Cake-off: Frédéric Cassel's Breteuil over Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne

Since yesterday was a hard running day (which isn't causing any particular problems other than general fatigue), I planned a lighter day today. I did my 25-minute weights indoor upper-body workout and then went out to Ginza Mitsukoshi by bicycle. I was prepared to get JPH's standard chocolate cake and then go on to a little shop for a third-round match of one-and-one cakes, but Frédéric Cassel was selling their standard version Breteuil again, so I got that and the Feuille d'Automne from the neighboring Lenôtre counter for a third-round match of shops from the winner's bracket, at match-up that had been delayed. I took them home, and after a little other morning shopping, I did the cake-off before the running (or lunch), figuring that after a long run I'm not actually a good judge of cake.

The smooth fruity pistachio nuttiness of Breteuil easily won. Fortunately, Feuille d'Automne is an excellent companion cake, with a simple mild chocolate flavor with a lot of sweet and texture (though I definitely want tea with it to cut the sweetness, even alternating with a creamy cake).

That's the last of this year's cake-off. Recapping the year, the 11 undefeated cakes after three rounds are the following:
Au Bon Vieux Temps' Marjolaine;
Éclat des Jours's Baked Cheesecake;
Frédéric Cassel's Breteuil, Inspiration Passion Framboise, & Tan Gram;
Jean-Paul Hévin's Mont-Blanc;
Paris S'éveille's Monsieur Arnaud, Saint Honoré Caramel, & Theatre;
Toshi Yoroizuka's Saint-Marc;
Yu Sasage's Perfum.
I look forward to pitting them against each other next year for a fourth round.

Worked on the neighborhood course, but didn't actually successfully do any loops. I was only out about 2.75 hours and took a number of pictures down around Aobadai area, where I've never actually learned the route and have only been crossing through them perpendicular to their orientation. Only had to make a could adjustments and hope to try tomorrow.

Viron: Tropézienne

Still trying to catch up. I went out Thursday for cake, running and it ended up being a long run. I was trying to get a new cake from F. Cassel in Mitsukoshi Ginza, but no cake. JPH had a little, but nothing new. Lenôtre  had just Concerto (lots of them). There was one counter there I would have taken a new cake from, but also no cake there. I forgot about Ladurée, on the 2nd floor, but checked out Ginza 6 and came up with nothing from two shops (though no surprise for the soon closing Origines Cacao). Anyway, Viron is a top priority and hasn't rotated new cakes in so quickly, so even though I had just bought two days before, I went back (though in Marunouchi) and got one of the two I had seen before the brief Christmas cake takeover: Tropézienne. This is a brioche-based cake (easy for them, since they're a bakery) with custard cream using Échiré butter, fresh orange, and some sort of liquor (I would guess orange). Definitely not my usual thing, and not what I as expecting (since I wasn't paying close attention), but it worked for me and was excellent.

Friday, I did not get cake, but worked on neighborhood course loops and completed another one.

Saturday, I tried my biggest loop counterclockwise for the seventh time and got much farther, about 3/4 before I got to a point where I didn't remember what to do and made the wrong turn (there are two similar sharp corners and on the first one I should have gone straight after the sharp turn, but thought I needed to turn off). It was okay though and I'm willing to leave it at that for now. It was a 3.5 h run with relatively few stops. I added three sites afterward and revised the map slightly in ways that will hopefully be easy to remember on the next run: just slight detours. On the way I tried two pastries and had better luck than the previous week. First, Path Cafe was not mobbed at 09:00 on the Saturday before New Years and I could get a (the one) Pain au Chocolat. This fresh-baked pastry was actually very soft inside, which usually I would not respect, but fresh, it was melt in my mouth delicious, which I definitely respect. I suppose it was great, but really this is my first experience this is fresh a pain au chocolat. Maybe next year, I'll bet able to get a fresh Croissant without a 30-minute wait.

The other stop was after failure, I stopped at Levain and got their Butter Croissant. This seems to be a multigrain pastry (I didn't read beyond the name), in keeping with their theme. Actually, for including "butter" in the name, less buttery than average, but what great layering throughout. It's more of a super dinner role than a pastry, but its definitely something special, so I have to rate it at least excellent. I look forward to getting something else from them as well.

 

Coffee Parlor Hilltop: Laque Noir

The night of Christmas Day, I ran to Coffee Parlor Hilltop, where they had their normal cakes and no crowd, though some one came after me to buy, so they are getting some customers since reopening. This time and was more energetic and ran all the way back. As my cake, I choose Laque Noir, because it looked great, even if the composition is not very promising for me. Namely chocolate mousse, with fruit (potentially too much), and with a chocolate glaze. I dealt with it though. I look chocolate, and mousse, though just mousse can be a texture problem. I chilled it down to 1 degC, so it least started out sufficient firm to be control able. I also avoided putting the glazing directly on my tough, since I was correct that I was not appreciating the Laque(r) part of it, but it worked fine how I ate it. And the orange was not too much and harmonized fairly gently with the chocolate. I'm rating it excellent, so this shop is in good shape to get promoted. There are a couple shops already in the exceptional group that I'd like to hit first though, so I can wait for the sixth cake.

