted to do was see whether heating it up in the oven a little would be okay, since, in this weather, I've had experiences with pasties that I regretted eating cold. 2.5 min at 100 degC seemed fine. The outside flake wasn't very stable to begin with (it perhaps did not have the most gentle return home, since I had other shopping to do and my normal bag to carry) but wasn't harmed by the over. The running Monday was just over 65 minutes down to the Kirakawachou-Kioichou Loop, where I turned too early going north, and then back along the Akasaka North Loop, where I missed one turn. However, I discovered a crosswalk that I had not noticed before connecting to the Akasaka West Loop and making it possible to have one big loop from Akasaka down through the north edge of Roppongi rather than long links that I have to return by. The 60-kilometer run is going to wait until I can sort it out.

Schloss Bäckerei: Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte

I overdid it this weekend, I guess, walking not running, though there should have been more eating yesterday before the walking, I think. Also more sleep would be good. Anyway, today's cake was to prevent unhealthy running rather than reward running.

This was a third cake from Schloss Bäckerei, the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. I generally avoid Black Forest cake but figured that this was the most cake-like thing they had, according to my definition, and were the appropriate place to get this type of cake. And I was correct about the latter, as this was excellent (though I might not be in the best state to judge). Rather than soft sponge, the biscuit was almost crisp, as I like in order to contrast with soft whipped cream. Also, the cherry was good, not being too tart. Not very chocolaty, but more chocolate would have submerged the other tastes and created a different cake that I probably would not have liked much.

So I'm satisfied that this is a Quite Good shop, down in Hiroo, that I've sufficiently sampled for now.

Clair de Lune: Saint-marc

Decided to do another long run to one of the three shops new to the Quite Excellent category, Clair de Lune. Roundtrip, about 17 km, with a low 10 km/h out and a low 9 km/h back, which is still faster than I expected, since I had a long run Monday and another run Tuesday, so was still a little creaky, though not so stiff.

I past last time, so this time I took the Saint-marc. This is a simple cake that I like. This one was not particularly special among saint-marc, but they did a good job so I'm rating it excellent.

Was surprised to find myself running through a shopping arcade (though I often start on one main east-west street going back and work my way down to the next main one as the stoplights require. This is apparently Satake shopping street. Obviously, things close down mostly by 8:30, which is not very surprising.

Toshi Yoroizuka: Saint-marc

Still sore from yesterday, probably because I was still sore from Wednesday, so today was simple. I went down to Tokyo Midtown to visit Toshi Yorizuka and to bring the last of my Quite Excellent shops up to eight cakes. The running was at about 9 km/h and was actually slightly faster coming back, as I was in more of a hurry to take care of some other shopping and also I was maybe less still. It's about 6.5 km total.

It's been quite a while since I've gotten a new cake from there, so most of what they had was new to me or marked a new version of an old cake. Rather than take a cake marked as recommended, I went with a traditional cake, Saint-marc, which, at least in this case, had a somewhat caramelized top with orange liquor (or at least I think that's where the orange liquor was, though there was not a strong enough taste for me to say), a whipped cream layer, a chocolate layer that seemed too dense to be whipped cream but was in the same general family, and a sort of chocolate, maybe, hard biscuit on the very bottom as a base. This is a very basic, traditional cake, in a sense, despite all the layers, with a very simple taste but it's a good design and they executed it well, so I would say that this cake was great. Even though this is a major brand, I'm encouraged that a cake shop that isn't in the very top tiers could give me this level of cake, though I shouldn't be surprised. They aren't rated higher as a shop because their cakes tends to be either great or just good. One great cake out of eight is enough to push this shop to the top of its category, which means I might have to promote it again up to Superb to fill the gap. At the very least, I'll probably get another new cake from their soon to at least see whether that's reasonable.

Le Mieux: Mille-feuille Fraise

Sunday, a typhoon went through, so at first it looked like it might be too windy, but it wasn't so bad. However, it was sunny and hot, so I gave up a plan to make a super long run and instead took the bicycle out again. First, I went out to Le Mieux, after overshooting by two stations. This was a new shop mentioned by Sweet Sonobe. I took the Mille-feuille Fraise, even though I could see that it didn't seem to be real mille-feuille, but more like crackers (which are similar, but I can't see why you would want this), because they listed it as their most popular and I was not trusting anything else anyway. It was good in its simply way, but not more than, which meant that I was disappointed.

