Cacahouète: Coeur de Chocolat

Did a local run to practice the Kita-Aoyama--Jinguumae--Shibuya Loop, which I slightly messed up on Sunday. Today was no problem, but I used the busy bridge to cross to it rather than the usual full neighborhood route because that was the closest way following a neighborhood-compatible route (no traffic lights necessary) and of course much of this route is pretty busy either due to tourists or being close to main train stations. Still, for a little under 11 km, I managed a >9.5 km/h hour rate. I've said for long runs, I'd like to stay above 8 km/h, but that's just running. In a real 100 km ultra marathon, for example, that would leave me only 90 minutes of non-running time to make a maybe typical 14 hour limit, which might be enough but is stricter than I've been with myself. Note that I've ever raced any distance: I can buy a lot of cake with what entry fees cost, even without travel and lodging costs (for running outside Tokyo). Still got a couple more less convenient loops to practice before worrying about exploring new sections or trying to maintain a reasonable speed over a longer neighborhood course. I haven't actually gotten photographs of all the locations on last Sunday's route and won't have time this weekend. Next weekend is a three-day weekend, so I'll probably do that.

I got cake from the visiting shop at Isetan, Cacahouète. I've had one good cake from them in the past, which is good enough to at least give them a second try if they are willing to come to Isetan and I don't have anything else going on. I got the Coeur de Chocolat, which sort of speaks for itself. This is a solid coating, otherwise I would want to stay away from anything heart-shaped (since would require enough gelatin to hold the shape). Inside is a good amount of dark chocolate mousse, I think some Bavarian cream, and a tiny bit of red fruit, presumably raspberry but not necessarily, I suppose. There is also a very rich dark coating on the outside. This was darker mousse than one often gets with mousse cakes, which I appreciate and the fruit was just enough to accent rather than dominate, so I can say that this was excellent, which raises this shop to to possible Quite Good in my estimation. This is still not enough to make me need to run out there soon, but is enough to maybe hit them again while they are at Isetan. I'm busy Sunday as far as running, but I might be looking for cake for two.

Planetes: Regular Chocolate

Well, it's been 48 hours since a 60+ km run and I seem to be okay. Had a little scare with a rash across my front (which I get from sweat/heat when I'm weak), due to not paying attention to my skin yesterday, probably, but it seems to be almost completely recovered by now. I did a short run of a little under 6 km to confirm the part of the Sendagaya northeast loop where I forgot to turn and then confirmed a direct route across northern Sendagaya. I need to start cutting across neighborhoods quicker if I want to reach farther neighborhoods without cheating or running to long. My speed was safely above 9 km/h. I'm not sure that I need to go so far as last Sunday again, but if I do, I want to increase my average speed to above 8 km/h (not necessary, but not being able to do it is one sign that I'm tiring myself more than necessary, maybe) and also increase my calorie intake, to see how that helps with extreme fatigue, which was not that bad but was the only trouble I really had, to my surprise, that and the rash, which is probably related.

For cake, I didn't want to go far, so I headed to Isetan, forgetting that they are taking a holiday today. Next I went to Takashimaya Shinjuku (which is actually also in Sendgaya, Shibuya-ku, but is right next to Shinjuku Station) and got something from P. les Planetes. I know not to expect much from Takashimaya's cake counter and I didn't even write down the name of what I got (which was only written phonetically), but it seemed to be Regular Chocolate, so I'm sticking to that. Online, the most similar cake that I could find was the Chocolat Framboise, which this is not, since this seems to have cassis as well as raspberries. Perhaps because I didn't let it warm up much from the refrigerator before starting to eat it, the top layer of chocolate (which it needs to seal in the moisture, whereas the sides had plastic) was overly gelatinous, but the taste and texture of the cake was fine. Nothing exciting, but good.

