(FSa) Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's "Monsieur Arnaud" over Clair de Lune's "Chocolatine"

Friday, I went cake-less and ran to Toshi Yoroizuka in Kyobashi and got their Chocolat Croissant (350 yen) as a snack. The run was about 6 km out at 9 km/h and 5 km back at 8 km/h, as it was hot and I was still tired from Thursday and thought I would need some energy for Saturday, more than expected, as it turned out. Besides the chocolate, the croissant had orange confit, which was nice. I would say that it was excellent. The colors of the tables outside the building, though, are are not a good background.

For Saturday, the plan from the beginning was a cake-off between Monsieur Arnaud from Paris S'éveille and something. Originally, I had been thinking of the Marjolaine from nearby Au Bon Vieux Temps, but going in order and matching ingredients, actually Le Piemont from L'abricotier should be next, and since it seemed just not hot enough for that to be reasonable, I went with it. However, I was getting a late start, so I probably should have struck at least to a direct course rather than wandering, though I did not add that much distance and did go down a couple streets (not new, but not used recently) that might be better that those of what has become the standard route. Fortunately, it did not add much to the 12 km route. It was still pretty hot, so only 8 km/h. On the way, as other times, I noticed at least they've been working on preparation of the new national stadium, although the picture is not wide enough to show the full breadth of the site.

Because of the late start, by the time I got to L'abricotier, they were sold out of what I wanted (or at least I assumed so, since they were low on everything and there was no placeholder card for the Le Piemont, though I probably should have asked). Of course, at this point I was regretting not having gone to Au Bon Vieux Temps when it was convenient, as well as not just putting off the cake-off until Sunday, when I had the morning free (greed is a problem). I had not planned the course, but it was faster to go straight to Clair de Lune from L'abricotier than to go home first, so I tried that, though I went about half a kilometer out of my way up along Nakano Road when the light went against me (I ended up following Seibu Shinjuku Line east until I met up with New Mejiro Road, taking that until passing Tokyo Dome and then following the usual route).

At Clair de Lune, I wanted Chocolatine, though I had already decided that if they did not have it, I would give up and get something else for today and save the Monsieur Arnaud for tomorrow (it looked like it could take a wait). It too seemed to be sold out, but the card was still there, so I asked. They were still making things in the back (which is just a meter from the front, being a tiny place) and as it happened, they were just finishing some more Chocolatine. This second leg of the run took 22 km (still at 8 km/h, but at least it cooled somewhat and started raining, which I didn't mind).

As for the actual cake-off, the Chocolatine is a standard mousse chocolate cake with pistachio cream in the middle and I can't remember what I thought was great about it other than the service. Still, I can call it excellent. The Monsieur Arnaud has a hazelnut biscuit with a nutty crunch on top, chocolate cream and solid chocolate, all things I like very much and put together well in this cake, so I can see why I thought it was great and was happy to have it again.