Paris S'éveille, Bagatelle

Way back I had Bagatelle, but I just got the name so I'll post. Seems to be pistachio biscuit dusted with pistachio powder. It's good pistachio cream, as are the strawberries, but I'm not sure that the whole is better than the parts. Still, I'm willing to say that it's semi-excellent. Now if I just knew what it was called (the tabelog entry showing a picture doesn't know the name either). Eventually, the shop will probably post on Instagram, but not yet. Lastly I need to say that the shop is Paris S'éveille and I picked it up during the last cake-off run down there, which might be the last of the year unless I can get a couple 3-time winners together from a 4-round cake-off.

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

Running very far is not possible, so  I did a cake-off buying by bicycle, which is why the fruit maybe isn't as originally placed. Still, the cake managed pretty well. I started by going to  Paris S'éveille to get the Giverny, a cake with three wins and one loss. I matched it with the next cake in line that was convenient for the return trip. Since the Aoyama stop isn't open until noon now and there's bicycle parking at Hikarie, I went there to get Pierre Hermé's Carrément Chocolat. In some ways it's a pretty lopsided match, since fruit cakes have a harder time with me than chocolate, but then chocolate cakes have to live up to my memories of other chocolate cakes to stay in the greats group, so it's fair to a certain degree. However, this turned out to be a really nice cake, with some thick chocolate cream in there and good texture. Still, the greatness of Giverny was not questioned. 

Cake-off: Ryoura's Soyeux over Paris S'éveille's Gateau Vanille

In anticipation of being too busy for a cake-off this coming weekend (or maybe a make-up for the previous one---I'll have to check before the next one), I did another cake-off on Sunday. Actually, one cake I got the day before, from Paris S'éveille, Gateau Vanille. Though I had a backup plans, I was successful Sunday of getting Ryoura's Soyeux at Tokyo Midtown via Dean & Deluca. There was 1 minute on 1 minute off running at least that far, but I walked thereafter. Still, I dropped the bag as some point which is why it's a little worse for wear. Fortunately, it's a pretty solid cake. Actually, it's much like pistachio cake I had the day before and declared excellent, but I did like this one better. In fact, in the spirit of comparison, I liked both these cake-off cakes better than the previous day's ones, even though all are 3-wins-1-loss cakes. Also like the day before, though, I couldn't decide until the end and it could have gone either way. As great as the vanilla cake is, and I should really match it up against the other great vanilla cake to see which one is the top, I'm going with thick pistachio paste and some fruit. I should have checked whether Ryoura had a new cake at Dean & Deluca but I'm never that organized. 

Cake-off: Bien-être's Chocolat Cuit over Paris S'éveille's Saint Honoré Caramel

I started out the weekend with a two-cake deficit from the previous week, which was immediately filled by successfully scoring two cakes for a 5th-round cake-off for cakes from the three-wins one-loss group. Paris S'éveille opened first, so I went there by bicycle (which is why the top of the cake on the left has sagged backward. Actually, they have three cakes that could have fit the bill, but I got the highest priority one. I wasn't too worried about being able to get Chocolat Cuit from Bien-être even though I couldn't get it earlier in the year since I can confirmed more recently and it seemed unlikely that they would cut it coming up on the Valentine's Day, which is peak chocolate season. Being both great to begin with and having similar records, it's not surprising that I can't say definitely that one is better than another. About halfway through, I decided that the Saint Honoré Caramel had more going for it, but too much bitter caramel and not enough tea meant that at the last bite I preferred the Chocolat Cuit, which I'm giving the win. Also, I need to get a bigger tea pot. (I have a French press that would make three cups, but I don't like to use it.)

Full disclosure, I finally tried a Mont-Blanc from Pronto, the chain café and bar, during the week. It was cake-shop priced but grocery store shape and quality, which is good enough for a chain coffee shop, I imagine, but not for me. I won't waste time reviewing it in detail and, should I ever get running again more than a dozen intervals of 1 minute, it won't be on a cake running map.

Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's Monsieur Arnaud over Jean-Paul Hévin's Mont-Blanc

Did a run/walk down to Jiyuugaoka, as planned, and got Paris S'éveille's Monsieur Arnaud. Was about 10 minutes early, but there was still a line of several people, so different from last time I went early (though I can't remember what day of the week that was). Anyway, they had that cake and their other undefeated great cake, but this was earlier in the list, so I choose it as the opponent for Jean-Paul Hévin's Mont-Blanc, which was a priority because JPH is the top shop and the Mont-Blanc is seasonal. This is the first fifth-round cake-off, so I'm starting big. Jean-Paul Hévin's Mont-Blanc might be my favorite mont-blanc, but that's still a somewhat limited category so Monsieur Arnaud, which is also a standard cake, and the one they showcase in the article posted in the shop window, but has more of my favorite ingredients, with nuts, chocolate and fruit in a cake with a thick biscuit with good texture, cream, and sheet chocolate. I've going to have to wait for FC's undefeated great cake to come back or I could have two PS cakes battling for the top.

Paris S'éveille, Tarte Vert Griotte

When I went last to Paris S'éveille, which was really long run for me in my current condition, though I'm working on that daily, they had a new cake. I almost didn't notice, but it shared features with their previous new cake, but that one was excellent, so that aspect is no problems. Fortunately, I noticed before paying and they let me add to my order (versus needing to go back outside to get in line again). It was Tarte Vert Giotte, whereas the previous tart had mango as the fruit, but both were green tea, which doesn't obviously go with either. It's not just cherries, but big dark, American-type cherries, like in a pie. My opinion of these is theoretically low, but the actuality was definitely excellent because rather than despite them, so I won't avoid them. I don't absolutely have to have this cake again, but I hope they keep whoever is designing these seasonal cakes, as I really appreciate them. This shop has the best standard line-up of any in Tokyo, but unlike JPH, which tends to make minor variations of established cakes, PS goes a completely different direction with the new cakes, so there isn't correlation. 

I'm about 5 cakes behind on them and it's a new cake-off season, so they'll probably rack up more wins and I'll get further behind even if I'm busy working on the exceptional, quite fine, and fine shops.

Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's Le Suprême over Jean-Paul Hévin's Duja Pistache

Catching up on cake-offs, I did another one to match something with Duja Pistache (obtained the night before) from Jean-Paul Hévin, following the strategy of working on the cakes from the top shop that might disappear before I'm ready. I tried Rue de Passy first, but the citrus pralin mille-feuille has moved on, so I continued down to Paris S'éveille. Wasn't sure I was going to make it, as just 10 days without running had me out of shape, in that my knee and/or hip hurt so bad that my whole leg was going numb. Got through it though. Had the same problem the next day and found that best answer was squats, which I haven't been doing lately. PS is in pandemic mode, with the café space closed and limiting people inside. Got the Le Suprême, which lost last time I think, when I wasn't feeling what was so great about blackberry chocolate mousse. This time I was comparing it to a chocolate pistachio layer cake. Generally nuts are a better bet with me than fruit, but I was feeling the advantage of the fruit complementing the chocolate over a relatively fruity nut this time and didn't mind the limited texture of a mousse cake (complemented for texture by chocolate sheet). This is a fourth round, where both had been held back last year for already having two losses, but Le Suprême pulls a second win, so it's claimed middle territory among the great cakes.

Paris S'éveille, Verrine Provençal

Third Friday of Auguest, I went down to Jiyuugaoka to visit Paris S'éveille again, this time not by bicycle, so I was able return with a reasonable similarity to what I bought. This was the last of the current new cakes, if one allows this kind of class dessert as cake. Note that it has meringue cubes on top, which is enough to make it at least as much cake as some non-glass desserts. The name is Verrine Provençal, but I can't hang onto the ingredients long enough, even have having already visit again once and looking. I'm thinking jasmine, but maybe just because that was in the JPH verrine last month. Regardless, this is definitely excellent, perhaps the best verrine I've had from anywhere. I'm looking forward to the next batch of new cakes, though this still continues into the first weekend of September, at least.