Neighborhood run, 62.6 km

Put together all my supposedly confirmed neighborhood runs and tried to run them in one day. Was late turning one place, which added a little, but it was planned as 62+ km. I had figured 8 hours, but I wasn't that fast, especially toward the end (though I could keep running, even up the many stairs), taking 8:23:23. I could have kept running, but I can't say that I was disappointed to stop, so I'll probably let this distance stand as a person record and try to enjoy running in some other way than trying a 100 km run next. I didn't damage anything, but it does not seem wise to be running down the streets too tired. At the very least, I don't need to run farther than I can keep up a 8 km/h pace, though I'm not sure how to make allowances for stairs. Tomorrow I'll rest, so I can consider it then.

For snacks, besides three calorie mate cookies (I had more in my bag) and a couple salt candies, I had two pasties (Friday and Monday's share) and one piece of cake.

The first pastry was a Raw Chocolate Tarte, I think (it's not list on their site), from Heart Bread Antique. This was really pretty much chocolate pudding in a tart shell, so it was not clearly more a pastry than a cake, but they are bakery, so pastry will do. This was definitely good and I appreciated at the time. This was maybe 3.5 hours in.

At around 6 hours, I got an Almond Croissant (again, long run, so I don't remember the actual name, and it's not included among the items listed on their site) from Aux Bacchanales, who are still in the pasty and bread business. The powered sugar was maybe too much (though I was okay with it), but this was also definitely good. It's baked with a thick crust that makes it seem almost deep fried to me, not so different from other ones I've had.

Finally, despite my long expectations, since they simply cake take-out places, I include Cozy Corner as a Patisserie rather than just a café. I got their Gateau Chocolat (correcting their spelling to make the phonetic Japanese name, as well as the obvious French basis). They also have what they call Chocolate Cake, which I assume is less chocolaty, if that's possible. My first reaction was that this was okay, because there were brief instances when I sense traditional American-style chocolate cake flavor amid the cream and it did not taste bad. Except, probably from whatever they used as decoration chocolate (I assume that coco butter was replaced by some homogenized vegetable oil so that it wouldn't melt, though I couldn't say that there was any actual chocolate in it) left a sickly sweet candy flavor that seems familiar but I can't identify. So this was just bad, which doesn't shock me. It's not vile, it's just bad if you've paid some attention to what constitute good cake, a least according to my tastes.

I noted Hi-Cacao Chocolate Stand, which at least has chocolate fondant, which may count as cake, though they are only by Omotesando temporarily before opening a shop in Daikanyama, which my neighborhood course doesn't reach to yet.

Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's Théatre over Pierre Hermé's Carrément Chocolat

Did a slow run to Jiyugaoka, not wanting to strain anything before tomorrow's endurance run. Still, I took the time to swing by Bubó Barcelona and verify that they really have only the one type of pastry now, and down a proposed Shibuya--Minami-Aoyama link and the terminal loop, which seem fine, though I won't use them tomorrow. It's a sign of how slow I was going that it took over 1 hour running time to reach this park just under two stations away.

The purpose was to get cake for the first 2nd-round cake-off from the 1st-round winners group, Paris S'éveille's Théatre and Pierre Hermé's Carrément Chocolat. Those are both mainly straight chocolate cakes. Both have good quality chocolate and both have an upper milk chocolate mousse layer, I think, so it was difficult to choose between them. Paris S'éveille's has a denser cream/mousse bottom, so it needs a chocolate shell around it, whereas Pierre Hermé's has a chocolate biscuit/cake and chocolate icing/glaze holding it together. Paris S'éveille's also has a little crunch in it and a little praline or something on top. That accent and the closer balance between the layers worked maybe better for me, so I'm giving this match to Paris S'éveille, which reveals the same bias for cream and mousse over biscuit that I revealed in last weeks' match-up. My next cake-off or two will also be basically straight chocolate (either 1st-round of a recent pair or my top-priority 2nd-round cake that I failed on initially, both of which involve a Jean-Paul Hévin cake as the second cake, which is not too surprising, given the number of great chocolate cakes from them).

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.

Pierre Hermé: Fraisier

 Took a second cake from the pistachio and strawberry series at Pierre Hermé at Isetan (but not on the Pierre Hermé webpage, since this isn't this month's featured combination), the Fraisier, which is strawberries in pistachio custard creme, I think, between top and bottom layers of genoise (a sponge cake layer). It was definitely good and I like these flavors, but it was (by design) a higher proportion of fruit than I like in cake, so I can't rate it higher than that as far as my personal appreciation. It's also definitely high quality, so go for it if you're into this sort of cake and passing by the main Isetan store.