Viron: Petit Bûche

Christmas Eve, I went to Viron, my highest priority shop (among places with new cakes available), in Shibuya, since that's on the middle three loops (formerly 5 loops) that I'm reconfirming now. I didn't want to do the loop in the middle first or do more than one loop running with cake, so after getting cake (which came, while I was waiting, with a sample of hot wine, a little more than maybe I should have taken, but it served as my snack for this run), I crossed the street and finished off the sleaziest loop, running clockwise the Dougenzaka--Maruyamachou--Shinsenchou loop, which is now part of the Southwest Shibuya Stn. clump, making it almost 15 km long.

The Shibuya Viron shop is open until 22:00, which is why I choose it, because I knew I'd be busy until about  20:00. All they had were Christmas cakes, but they had a couple choices. I looked at what was probably chocolate mousse on the outside and fruit inside and decided that was a dangerous combination (it doesn't take much fruit for a bad balance), and was attracted by hazelnuts and praliné, Petit Bûche. It was very traditional, in it's way. Good but not exciting and the frosting falls off easily, since it's pretty firm and chosen for keeping the log texture.

Lenôtre: Carré Fraise

For Monday, I went from the priority shop I missed last week, down to getting Christmas cakes from JPH, though from the same department store: Lenôtre at Ginza Mitsukoshi. They were sold out of most things, which is good: they are catching on enough that they should be able to continue. They had lots of Carré Fraise, a new cake among the red fruit cakes introduced for Christmas. Like the Carré Orange, this was a dense traditional (think eastern Europe) cake with just ganache as the decadent part, only fruit instead of chocolate or just butter and nuts, which works well, especially as something different. I can say that this is excellent, so Lenôtre stays far above the pack of exceptional shops, ready to be promoted with Origines Cacao closes and three levels of shops get to promote their top shop. I was a little lazy, as I only ran there and mostly walked back, though I did do the indoor weights workout, I think (if I'm remembering correctly the sequence).

Cake-off: Pierre Hermé's 2000 Feuille over Jean-Paul Hévin's Duja Pistache

Finally blogging about last weekend. This time's cake-off was a little challenging, because everywhere is busy with Christmas cakes. I figured department stores were my best bet. Originally, as the next cake-off, I had wanted to the Origines Cacao's Tart Citron, but when I visited on Wednesday, they didn't have it so I asked whether it was just sold out for the day or had finished its run. The latter was true, not just for the season but forever, as the counter will close Jan 15th (there was I sign which I confirmed later). If I understood the answer to my next question, the Jiyuugaoka main shop will also close, so that's it for the rising star of my list and maybe the most visited shop this year. I do not expect any more new cakes from there, so that leaves me only three priority shops which now don't need to replace something to get promoted, they just need not to get passed from behind as they move fill in the chain of gaps.

Back to the actual cake-off, where I had no trouble getting Duja Pistache from the Ginza Mitsukoshi Jean-Paul Hévin, location because of minimal line and I expected to get cake from LaDuree on the 2nd floor, but a cake I've always seen over several years was out of the line-up, hopefully just for Christmas. So I took the train to Isetan where I expected to see a couple standards of Pierre Hermé's but only found the 2000 Feuille, their praliné mille-feuille. Fortunately, it was great and I appreciated the lack of custard or cream interfering with my appreciation of the pastry, as well as just enjoying the praliné. The mousse chocolate Duga P was still great, but they have a lot of great mousse cakes and I wasn't feeling particularly attached to this one on Saturday.

The run to Ginza was pretty minimal, so I went out later again to do neighborhood run loops. I failed at the Dougenzaka--Maruyamachou--Shinsenchou loop when I forgot what the next site was and couldn't remember why I should or should not turn at the Natural Lawson. I made up for it by getting the revised Kamiyama-chou--Tomigaya--Udagawa-chou loop (for the new Shibuya LaDuree). On the way, I got some missing photographs and saw a new shop open on Aoyama-doori Ave. (on the already established route).

Sunday, I tried again to do the current version of the Daita--Daizawa--Hatagaya--Kamiyama-chou--Kitazawa--Motoyoyogi-chou--Nishihara--Ooyama-chou--Shouto--Tomigaya--Uehara loop counterclockwise. I got slightly farther than last time, which took about 2.5 hours, and then ran anther half hour to a pizza buffet that I'm still trying to work off. On the way, I tried two fresh pastries. One was the Natural Lawson across from Yoyogi-Hachiman Stn. which I turned my nose up at last time, as they were all wrapped. But at least they wrap them fancy, with part paper (which should be good for excess moisture), so I tried a Mini Cinnamon Danish, which was reasonably good, so they stay on the map.

