Sadaharu Aoki, Chocolat Pistache

Like my Tuesday plan, my Wednesday plan veered off course, with good results. The Tokyo Palace Hotel was visiting Isetan, and I wanted to get a second cake from them. The cheapest options were a tiny grape shortcake for 800 yen and a similarly priced chestnut whipped cream (not cake, apparently, just a mount of whipped cream). I'm not that into fruit-center stuff, so I wasn't too excited and decided I could wait until next week. Getting ahead (because I'm late writing), I swung by their deli and sweets shop the next day and found that they had those two cakes, at lower prices, as well as the broader section that I was hoping for. Since the Isetan counter just mentions the hotel, I'll assume they are selling things from the café menu, at their eat-in prices. Also, the Isetan counter had a least one higher-end grape tart that I didn't see in the shop, which fits that explanation.

But I was in Isetan and it was a new month, so while JPH doesn't have anything new (until the week before Christmas, as usual), Sadaharu Aoki does and I'm always behind on them. As it turned out, it was the same kind of cake as the previous day: Chocolat Pistache. In this case, the cake was about double the size, but less intense. Still, it was excellent, so I was satisfied again.

Rue de Passy, Chocolat Pistache

When they didn't have the great cake I wanted for a cake-off two Saturday's back, not to waste the trip at a time with fewer opportunities to get cake, I choose the Chocolat Pistache, on the reasoning that the other best cake I've had from there was this combination. This was a more traditional cake, though, and was maybe cream rather than ganache, so I should have eaten it at a warmer temperature. Actually, this combination is tricky, as while pistachio can accent chocolate, the latter has a strong taste that doesn't benefit from being diluted or give way to other flavors easily, so I didn't really feel like this harmonized the best, though it was still good.

Happily, I did much better on Sunday for a cake-off, which I failed to photograph, apparently. The cake-off was a third round between two cakes from the double-loser's bracket, between Pistache Chocolat from Coffee Parlor Hilltop and Concert from Lenôtre. I learned from Saturday's mistake and let the Pistache Chocolat sit out for 5 minutes from the refrigerator. It was definitely great and the light pistachio and chocolate taste was harmonizing well, though it still lost to the chocolate simplicity of Concert.

While I was at Ginza Mitsukoshi, visited Johan and got a pastry (which used to be my favor pastry source when they were in Shinjuku). Ig to the Kouign Amann. This seems to be the traditional shape, which is not my favorite, but I felt that I was recognizing it's good points finally, as this was excellent.

Sunday run (2) to Jun Ujita

(continued, due to blogger label length restrictions)

After the other two thirds of the run, I could barely see straight to navigate and I was out of breath for at least the last several kilometers. Granted, due to rain and work and social commitments, I only got in one run last mid-week, which is pathetic. Monday thru Wednesday are supposed to be okay this week (as far as weather, and the social side is quiet), so I'm going to try to get out every day. Plus it was 30+ degrees out today, though May was just as hot. Anyway, I'm going to try to plan more rests and drink something more fortified than water next time and see how that goes. Also, I need to end at a nearby grocery, because what I really need before cake is drinkable yogurt and vegetables.

As far as the cake, which I took home and ate after lunch, I got the Orange Caramel, which uses homemade orange confit mixed into almond dough to make a sandwich of caramel creme brulee. It's fine, at 460 yen.

I also got the Chocolat Pistache, which uses Sicilian pistachio cream and griottines (cherries) inside a chocolate dough/crust, so its kind of creamy. The cherry is very mild, so I was not even sure what fruit it was. This too is fine. I'd visit this shop if I lived in this area or went to the church across the street (which someone stopped and asked me where it was after having just passed it, driving on the short road named after it, so I am pretty sure I pointed him to the right place), both of which look very nice.