For running, I did a light jog in order to avoid slipping on ice as well as to protect myself generally in preparation for doing a long run Sunday. Besides my body and the weather, I have to worry about the Shinjuku City Half Marathon, which is the same morning. It's mostly on main roads that I'm not so much on, but I'm kind of surrounded at the beginning and it would better if I could get up really early and get the Yotsuya and north Sedagaya-Shinjuku parts out of the way before they start.

Today, I just ran down to the United Church of Christ in Japan Akasaka Church to make sure that I can recognize the turns around there, since that was the main part I had trouble with on that loop, and came back. Still, that took more than 50 minutes, even stopping early at the grocery. I'll have the chance to confirm some other portion Friday night, if I want, but I might just rest up, since I would like to run Saturday to Jiyugaoka for a cake-off purchase.

Dolce MariRosa: Gateau Chocolat

Ran down to the southwest Harajuku area because I needed to check whether the bridges between it and the northeast part (on the other side of Omotesandou Street) were open for a pseudo-continuous run (the course will be continuous, without stoplight interruptions, but I'm definitely going to take breaks every hour or so, for health purposes). No problem with the bridges and no problem with that part of the course, as far as remembering it or being able to cross where I need to (there was snow yesterday one place where I had made a change, so I couldn't actually see the crosswalk lines).

For cake, I visited Dolce MariRosa, on the grounds that I should blog every cake shop in my neighborhood. I had a bad experience there previously, which is why I haven't visited and blogged about them until now. I went with the Gateau Chocolat as the most fancy French cake like, which is exactly what this shop is obviously not trying to be. This is a slice of traditional (French) chocolate cake in a tart shell (I still don't understand why) with a little whipped cream and strawberry. Actually, if was fine, which is to say good. Since I fear much worse, I'm quite satisfied. Not my kind of place, but that nice is open in that neighborhood, which has Pierre Hermé and Bubó Barcelona nearby, so they don't need another fancy cake shop, probably.

It's a little scary finding the bridges open. I may actually have to do a personal record-breaking endurance run this Sunday, though not if it's raining or snowing. A little rain and snow is okay for short runs or even a long run in the summer, but not now.

The Ritz-Carlton Café and Deli: Earl Grey Bergamot

Sunday, without running, I went to the The Ritz-Carlton Café and Deli and, after some wait (because we didn't want to eat outside), I got the cake set with the Earl Grey Bergamot (this was the English name on the card, but the Japanese name was completely different). Anyway, it is a chocolate mousse ovoid disk flavored orange (I'm assuming the tea as well). The base was chocolate and crunchy, which helped it. It was at least definitely good and I've giving it the first cake benefit of the doubt and calling it excellent, so I'll be back there before too long. They also have a selection of pastries. The other available cake with the cake set was the strawberry short cake, which I only had one bite of. It seemed good, but I'd like to have more to form a full opinion.

Monday, much of Tokyo closed down due to a few inches of snow. It was still reasonably nice for a run, so I went to Bubó Barcelona and got Gianduja Raviolo, which is a croissant-type pastry encasing some, but not a lot of gianduja (hazelnut and chocolate). It was a nice change of pastry from must a simple croissant, so I can call it excellent. They did not actually have anything else, so I'm not sure what's going on with their pastry selection. Even if I don't get a pastry, I'm going to have to stop in their next time I go by. However, the nearby pedestrian bridge was taped off, which means that right now that neighborhood, which I haven't quite got memorized, but close, is cut off, so I don't have 60 km of continuous neighborhood course prepared any more. I thought it might have just been for the weather, but later pedestrian bridges on other paths were not closed.

Cake-off: L'Abricotier's Sicile over Pierre Hermé's Fraisier Pistache,

I've been busy, so I'm four days behind blogging. Friday was a pastry day. I got a Croissant from La Baguette, which is a Shinjuku neighborhood bakery. It was simple and appropriately priced, but good. The run was back to the Hirakawachou-Kioichou Loop and then the Koujimachi-Kioichou Link on the neighborhood map, which went fine this time, so I don't have to worry about that area, I think.