The next pastry was 1 hour later when I circled back to one station over at Yoyogi-Uehara and I got a Bear Cub Claw from the Little Mermaid. (It was a late start and the good shops are crowded, so I was aiming low on this run.) This was as close as I could get to a pastry, but I should have gone for the donut, as this was just too white, though at least the chocolate hazelnut filling was not bad. It wasn't raw, just I think they don't use much butter or bake it very long, so its sort of a Wonderbread version of a pastry. Okay, but never again.

Jean-Paul Hévin: Bûchette Hope

Last Thursday, probably again working late, I skipped Isetan and Marunouchi and went straight to Ginza Mitsukoshi by bicycle to get Bûchette Hope, the individual version of the most expensive of the regular sized Christmas cakes (probably because of the decoration ball not on the individual) of Jean-Paul Hévin. Based on descriptions of the full-sized cakes, the top chocolate mousse is Ecuadorean bitter chocolate, next is crème brûlée using Tahitian vanilla beans and a little timut pepper, then the same chestnut and almond biscuit as Bûchette Lichen, then a flour-less chocolate biscuit, and finally a chestnut powder sablé, hazelnuts, and caramel flavored chocolate croustillante. Like the previous day, a relatively crunch/dry cake that is a nice change while still being decadent chocolate. It's easy to say it's a great cake, though it will never get a chance to be in a cake-off. I'll have to wait until next year to see what new Christmas cakes they offer.

At home, I did the indoor workout with weights.

Friday, I did a neighborhood run course, the new Dougenzaka--Maruyamachou--Shinsenchou loop, which merges two new loops. On the way to shopping I discovered a LaDuree salon behind the Bunkamura in Shibuya, not even on Google maps yet, so I had to revise the Kamiyama-chou--Tomigaya--Udagawa-chou loop again. That led to noticing that the Jinnan loops should be merged, which meant the new loop needed to be put in a clump, which has let to a shape up of a few clumps and discovering that the Minami-Aoyama 3&4 loop was linked to the wrong loop. I still have one more clump to fix before it's all sorted out.

Jean-Paul Hévin: Bûchette Lichen

I'm way behind, but here goes. By last Wednesday, I had noticed that the individual versions of Jean-Paul Hévin's Christmas cakes were available, so I went hunting. I tried Isetan first, where there was a line (not necessarily for cake), but when I got a chance to ask, I found out that they were sold out, so I left. It was still early enough for me to go by bicycle to the Marunouchi shop, where they didn't have either and I didn't ask, so I went to Ginza Mitsukoshi, where they had both, not too much to my surprise (they are never as busy there). I went with Bûchette Lichen first because they only had one compared to several of the other, so I figured next time the other would still be easier to get, which would turn out to be true.

There is a full-sized version that has a fuller explanation of the layers, so I'm going to assume that they are the same, since the pictures match. The top (and sides of the big cake) is Venezuelan chocolate mousse, then Ethiopian café au lait mousse, a chestnut and almond biscuit, a chocolate and marzipan biscuit, and a cinnamon sablé base. So a high proportion of hard biscuit-type things, flour-less. The problem is the coffee, but I knew that going in. I really like this harder, drier cake as a change and I could accept the café au lait as an interesting flavor and enjoy it. There wasn't even a coffee aftertaste problem for me this time. However, it still left a burning feeling in my stomach, if not my mouth, so I still need to avoid coffee and have to rate it as only excellent.

Besides the bicycling, I did my indoor non-weights workout, which was enough.

Viron: Bourgogne

Went to the next in the list of priority shops: Viron. I went to the shop down in the Shibuya Stn. area, since I wanted to (and did) run the Jinguumae 5&6 loop counterclockwise, to confirm the recent revision. That leaves one revised loop reconfirm (at least until next time I go exploring). I got Bourgogne, which is mousse  of cassis and strawberry in win, a cassis mousse cover, and cinnamon cream. The outer cassis jelly dominated, though I could taste the cinnamon and win influence. For me, it was just okay. I took this as the most conventional thing sold as cake, but I probably should have known that it wouldn't suit me. Still, I don't know until I try. Still, one new cake that doesn't impress me doesn't stop them from being a high priority shop, for now. As a note on the picture, this is what happens when you take a full running carrying cake. It actually survived pretty well. I only had to rescue the currant from the roof of the box and wipe off the Viron marker and little bit.

Origines Cacao: Cassis Vanille

Worked late, but still got to Ginza in time to get the last Cassis Vanille from Origines Cacao, which I think catches me up with their current line-up. Forget to check on cakes for the next cake-off, so I should stop back and ask about both new cakes and that if I manage to get out there again during the week (I'll have two chances, but I'm busy). In terms of construction, I would say that I don't like this type of cake, with sponge wrapped around a soft filling, and yet it worked for me this time, with a really nice vanilla accented by the cassis. I might be favoring them, but I'm calling this one excellent, so they're still a priority shop. Ran most of the way back, I'll say, though not after I stopped the first time for groceries. Also did the indoor upper body weights workout, so just running tomorrow, somewhere that closes late.