I was also disappointed when I went to the beginning of what would be my next History and Culture Course run, if I could run 100 km. The area would be like running along the main road leading to the Mall, although main rural train stations tend to be like that. Really, I was on my way to confirm that Maison Douce existed and had the cake I rated as great once, which they did, it being their pride and joy, so I should be able to get it any time, if I can manage the 36 km run out there, which I think I can. I should stay on the main roads, though, for ease of navigation.

Total, it was probably a 80 km ride. I further rewarded myself with a Escargot aux Raisin from Rituel, which took over one of the bakery spots of the Isetan basement. I hadn't thought their croissant was very special other than being expensive when I visited them around Omotesando Road, but this was excellent, so I'll go back.

Today (Monday), I skipped cake and just got Chocotine (I think; it seems like a pain au chocolat to me). I need a cake-off to convince me that cake is worth being interested in, but the next available cake on the list isn't available until Friday. For running, having been discouraged by the History and Culture Courses, I decided I need to make my own that goes to points of interest in areas I know. I didn't quite manage my goal course on the first try and also need to make a couple adjustments for places I left out, so I'll try again tomorrow, perhaps. The actual course was just 4 km going through two neighborhoods (defined as areas surrounded by major roads), going by five parks, two museums, two shrines, two temples, one elementary school, and one cake shop, as well as a couple hospitals. I can't believe I left out the subway station, though it is going to slow me down to swing by there. I missed an art exhibition space unintentionally due to my one wrong turn (I ended up going through a university hospital complex parking lot), but I'm thinking that I want to omit that anyway. Also, once I memorize this local run (which is a memory exercise as much as anything) and expand it as far as I'm willing to run for local runs, I'll probably design some runs that skip other landmarks that I'm less interested in for a medium-scale neighborhood run. I felt good after the run, though, since I found a dropped wallet, which I turned into the police. I'd like to think that I helped someone out (as people have helped me out when I've dropped things).

Paris S'éveille: Éclair d'Été

Did a run down to Paris S'éveille in Jiyugaoka, to complete my sweep of the three Superb-level patisserie. It was really not (I learned that, technically, Paris S'éveille should open at 5 a.m., but maybe they can argue that's when they start baking). I started off at 10 km/h for at least the first 4 km, which was fast for the heat and not having warmed up much (I got up late, and intended to stretch when I was stopped waiting to cross a street, which I did), and then slowed down but still ended up on the 10 km/h side of the actual ~9.5 km/h. It was ~11 km long and I took the train back, not only for the cake but because I was scheduled to picked up my new bicycle (which I should take a picture of and post, before it gets stolen) at noon, not that they probably cared when I was going to actually show up.

I only had one choice for a new cake, Éclair d'Été, though I suppose I could have gotten the new version of Everest (it's oval instead of circular, but maybe that's the only different). As usual after running, and because I would not remember anyway, I didn't read the card, so I'm not actually sure what is in it, but obviously it's an éclair and it's got chocolate as the main component (and whipped cream), and some sort of fruit in the middle, so the question is, what is the fruit: I can't even tell from the dried fruit bits on top, so it maybe be something exotic, but my best guess of the moment is grapefruit. It was mild and tropical but too tart to be orange although not really all the way over to lemon or yuzu. Maybe pineapple is equally likely; it does not have the usual pineapple taste, but then I did not recognize the distinctive grapefruit taste, either. In any case, it fits with this cake and this is definitely excellent, so I'm pleased.

I went over to Isetan to see whether they had the same new cakes at Sadaharu Aoki as at Tokyo Midtown, which they did, and I got greedy and bought some bread at Andersen. The new thing is the Denmark Roll, which is sort of halfway between a usual roll and a cookie, in terms of texture and shape. It as icing, so of course it is good, and it was pretty cheap, maybe 120 yen.

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Sadaharu Aoki: Marron Fruits Rouges (updated)

Hotter even today than yesterday, so another short run, just down to Tokyo Midtown and back (6 or 7 km) and with a shopping stop (despite carrying cake). Actually, I was after the green tea mille-feuille, which is exclusive to Midtown. I saw it there the previous time and the website shows it, but it was not there (though I didn't ask, and setting out on a Friday would not be surprising), but instead they had three new cakes. Isetan may have the same, but at that point I didn't want to circle back, which is several kilometers, so I bought the Marron Fruits Rouges at Midtown. I'll check Isetan tomorrow to see what they have, because they also had Cassisier (according to the card there), which is on my list of greats that I've been looking for, so final success on finding an old cake.

