46 km loop: Au Bon Veux Temps and Fraoula

Did a 46.3 km loop according to my calculation (Google routes had trouble at the river, gorge, and end, where I think I ran out of deviation points I could add), which still excluded some double-backs. It was not a continuous run, of course, because I need food and water, not to forget stopping for lights, but it was something like the posted map. Number 1 Tokyo-Yokohama route had its good and bad parts, but mostly seemed good for a run, for a trip to central Yokohama (if there was something there I wanted visit, which there currently isn't). I followed Tama River for a while and then jogged over to follow a canal, which was fine, although only ornamental at first (the real canal was presumably underground). I took a right when it met up with another canal, which ran through the only gorge in Tokyo's 23 special wards (the east/metro part of Tokyo, versus the outer suburbs and mountains in the same prefecture-level grouping, where there should be no lack of gorges). Since there were families and only a narrow wet stone walk along the waterway, I eventually had to reduce to a walk, although it's only 1 km long. I had seen it from above where Ring Road 8 passes over it, but hadn't known what it was, where it led (nowhere in particular, really) or how people actually got down there. Now I know. I swung by A Bon Vieux Temps before heading to Jiyuugaoka (where there are benches), and then back along familiar routes. I deviated from my original plan (which would have been 44 km), and following the Meguro River to Yamanote Road, taking that up to the south end of Yoyogi, where I visited Fraoula. By then it was raining, and if it were raining as much when I entered the shop as when I left, I was going to take the train back, but it had let up mostly, so I jogged.

I spent something like 5 15' actually running. My right hip/haunch was still sore, and did not improve the first couple hours, so I decided that I was not being careful with my form on my right side. If I don't kick my leg out straight enough, it sort of swings around a little, which is not good, so I focused on that the rest and it gradually got better. Naturally, I'm tired, but I can imagine going farther. It might be a few weeks before I get around to that, though.

At Au Bon Vieux Temps, I got the Paradis, which is raspberry gelatin (but not disgusting gelatin), but only about 2 mm thick, and a little mixed in below, not much more pistachio brûlée (if they say so), inside white chocolate mousse for 561 yen. I like white chocolate cake and the raspberry and pistachio were good accents, but I can't say this is great. It's consistent with greatness, but it does not make up for other not great cakes, so I'm taking this shop off my great list. They seem to be doing well (despite being in an area that doesn't look like the future holds a lot for them, being a little too far for them to fare well in the declining population).

Meanwhile, Fraoula is a modest shop on a back street near where two train lines meet, close to central Tokyo, and in particular close to Yoyogi Park, but I worry that it will disappear, because you're not likely to find it unless you're looking for it, and it's not that easy to find even then, the streets being somewhat tangled. This time I got a croissant, which is not cake, but their baked things are so good (and much cheaper), so I could not resist and even took a picture. It was 194 yen and delicious, of course.

The other item I got was the Tarte Poire Pamplemousse, for 518 yen, which is pear and grapefruit. This combines two fruits that I generally don't want on tarts. The bottom had lots of green, so I wonder if it was pistachio again. It was certainly interesting tasting and good, but it did not convince me that I want grapefruit desserts (although it was not sour, so I wouldn't have known what fruit it was from the taste). Still, well made, with well balanced tastes, so it is consistent with a great shop, and I'm not disappointed, even if I probably enjoyed the white chocolate cake more. There are still several standard cakes there that are not my favorites but I'm happy to try, so I'm not finished. Even if new cakes ended, there are other sweets there I would go for, such as meringue.

Cycling: Fraoula, Paris S'éveille, and Bigarreaux

Since I ran long yesterday, just leisurely cycling (and it would be more leisurely if I had a bicycle better geared for slopes).

I started with Bigarreaux, since they open at 9 am, and got the Mille Feuille (for 500 yen). It's a standard cake, so I'm not sure how to tell whether it is great, but I like it and had no complaints. They use 100% Viron Co. flour and fermented butter for the crust. The display-case picture looks better than the other one I took outside, so I'll use it. I'm running out of things to get from there.

Next was Paris S'eveille (where there is a sign telling you no photographs of the display case), where I am definitely not running out things, certainly not things to blog about. This Theatre is two kinds of mousse inside: milk chocolate and bitter chocolate. This was great, although I'm not that into milk chocolate. The balance seemed okay, but heavy on the milk. It would probably be better in colder weather. This is not a cheap place: it was something like 620, or maybe 670 with tax. They have people lining up, so they can charge high, although their location is no doubt more expensive than the other two today and most places outside of those in central Tokyo.
Finally, I stopped by Fraoula. This is called Paradis and has a completely unhelpful description on their card. Obviously there is chocolate on top and some browned orange with that. I'll guess Bavarian creme and chocolate mousse of some type for the main layers. I also got the Bostock and confirmed that it was better than Aux Bacchanales'. The moistness is better distributed, I think, rather than having gooey parts and drier parts.