Cake-off: Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné over Paris S'éveille's Le Suprême

Sunday, I fit in some running and cake. In the morning to early afternoon, I ran down to Jiyuugaoka and got Le Suprême from Paris S'éveille's for a third-round cake for the runner-up bracket (the one and one shops after two rounds). Stopped off on the way back to get the special-time Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné, which was my main focus, though I still have another month before it's scheduled to be replaced. While at Paris S'éveille's, I got a snack to last me until lunch, their Croissant Orange, as a fresh viennoiserie. It was great, as I remembered. Some time I need to do a match up with the great croissant from Sadaharu Aoki, since these may be the only two great croissants I know of.

Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné easily won, as it is decadent combination of chocolate coating, praliné, and meringue. I'm having my doubts about needing to sample Le Suprême, though I'll get a fourth round at least. The flavor combination of blueberry and chocolate is definitely nice and not something I have other exams of, but it's just a mousse cake with some glazing and chocolate that isn't that well integrated into the cake (though I guess it protects it from sticking to the box, and it was somewhat successful, though it doesn't stick to cake well either). Still, I enjoyed both cakes, so no disappointment.

In the evening, I went down and did the Jinguumae 5&6 loop clockwise. Note that there is illumination up on Omotesandou-douri Ave., so they close the pedestrian footbridges for safety (otherwise, people would crowd up there, and they aren't that wide or seem to be that rugged) and station cops at the crosswalks to keep people from standing too long in the street taking pictures, which I didn't try to do.

Mariage Frères: blueberry cassis tea tart and figgy pudding

Saturday, went to a fancy café around the corner north of Ginza Mitsukoshi. It's their "new" tea salon, being only 2 years old. It was good, but maybe not high return on cost, though it depends how much you value atmosphere. For an older crowd than my typical choices. It was lunch and cake for two and the cake was from the base choices (versus any of the items requiring an extra expense). I went with a blueberry tart with a base of cassis and some sort of tea (like every dessert there) that I've forgotten. Not sure whether these had official names, so I'm sticking to descriptions.

The other dessert chosen was figgy pudding, which is like fruitcake without the cake, I found. Both were certainly good, though once with figgy pudding was enough, though it cake whipped cream, which at least makes it fresh as a café dessert.

Coffee Parlor Hilltop: Biscuit Chocolat

Visited the newly reopened Coffee Parlor Hilltop. Now, cake is sold out of a counter off the hotel lobby rather than directly from the cafe, which is looking posher. I'm fine with that arrangement. Didn't see my favorite cake from there, but there was a reasonable selection even late. I went with the Biscuit Chocolat, which seems to be all chocolate, though in different forms, from a coating, plate, ganache, and cream. Not not sure but they didn't sneak in some coffee, but maybe I just scalded my green tea. I should have let it warm up more, but still it was at least definitely good and I've decided to say that it's excellent, as I approved of the construction and it was good chocolate, so they are still at the top of the quite fine shops and might move into the exceptional ones. I might end up at the same four shops next week, though it will depend on what I get to this weekend whether I'm looking for that many cakes during the week.

Lenôtre: Carré Orange

After a long day of work, caught Lenôtre on their last day at Isetan. Only two fresh cakes left, but one was their specialty, which is great, and the other was the one that I was most interested in, the Carré Orange, which I got. This cake seems to be what you see is what you get, though I wouldn't be surprised if there is something that makes it somewhat granular, like finely chopped coconut, not that I noticed a particular coconut taste. Plenty moist despite not having any hidden cream, jelly, or sauce. I probably wouldn't want this kind of cake a lot, as I like my decadent cakes with chocolate sheets and nuts, but I enjoyed the change and will call this excellent, so the shop remains a challenger to the bottom of the quite exceptional cakes.

Running was neighborhood loops out east, same as last one, and I successfully did the same four counterclockwise, but I revised the largest one to use a path provided by the Mori building to cut the southeast corner.

Origines Cacao: Noisette Chocolat

Simple run to Ginza and back. Rain started while I was getting cake, but I had heavy jacket in my bag with a hood, which was enough for the light rain, even in December Tokyo. It was time for Origines Cacao's 25th cake, but still a few cakes behind it's new superb category's target level, as well as dominating the quite superb category, though averaged over a lot few categories, so it's got a long way to go to get promoted again, but today's cake was excellent, which keeps it in the running for now. There were two new cakes, and I was focused on the Noisette Chocolat, though the other was marked seasonal, so I should have picked it. Note disappointed though. Very nice chocolate and hazelnut mousse cake.

Viron:Tarte au Chocolat

Tried the Daita-... loop again, having just updated it. I failed again counterclockwise, but quite a bit further along than any previous attempt, in Kitazawa 3, which might be half way, though still outbound on the larger southern section that is maybe two-thirds of this route (my next map update might make it easier to quickly clarify that) and at a point that I modified during attempts clockwise, so at one point in time my left turn would have been correct. I wasn't so disappointed, as this is my biggest challenge and I expect I'll be trying it one way or another for a long time, so I'll keep alternating with other routes. I continued on, though not necessarily all running, to Kitazawa 2, to confirm in person the last revisions around there and take photos. 