For Saturday, I couldn't start early but early enough to run to L'Abricotier and get the Sicile (need to correct the spelling on the previous post, based on the current card). I didn't expect or have any problem getting the Fraisier Pistache from Pierre Hermé. They are both great (my tastes haven't changed so much in a few months) and use similar ingredients, but I have to go with the richer more intense Sicile (with mousse and sauce) over the subtler classic of the Fraisier Pistache (with dacquoise and fresh strawberries), so the child in me won over the snob, maybe, but that's okay. I know what I like (well, both, actually, quite a lot).

Bien-être: Tarte aux Fraises et aux Pistaches

Ran out to get a cake from Bien-être to confirm them as a quite excellent shop. Decided to consult Google Maps for once to see what the direct route is like, since I decided recently that going past Harajuku Stn. is fine (as long as you come in from the north). Crossed under Yamanote-doori rather than use the pedestrian bridge and averaged above 10.5 km to Asterisk (I overshop). At Bien-être, I could not eat in for the first time: two tables were being used, two tables were reserved (didn't know you could do that there) and the counter was occupied so I got take-out and ran back a somewhat longer path definitely slower (but relatively well navigated, now that my experience with neighborhood running courses has taught me more about the interior streets in Sendagaya).

Because of a recent great cake, I though I try the Tarte aux Fraises et aux Pistaches (not the actual name, but I didn't write it down and that was what it was minus at least one "aux" and maybe an "x" and an "s" or two). This has fresh strawberry and some whipped cream, so I think it qualifies as fresh cake rather than pastry according to my personal classification. However, it was pretty much a basic tart, which is to say a little bland for my tastes. Still good and I can't blame them too much for being as advertised.

Without a long discussion of my cake accounting system, I'll note that Bien-être is caught up but is not currently a candidate for a Superb shop. The problem is Ryoco, which is rarely open and I'm not caught up with them. I just checked, and actually they are open the weekend after next and selling a couple fresh cakes via online reservation, but that system is closed now or it's just sold out, but I'm going to have to starting watching their website regularly to catch them selling fresh cake.

Pierre Hermé: Mogador

Tried this month's Pierre Hermé feature flavor which is Mogador, which is pineapple and passion fruit. This week I decided to try the cake of the same name, which has a several millimeter layer of roast pineapple and passion fruit chocolate ganache, milk chocolate, and whipped cream, I think. Unfortunately, it's not any better than it sounds and this one you definitely need to put on it's side to cut, because the hard parts are solid and there are soft parts. It's still good, as I can't fault it for being as advertised, but I think I'll take advantage of the other Fraise cakes next week.

The run was along the newly made Akasaka-Roppongi Loop, which is 7.62 km. I had to double back at one point, but it goes buy the same landmarks as in other smaller loops and links, so I think it was going to be okay. I still wish I could get closer to Hitotsugu Park (there's an inner Akasaka Loop that going across from it, but there's a formidable railing on the otherwise, in case you are tempted to jaywalk.

Jean-Paul Hévin: Victoria

Did a little over an hour of running to, back, and around Akasaka and have some ideas about how to reform my neighborhood map (a several-kilometer loop with just one small inner loop connected by a relatively short link). I'll try to follow the new parts tomorrow, maybe. Lots of hills and stairs around there, like many places in Tokyo, but I did make an effort to do some fast running too.

The cake I got ahead of time from Jean-Paul Hévin: Victoria. This seems to be new to me, and definitely to this blog. This is layers of different densities: Brazilian chocolate whipped cream on top of a chocolate mousse on top of an almost solid chocolate base. The top is a biscuit scented (?) with whisky, just enough to get a little taste and accent the chocolate. Note that the construction was such that you could cut it vertically, no problem (the biscuit was sufficiently brittle). This is not so different from some other chocolate cakes of theirs but that does not change it from being great, so maybe it will be in a cake-off soon against the recent Bien-être baked flourless chocolate cake, if they both stick around long enough, since I have a couple other pairs I want to do first.