The Marron Fruits Rouges seems to be from their cheesecake line, with a thick layer of chestnut paste on top, whipped cream (not cheesecake; I should have let this thaw out more, perhaps, though it was having a hard enough time supporting the thick chestnut cream as it was) in the middle, and then red fruit, hazelnut biscuit, and Pâte sucrée (I read the card this time). This was definitely an excellent harmony of fruit, chestnut, and cheesecake good cake for both cheesecake and chestnut, so I'm saying it's great and hope that it will be around again when it comes time to do a cake-off with in.

Éclat des Jours: Forêt Noire

Another cloudy day where rain was promised in the evening and didn't come, though it was cool enough that I was probably better off that way. Did the Éclat des Jours run again. Was just above 10 km/h out and 8 km/h back (little below 11 km each way), which is about perfect. I'm spending less time racing where I can't make the light, although lots of running lately meant that I was not as fast where elsewhere where I could have gone faster.

Since I arrive near closing time, I'm running low on options at Éclat des Jours. This time I went with the Forêt Noire, which was a familiar sight there. This is chocolate whipped cream with a couple cherries on chocolate cake on whipped cream with cherries on a bottom of chocolate cake. It was good as a light chocolate cake goes (I was careful to let it have a few minutes to warm up after taking it from the refrigerator, because that's what you're supposed to do with whipped cream), but would have been better without the cherries in my opinion, as expected, which is why I had been avoiding this one. However, this shop remains my top Quite Excellent shop and I need one shop from this group, so I'll be back there in about a week and a half (I'm busy the end of next week). Eventually, I may need to go there on non-workday to get access to the full range, but first I'll try a Monday again (I suspect the odd Tuesday's that they are open are the best day to visit, but I just went, so I won't try that next week).

Cake-off: Viron's Gateau au Chocolat over Jean-Paul Hévin's Guayaquil

I'm a couple days behind because there were a couple days without cake.

Sunday, I did a similar run to Friday's, along the History and Culture course from the start of the Gaien Walk to Hibiya Park, with the only difference being that I took the slightly longer way (and definitely hillier way) past Akasaka going back but also stopped at Lawson 100. This was about 12 km at 9 km/h. There was not cake, but there was desert from Kyobashi Sembikiya, which is a fruit place. I just got the Fruit Yogurt, which was more than half banana and not any better than what I have every day for breakfast and four times the price (although we had a 500 yen ticket to use, so that covered 1/3 of two desserts). The other double-priced and slight better dessert was Melon Bavarois.

Monday, I tried going to Le Coeur Pur, which it turns out has moved, so 19 km averaging 9 km/h, though that is in the rain and passing through dense commuting crowd (with umbrellas) from the intersection of Meiji and Yasukuni north of Shinjuku San-chome Station through to at least West Shinjuku Station, and to a less extent at every Marunouchi Line station. As with Ginza, it's probably faster (or at least less frustrating and safer) to go underground and walk under the Shinjuku Station area, which is what I did coming back, from the Odakyu entrance (which, by the way, is the department store where we picked up yesterday's fruit desserts). Because I had no cake and spent an extra kilometer looking around outside and then more effort walking inside around Ogikubo Station the the department store), I decided to treat myself to a Mr. Donut Angel French cruller on the way back, which was good (they are lighter than American donuts, though I'm not sure about U.S. Mr. Donut in particular). Didn't mind not getting cake, since I was planning a cake-off for today anyway.

Cake-off meant getting Guayaquil from Isetan and then running to the Marunouchi Viron for Gateau au Chocolat, which I did successfully. I took the long, hillier way down to Aoyama Avenue going out and came back up the side of Akasaka coming back, though the times were not that different (at least carrying cake) despite the more than 1 km difference, and with the lights I'm not sure that the short way is much faster. It was about 12 km, with the great part at 10 km/h going and 9 km/h coming back. Both cakes are definitely great, so it was hard to choose (but fun comparing). In the end, I decided the Viron's Gateau au Chocolat deserved the win for it's greater simplicity (it's a uniform cake, whereas the Guayaquil is maybe half ganache in layers and falls apart when cut) and lower price, but this is not a single-elimination competition, so if and when I get to a second round, Guayaquil won't miss its chance against another first-round loser.