Extra snacks were only on the way back (besides a couple Calorie Mates cookies). I got a Pain au Chocolat from the Crossroad Bakery inside the laundromat in Uehara along the main east-west road by The University of Tokyo's Komaba Campus, which I think has either mathematics or economics. The outside of this pastry was really well layered, as shown, but the inside had soft white layers, which usually makes me think they are lazy, but actually I can see where this works and I should be appreciating the different textures, since the inside wasn't raw or bread-like: excellent, even if not my ideal.

I decided early on that Viron would be on my way back, since they are one of 4 shops in four different shop categories challenging a shop in the category above them. Before that, I wanted confirm a coffee shop, but that took me through the sleazier parts of Dougenzaka, where I found a tiny park. It's hard to believe this is a real public park, but it's got the signs to prove it, so that destroys two loops, since I think I'll merge the Maruyamachou--Shinsenchou and Dougenzaka loops to fit this in, though I haven't done that yet.

At Viron, I got a Tarte au Chocolat for home and their huge Croissant for eating just outside. The latter was fluffier than I usually like, and yet they seemed to completely nail what they were after and it wasn't bread-like, so I'll have to say that this also was excellent.

On the way home with cake, I stopped by the Flipper's Stand near Harujuku Station and confirmed take-out that qualifies them being on the map, so once again I'm revising the Jinguumae 5&6 loop to add something. At least during the main run I detoured to get the Tomigaya loop clockwise, so I have something achieved, however trivial.

Chocolate tarts are inherently limited, but Viron's seem well made and with good chocolate, so I can rate it as an excellent 17th cake, which leaves them still a challenger for the superb category, though they've got a lot of cake to go to join Origines Cacao there.

Cake-off: Origines Cacao's Mont-Blanc Japonais over Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne Rouge

I'm late for the usual reason: I've got absorbed in updating my map, and now I've decided to change the way I update it to make future updates more automatic, supposedly, or at least the calculations involved.

First, Friday was no cake, but I did some neighborhood running course work, confirming two revised loops: the revised Jinnan and new Uwada-chou loops, both on the far side of Yamanote Line between Shibuya and Harajuku stations. Along the way I also noticed a new shop advertising macarons along the north side of Cat Street, Remicone, but fortunately it's already on that neighborhood's course, so no updated required.

The next day was a cake-off day, despite my not being able to get an early start (though I did a weights indoor workout), since I trusted Ginza sources not to run out even if I didn't arrive by noon. I confirmed a couple sites in Akasaka don't need to be on my map (they advertise fresh-baked bread, but it's already in plastic bags in the morning, so not worth my interest).

The cakes were great cakes from earlier in the week, since I'm otherwise up to date on any pair of great cakes available without a loss in the same round. It was Origines Cacao's Mont-Blanc Japonais and Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne Rouge. I noticed this time that the mont-blanc bears some similarity to JPH's, which is my top mont-blanc in that the meringue in the middle is perhaps almond (since it's got that kind of color). It's still great I don't get tired of it. Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne Rouge wasn't disappointing, but there's a lot of chocolate that breaks into pieces, making it difficult to cut and eat efficiently. I might try a different strategy next time.

Evening running (since the Ginza running didn't amount to much) was in the area between Yotsuya, Kojimachi, Akasaka, and Tameike-Sannou stations and managed all four clockwise (changing one loop after the fact).

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).

Sadaharu Aoki, Paris-Brest Chocolat

Wednesday, I went to Isetan to pick up my already reserved Paris-Brest Chocolat, though this time they had extras in stock, even though I arrived significantly later: the newness has worn off. As with their last "Paris-Brest", it is not a Paris-Brest, but rather a cream puff with some hazelnut praliné cream. Then even called it a choux cream when they brought it to me, so they know, but so did I going in. It was good, but pretty mild, as chocolate and praliné don't really stack well, as it were. They just changed over the new cakes, so I'll have to wait at least a little before any specials appear. There are a couple cakes with fairly short and unpredictable line-up times that I'm watching for.

For exercise, I tried some of the revised Sendagaya loops, confirming one, failing one, and getting one way for one, so maybe I'll hit them again tomorrow, as well a couple farther away, as I'll have more time.

Lenôtre, Feuille d'Automne Rouge

Tuesday, I failed again to get cake at Sadaharu Aoki, but reserved a piece to guarantee on Wednesday (as long as work didn't run too long). So once again I ran to Ginza, this time for Mitsukoshi and a cake for winning a cake-off. Since the winner was Feuille d'Automne, it seemed reasonable to get the Feuille d'Automne Rouge from Lenôtre, which is a raspberry version for Christmas. Ran both ways, this time, just to get home earlier, as I still had the indoor workout with weights to do.