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.

Cake-off: Au Bon Vieux Temps' Chocolat Framboise over Bigarreaux' Le Plaisir

Friday, before a 60+ minute run trying the new Roppongi-Akasaka Loop and Akasaka East Link (yes, I've renamed all my routes again to focus on the neighborhood names on this neighborhood running course map), which I did not do perfectly but good enough that I'm ready enough for a 60 km run, when it fits in my schedule (I'm thinking in two weeks). As desert, as "pastry", I got a Gâteau Basque from Maison d'Ahni, who are visiting Isetan now. This was definitely good to the point that I would probably call it excellent if I were more into this type of baked good, which is a sweet biscuit with jam inside priced like cake.

Saturday, as indicated by the title, I tried a cake-off run, which was foolish given that I could not start until almost noon. I followed the lights and ended up at Shibuya Stn., where crossed via the 1st floor of Hikarie, which is much more reasonable that the pedestrian walks outside, in terms of crowds. The lights kept me going west rather than south so it turned out to be faster to go to Bigarreaux for Le Plaisir (where I bought the last one) before Au Bon Vieux Temps for the 1st in the list for 2nd round cake-offs, Tentation Chocolat, which was sold out. Fortunately, I have a smartphone now so I could look up this blog and see that I could use Chocolate Framboise as a backup (though that was pretty far down on list, which is only based on the order I originally blogged this cake). The total run was 14+ km and then I walked two stations to see what the Jiyuugaoka shops had for future cake-offs.

Though both these cakes were losers in the first round, I reported them as still great. Starting on them, though they were definitely good, it was not immediately obvious that they were great, so I had to adjust my strategy with the first half of each cake of alternating between small bites of each to larger bites continuously of each, which worked for recognizing their greatness. Le Plaisir is a little subtle, having lots of cream, so you need enough to get a good experience of the flavor. I'm going to go with the Framboise Chocolat, though, which is ironic in the usual way of contradicting what I just wrote earlier in the week about having a brownie bottom is a bad idea (though this has a couple thinner layers, unlike a brownie, which makes a difference).

Even though I still have to get to Tentation Chocolat as a priority, my next 2nd-round cake off will be between two former winners, which is more interesting. However, I've got a couple recent new great cakes that I'd like to do a first-round with, so I'll see whether I can manage that, even though I'm not going to be able to start any earlier than this week. On the plus side, both target shops open later and are closer, and one has multiple branches, so I can try a different location if I fail at the first.

Bien-être: Chocolat Cuit

Had a run to Bien-être, though I did it past Harajuku Station so that I could confirm a neighborhood route by Sendagaya 3 Play Park, which is a long way for very little but I'm slow building up other neighborhoods (found a church I missed near the American Embassy and another spot where the same neighborhood map needed correcting). The run was about 70 minutes and covered 10+ km.

In Bien-être I went with simple: the Chocolat Cuit, baked flourless chocolate cake (with whipped cream). I thought this was great, melt in your mouth cake that I don't have often enough. Now I want to know whether Viron's chocolate cake is better.

Pierre Hermé: Fraisier Pistache

Pierre Hermé started their next line-up today. I went to Isetan thinking that they wouldn't anything new to me, since the web page was not updated last night, but it turned out that not only did they have 4 of their next "feature" (based on passion fruit and pineapple), but 4 strawberry ones that I've never gotten around to. The later group is still not on their website, so I might have to update the name later. Fortunately, I could find an old webpage with the full recipe so I know what's in it. The base is "la dacquoise pistache", which I should have recognized immediately, since I've made it (not this well or this particular recipe, as far as I know, but more of as, as a standard type). The cream is "la crème mousseline pistache". I've had much too sweet fruity candy recently, so this sweet but not too sweet strawberry and pistachio dessert had the flavor and the elegance that I've been craving, so it is easy for me to say that it is great. I'm see whether I can get it into a cake-off before it disappears (I let the Tarte Infiniment Mandarin slip away).