As it happens, adding raspberry was in no way a bad idea, and this was a second new great cake in two days, as I had hoped. Both are seasonal, so I know what the next cake-off should be, since I don't have any other pairs of undefeated cakes ready to go. Guess I know where I'll go next Tuesday: Isetan (where Lenôtre is visiting for the week, or at least I assume that it's the regular week, though I better check, as Christmas disrupts the usual schedule).

Origines Cacao: Mont-Blanc Japonais

Failed to get the new cake of Sadaharu Aoki from Isetan, so I went to Ginza. Normally, I wouldn't go to Origines Cacao so soon, but they are holding up FC, who has new cakes, and there is only one new cake from Origines Cacao to try, so I figured it might take a few tries (even as it is looking like getting SA's new cake is going to take a few tries, but I'm free Thursday afternoon, so certainly by then). And I was successful and got the Mont-Blanc Japonais (corrected), actually the first mont-blanc I've ever gotten from there, as the 24th new cake. I mostly walked it back because I was using the big bag and because I planned (and did) the non-weights indoor workout when I got home.

This was another great mont-blanc, and again I'm not sure why other then just pure simplicity and I could have kept eating more, and yet it was different from the last great mont-blanc (it will be interesting if they get to face off against each other). The Japanese chestnut is milder than the standard import, which should work for someone like me who isn't that into the strong flavor, but that hasn't proved true until this one.

I'm going to officially call it and promote Origines Cacao to the superb category, knocking down poor Bien-Étre to quite exceptional, so they need a cake-off win to get a visit from me (though, speaking of mont-blanc, they have a great one that hasn't had a third-round match). Also, now Origines Cacao is slightly dominated both quite superb shops, though will only half the cakes, so they are a long way from that promotion. Still, it means, I should hold of on FC at least, whose slightly below SA. Also, now that the superb shops are resolved (and Viron's dropped slightly), I should get a new cake from Paris S. Wish now that I had paid closer attention to new cakes when I was there yesterday. Maybe that's where I'll go Thursday, though I can put that off while I visit the returned Hilltop Coffee Parlor and go there Saturday.

Cake-off: Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne over Jean-Paul Hévin's Duja Pistache

Sunday, I finally got to the next cake-off. I started off toward Au Bon Vieux Temps a little after 8 am, which is not that early, since they open at 9 am. Still, I felt that I didn't have to arrive so early and I wanted to check out a couple things along the way. For example, I confirmed that I could do the revised Sendagaya central and south loops clockwise, though I altered the latter after the fact (the length looks the same and it eliminates two turns). Took a picture of the cake shop I found on Google. No sign, so I'm not sure that they actually sell things from there (though it does look like there is something on the table on the left), but there's a window where they could do, so maybe. Someone was in there working even that early, and poked his head out a second to see what I was doing. With those looks, it made for a long run, so I arrived maybe 10 am and, no surprise, they not longer are making their blue cheese cake (it seemed seasonal, but I had no definitely information and I've had other seasonal cakes from more prominent shops to deal with).

Still, I was hungry (I had only had one energy cookie), so I got a Pain au Chocolat there. It's pretty well done, as these breads go, but that's not a bad thing and this qualifies as excellent. The croissants were already sold out, but there were some other more elaborate things that might count as pastries that I could try in the future.

I was going to take the train straight to Mitsukoshi Ginza, but I missed the crossing due to a train going the other way and would have waited for the next local, so I ran two stations (not that far, in this case) to see what the shops near Jiyuugaoka had. Now I'm not sure whether PS still has the Giverny, which is not an immediate problem, though Dalloyau has definitely retired the L'Echiquier from individual cakes, which reduces the chance I'll get another cake from them. I think their reputation as a superb shop depends on a cakes made by a chef who's moved on, though at least they still make their Formage Cru and Croquant Fraise.

I was successful at getting one planned cake and the backup, where they know me well. I confirmed that FC had some new cakes, but the just returned Breteuil seems to been changed from chocolate to white chocolate coating, which is a mixed blessing. Also, since I was in the neighborhood within an hour of opening, I stopped by Sadaharu Aoki to sample their Croissant Chocolat again (also, I was really hungry, and almost asleep on my feet), and it was definitely fresher and definitely excellent. I can't say for sure it was great, but I liked it more than the Matcha (which seemed too sweet). Also I confirmed what cake was back in the line up through February (but I've already done three rounds and it's not enough of a winner to be a priority) and one new cake that I hope to get to this week.

The cake-off was a second round for two cakes from the winners, Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne and Jean-Paul Hévin's Duja Pistache. Sorry JPH, but the combination of L's meringue and different textures of chocolate was a clear winner. Sadly, I don't have anything to match it for the next round yet (if I'm correct about Breteuil being replaced). Happily, there is a Rouge version available for this season as the reward cake that I'll be able to try this week (the brand does not seem established enough to sell out much). Not sure whether the Duga Pistache is seasonal, so it will have to wait. Actually, someone had posted on Twitter a Sicile from L'abricotier just after the shop told me that they we're making it, so I went out there by bicycle (I decided I was too tired to do more neighborhood loops) and, as I expected, the photo did not reflect reality. If I track down which person, I'll probably un-follow them, though actually they were reporting on a cake in the foreground.

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.

Éclat des Jours: Shortcake

Went in the rain by bicycle to Éclat des Jours. I could have used a little warmer clothes, but was fine. I went early for the selection, but decided on a standard cake that I had been avoiding, their Shortcake. This cake is on the top row with the cream puffs and is only 400 yen before tax (not that other cakes are that expensive), so it's getting special treatment, maybe as a staple of Japanese cake shops. Anyway, though shortcake can be among the most expensive cakes, due to using premium fruits, this cake was trying for that. Certainly, the strawberry seemed ordinary, which is fine. It was still a good cake and I'm happy to be able to enjoy it.

Only one more of the accessible (i.e., not Ryoco) quite exceptional shops needs a cake, Toshi Yoroizuka, though new priority cakes should become available next week, so I might not get to it for a couple weeks, though I don't know yet what I'll do Saturday. I'm actually hoping Sadaharu Aoki premiers the next season of cakes early. Even with the above bicycling (1.5 hours), I went out in the evening again by bicycle down to the Ebisu area and made use of a bike parking area for the first time and ran (or tried to run) the local loops. Was able to do the revised Ebisu-Nishi loop clockwise this time and finished confirming the Ebisu-Minami and Ebisu 1 loops, failed on the Ebisu 4 loop. I hope to at least finished off the Ebisu-Nishi loop Friday before so trying the next loop in order, the revised Daita-... loop, Saturday.

Origines Cacao: Saint-Honoré Caramel Poire

Wednesday, I went for my 23rd new cake (I think, updating) from Origines Cacao and finally got the Saint-Honoré Caramel Poire (I hope that's correct). I ran there, but saint-honoré look a little fragile and the shop seemed a little concerned about my being careful (though that might have been my imagination), so I walked back, and also my right foot gives me trouble, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to rest it (though the problem is not obviously correlated with running). I expect to be pretty active tomorrow, probably bicycle first in the afternoon, then do weights, and then run in the evening.

The cake was definitely the kind I like, so although I can't be sure that it was better than the previous two days', it was excellent for me. The shop still is still challenging FC two ranks above, so I think I can justify going back next week.

La Vie Douce, Marronnier

Tuesday, I got a 6th cake from La Vie Douce, which is challenging the bottom of the next shop category, the exceptional shops. I got the Marronnier (horse-chestnut) early, did my non-weights indoor workout (Monday I did the weights workout after running), and went for about a 90 minute run. My target was the highest priority neighborhood loop, which was the revised Ebisu-Nishi west loop, which I failed, as I didn't recognize an old turn (I think they changed the billboard, but I should just remember that it's the first left after incoming link route). On the way, I finished verifying the Higashi north loop and did two new loops clockwise, the Ebisu-Minami loop and the Ebisu 1 loop. Maybe I'll get back there again on Thursday. It depends how I decide to travel to the Tooyou-chou Station area.

The cake, which has hazelnut, chestnut, and cassis/currant, was definitely good. It's a fall cake, so more nutty than sweet. It's really a quite fine shop, I just wish they would make their yuzu Chiboust again.

Viron: Caramel Chocolat au Lait

Ran to Viron Monday night. I didn't really run so fast, I thought, but the time passed fast. Even coming back with the rain getting heavy, it did not seem like a long run, though it's longer than a Ginza run and there was only a tiny bit of walking underground. I delayed posting because I'm really not sure what's in this Caramel Chocolat au Lait. The chocolate is in the base of the tart shell, so it's not visible. This is maybe slightly more caramel above that, that is also not visible, but seemed rather red, so I wonder if there is something more than caramel. I'll have to ask next time I go by. It was definitely good and appropriate for some place that is more of bakery than a cake shop, but not super exciting. I'm not sure that they had another cake (though this could qualify as a pastry tart). Fortunately, it will take Origines Cacao time to finish its run to displace something in the superb group before I need to give Viron it's chance.

Ginza Sembikiya, Banana Shortcake

Finally made a visit to Ginza Sembikiya, in the form of a visit to their the basement of their main shop, which has pasta lunches, as well as the menu of the Fruit Salon on the 2nd floor. As far as cake, it's limited to the current shortcake, which was banana, perhaps the last fruit I would choose (the 1st floor shop has a mont-blanc and a pear tart as well), but that's what there was, so that's what I ordered. It was lunch and dessert for two, so I'll say that the other dessert was a very limited-time (3 days) Le Lectier Parfait. Le Lectier is a French variety of pears that only the Japanese seem interested in. The parfait was good, though I'm not a good judge, since it's an ice cream dessert.