The run was similarly informative. I went down to the southwest part of my completely neighborhood map and found that one of the Akasaka loops doesn't work, because there's a signal light in the way of where I need to cross the street, but it was mostly redundant (under looser rules of being across the street from a landmark is close enough) so I deleted it and just had to extend a couple other parts slightly. I'll keep practicing and get it right eventually.

Lindt: Montreux

Got a second cake from Lindt, in North Aoyama and then traced Omotesandou Doori on the older route minus a loop and missing one turn and then made a second try in the future Tougou Shrine and SDA Tokyo Central Church neighborhood. The shrine is fine, but without backtracking, there's no avoiding crowds visiting the church because it's behind the Meiji Doori Omotesandou intersection, which is usually going to be too crowded fro running. I started running faster than recently but of course was slowed down in Harajuku carring cake. I walked the last 800 m or so, as I had already run 61 minutes.

The cake was Montreux, which is a pecan brownie base with a layer of caramel chocolate mousse (though a pretty thick one) with mascarpone cheese flavored with vanilla. The vanilla cheese part is definitely good, but the rest drags it down. Not sure that a brownie is every going to work for me as a cake base, but this certainly does. I'm going to be generous and say it was at least good (rather than just okay), but there's no huge hurry for the third cake.

Toshi Yoroizuka: Jungfrau

Yesterday, I did reconnaissance for cakes I had planned doing a cake-off with today, as well as other visits which did not give any new information. Along the way, in a park, I ate a Croissant from Bigarreaux that was fluffy but with a sugar coating on the outside, I think. This was done by bicycle over about 3 hours. In the afternoon, I did an hour or so of neighborhood running, but it's a little hazy now, but the photo evidence is that I was working on the east part.

Today, I started in the opposite direction but realized before crossing Meiji Doori that I didn't have enough cash with me for a cake-off. That made me reevaluate what my priority should be and instead I explored a proposed western Harajuku route first before swinging back to the extreme southeast neighborhoods (running the opposite direction as yesterday) and finding that I really don't know that route well yet, so I'll have to work on it more this week (at least one day will be Isetan, so that shouldn't be a problem, except that it is a little far even going the most direct route). I ended at Midtown, after about 90 minutes of running, and mostly walked back with a Jungfrau, which seems to be a Swiss version of a Mont-Blanc, though I don't know what's in it besides the usual whipped cream under chestnut paste and chestnuts. Inside the cream were pieces of actual cake sponge, which I think were the source of a ginger flavor. The base was a very interesting meringue cookie, very thick (around 1 cm at most), which was baked to a quite dark outside but white on the inside. It was definitely good but not really good enough to keep Toshi Yoroizuka in the top 7. Before I officially demote them, though, I'll see whether either of the top contenders, Bien-être or Éclat des Jours, can do as well with the same number of cakes.

Cake-off: Yoroizuka's Saint Marc over 14 Juillet's Au Lait Noix

Before I get to the cake off, Friday I went for about a 70 minute run, first to Shima to get a pastry, then tracing the Sophia University Link, most of the Hrakawachou Loop clockwise, and then most of the Nagatachou Loop clockwise and everything looked good except that I had to move where I cross the road from the St. Ignatius Catholic Church side to the park side, neither of which

I've labeled on the Neighborhood Running Map yet. At Shima, I got the Brioche Praliné Rose as a pastry, but I'm not sure that this qualifies, versus sweet bread (the French Wikipédia entry says its "une viennoiserie", but this includes puff pastry, which is mainly what I mean, whereas I lump tarts in with cakes, though this is more due to the broad types of things called "cake" in patisseries). Anyway, it was good, but not a pastry. I also took some pictures of where the HIrakawachou Loop passes through Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho.

For Saturday, I ran two hours, one each from noon and about 6 pm. I wanted to try again at the last cake-off and also hit all the Tokyo/Ginza area shops, where I didn't find any cake I was look before besides the two for the cake-off (which had been available pre-Christmas, so it wasn't a huge surprise to find them).