What was surprising, was that the banana shortcake was excellent. I generally have a banana everyday, but I haven't had a good banana like this for a long time, I think. I suppose you have to go to a specialist fruit shop. Also, I wouldn't mind shortcakes of other fruits from them, judging from this one. This excellent cake puts this "sembikiya" at the top of the pack of three, though one excellent cake only qualifies it for the fine cake shop group under the current system, which only rates one cake, though it is secure in its position and a second cake is allowed, just not called for. We wouldn't mind going back and visiting the second-floor salon for just desert, though that's not convenient on a weekend, since a line develops by noon (for the basement, as well).

In the afternoon, I needed to kill time in the Tokyo Station area, so I did pretty fast walking from shop to shop without discovering anything much. I got a Croissant for Toshi Yoroizuka. As bread it was maybe excellent, but as a pastry, I'm going to have to say that it was just okay.

I also got the Croissant Chocolat from Sadaharu Aoki, though it was getting late by that point, about 4.5 hours after opening, so not ideal. It was still excellent, but if I can get one within 2 hours of opening, I'd like to reevaluate. Right now, Sadaharu Aoki is the best place I know for pastry croissants, so a repeat is reasonable.

There was a couple hours and hard walking and another hour or so of slower running, but I was tired enough that I decided to use a bicycle to get to Tokyo Midtown as a starting point for doing a counterclockwise run of the Akasaka--Roppongi route, which I was successful at, so that revised loop is confirmed. I might try the same strategy for Nishi-Ebisu, which is next in priority. It's a pretty small loop, so I might try a few other loops nearby as well, if I can use a bicycle for the first/last 4 km.

Cake-off: Jean-Paul Hévin's Duja Pistache over Pièce Montée's Mont-blanc

Changed my plan and did this weekend's cake-off early, Thursday afternoon. After a half-lunch, I ran to Pièce Montée in Ginza and got their Mont-blanc. They let it just slide around in the box, so I planned to take the train back and do a bigger run later. After stopping at Origines Cacao to confirm the ingredients of their Saint-Michel, I went to Jean-Paul Hévin and got their Duja Pistache, which is not seasonal but I'm not sure how long it will stick around, so I'm glad I didn't wait too long to get the first-round cake-off done. I'm more worried about availability of a cake for the next cake-off, but it requires a full day free, which I'm not going to have this weekend. I also noted that Lenôtre still has their Feuille d'Automne, along with a red version, so the second cake is definitely available, and the backup is this week's cake-off. (The Concerto is gone from Lenôtre, but I wasn't expecting to getting around it its third round this year.) I also swung by Rire Ginza, a "Sweet/Cafe Salon", just to confirm that I could find it, but I didn't climb the stairs in my jogging stuff with my cakes just to peek inside. I did feel free to go inside Sadaharu Aoki in Marunouchi, hoping to find a Croissant Chocolat, but they just had the Croissant Matcha (still an excellent choice), so I'll have to keep looking. I was hoping to try the Tokyo Midtown location Saturday morning (I'll have enough time for that), but it looks like I might get grounded by rain.

Neither Jean-Paul Hévin's Duja Pistache or Pièce Montée's Mont-blanc disappointed me, but neither stood out dramatically from the other. My preference for chocolate, though, led me to the Duja Pistache in the end, though the Mont-blanc remains outstanding as a simple Mont-blanc, why I'm still not sure.

The run was a revised Akasaka--Roppongi loop (fun running from home and back), though it ended up starting at 20:00, due to a nap, video chat, and indoor workout with weights. This time is was revised due to shown picture, which my old course passed behind. Now if only Google maps hadn't stopping letting me upload pictures, I could add it to the map.

Origines Cacao: Saint-Michel

Wednesday, after several tries, I finally got a new cake that was better than good. It was time to visit quickly rising quite exceptional shop Origines Cacao again. I still haven't managed to get my first choice of the new cakes before it sold out, but I thought I would try the Saint-Michel (over the pumpkin one). Running was a direct there and back, though I of course checked out things at Ginza Mitsukoshi and used the tunnels to cross from there to Hibiya Park and avoid a lot of traffic lights.

From the description, this cake seems to be a round Saint-Marc except for the vanilla part being "bombe" cream (they didn't spell it, but I've assumed the French word). The next day, I asked what that meant and they just said it was a really light cream, but I assume it's pâte à bombe (whipped egg, heavy on the yokes, with sugar), maybe mixed with whipped cream. Certainly there seemed to be some other flavor than just vanilla and chocolate in there, but I've already forgotten. Could have been egg. Anyway, it was excellent, so Origines Cacao maintains it top priority status. Still needs 6 more new cakes before I can consider promoting it to superb.

Pièce Montée, Fromage

Did another run to Ginza, this time for a 6th new cake from Pièce Montée. Went a slightly long way and finished confirming the new Akasaka 3 loop. For the cake, which I ran home, I choose their simplest, the Fromage. It's small, but really enough. A good cake, but not groundbreaking. Looks like if I'm going to get any more new cakes from them, they're going to have to first win a cake-off. I plan to give them their first chance this week. If they win, I'll try one of the more elaborate cakes again next.