This was Toshi Yoroizuka's Saint Marc and 14 Juillet Tokyo's Au Lait Noix (written as "Noa"). There is some orange in the saint-marc, but basically this was two milk chocolate mousse/cream cakes. Still happy with both and it was hard to decide until the end, by which time I was really impressed by Saint Marc. I don't really need the extra incentive to visit Toshi Yoroizuka again for a new cake, but it's fine if I have it.

The running was along Roppongi, where I took a few photos to add, where I discovered the no-stopping connection to Midtown hills, so I should use those two as a bridge to east Akasaka rather than going to Akasaka Palace. At night, I could do Aoyama and Akasaka courses correctly with referring to my map but also decided where I was going to simplify them, so lots of map revisions to do and new courses I need to verify before I can do my next big neighborhood run (I want to do 60 km next).

My plan for tomorrow is cycling for cake reconnaissance and a pastry. If they are available, I'll try my first second-round cake-off on Monday (a national holiday).

Bien-être: Serge

Had a longish run (70+ min) with quite a bit of walking, as I detoured to see what a Jinguumae 1 loop would look like. Even though the big shrine there was busy due to New Year visits, that part was no trouble, but standard holiday (for many people) Harujuku (the not-so-old name for the neighborhood) crowds make running around the SDA Tokyo Central Church difficult. I'll give up on crossing the central shopping street at anywhere but the main road (Meiji-doori), which is also crowded but doesn't have so many people lined up for crepes or hawking whatever the big African dudes are (sportswear, I think).

As I often do, I ate in at Bien-être (my timing was good, as a table opened up while I was waiting to order) and got Serge, which is chocolate cream, hazelnut cream, chocolate ganache base, and almond biscuit. It's the kind of thing that attracts me and yet usually disappoints me. This was definitely good, much like the Tops cake the previous day, but more interesting since it had more going on, but not really at the level that I hoped for, in terms of my own tastes.

Probably I should give cake a rest tomorrow (though it's been only two days in a row, so I'm tempted to do a second visit to Lindt) since there is a three-day weekend coming up and I'd like to get the first cake-off of the year in, if not two, and visit Toshi Yoroizuka (though I can do that on a weekday).

Tops: Chocolate Cake

Back from New Year travel and did a lot of running Wednesday, more than 2 hours, and there was some walking around too. I had intended to practice some of the newer courses to learn them, such as Akasaka, but my phone failed on me. I thought I had messed up my Google maps online, but apparently my phone was just disconnected from the network and needed a reboot. I did get a couple pictures of new places for the neighborhood map and then went and found out when Toshi Yoroizuka and Bien-être would open up again by physically going to their shops (at least they are willing to post information on their doors, even if not online). In the evening, I was at Isetan again and got something that I haven't had for several years and figured I should review, Tops' Chocolate Cake. Actually, I'm not sure what cake of theirs that I've had in the past, as it was many years ago. This is a layer cake of chocolate cream and sponge, with some walnuts, but they are very mild. It's definitely good cake, though not my kind of thing (either, milk chocolate or sponge), so I don't expect to be back soon (plus, the smallest cake is a two-person size).

Henri Charpentier: The Shortcake & Honey Lemon Rare Cheese

No running, but was in Isetan last Friday and was asked who had (strawberry) short cake. Not my thing, so I wasn't really prepared (or I would have suggested one of a couple other places), but figured that was exactly what Henri Charpentier was for and of course they were well supplied. As a second cake, I choose the Honey Lemon Rare Cheese. Despite not regarding them so highly these were both high-quality definitely good cakes. I particular liked the cheesecake, which bordered on excellent, though there's a lot of competition in these rare cheesecake category, so I think I'll stick with good. So if their line-up looks appealing to you, then I wouldn't discouraging you from these maybe more traditional/conventional fresh cakes.

Il Fait Jour: Montblanc

I'm a week behind, due to the New Year holiday. Running was just local trying to memorize the local course. For cake, I took advantage of Il Fait Jour visiting Isetan. I mostly know them for their tart-like cakes, and I've had mostly excellent ones, but went with the Montblanc (I remember one of the other options was a chocolate mousse done, which I had had recently). This cake has a different look, but tasted like a pretty basic mont-blanc. It was just good, which is fine but of course disappointing.