Paris S'éveille, Savarin Exotique

 Still trying to catch up, I can't even remember what flavor this was. Also, road vibration wasn't kind, so the topping is what I scrapped up from the sides. It's a fruity verrine (their instagram account says its Savarin, which I'll believe), so doubly not my thing, but it's the season of verrine and the new cakes are all fruity (which is reasonable to balance the standards, though there are a couple old fruity ones I'm missing). Still, good cake/verrine/savarin.

Here's what it's supposed to look like https://www.instagram.com/p/CDfV_wdpTUG/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Paris S'éveille: Tarte Matcha Mangue

Now I'm almost two weeks behind, so it's not clear when I'll catch up. I've gotten a little head of revising my new neighborhood course map, but mostly I've been wasting time on other obsessions are just exhausted from the heat. Way back on Aug. 1, I stopped in at Paris S'éveille on the way to ABVT (since it was their turn to try to enter the superb shop category, though they have the farthest to go) and happy to get this cake. Actually, it wasn't chance, as I had seen it posted online, so I suspected it was a new cake. The base is holding mango and mango cream, so it has to be pretty moisture resistant, thus it's a pretty hard tart, which it's great for texture but is necessary. The top is matcha, of course, but I forget in what, probably white chocolate, though coconut cream would fit with the theme. Sorry, I can't remember. The important thing is that it was excellent. Their new cakes are all fruity, whereas their classic great cakes are mostly nutty or chocolaty (their most fruity great cake has been out of the lineup for a while), but the new fruity cakes keep improving, so I'm actually looking forward to the next one. Still slightly behind on this one, because they don't have so many cakes and I don't have such a great way to keep up with them, plus they will a lot of cake-offs, so actually I've had more new cakes from them than any other superb shop, and two of those I'm ahead on because they got dropped down from quite superb and only gotten new cakes from cake-off wins for years.

Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's Théatre over Au Bon Vieux Temps's Marjolaine

Saturday morning was rain, so I went for a walk to Jiyuugaoka for cake-off cake. I used a compact umbrella, but it didn't stop before I got cake, so I kept using it. At Paris S'éveille, I got their Théatre. Didn't look like they were open for eat-in under current conditions, but that was okay. No wait (unlike when I looked in there Sunday afternoon). From there, it's not such a long walk to Au Bon Vieux Temps, where I got their Marjolaine, a classic. These are both three time winners in a fourth-round cake off, though three wins isn't really so much, so it might be more chance than anything, though they've definitely proved themselves as great. It was hard to decide between these until the last couple bites, and then it was definitely the multiple textures and chocolates of Théatre: it was melty from the beginning, but actually that turned out to not be bad. Seems like you want to eat this on the edge of collapsing. No big shop that PS is dominates, as this is the second of only three 4-time winners so far and they have the most three-to-one cakes as well, though I'm not sure how many of those are in the line-up right now.

Paris S'éveille, Tarte Rhubarbe Orange

Sunday, I went out to get a new cake from a superb shop, specifically, Tart Rhubarb Orange, or maybe they used French spelling. You aren't allowed to take pictures. The tart seemed to be pistachio.

On the way, I hit a local shop in the Jinguumae/Kita-Aoyama area north of Omote-Sandou Sta., which was actually not that far out from home, though that's why it's a high-priority area. They had a selection of 7 kinds of baked goods. I went with the Matcha Donut. It was good. It was a quite moist (but not wet) cake donut. The other things were similarly vegan pseudo-healthy things. Though the staff was Japanese, when spoke English to me, the website shows a young Euro-looking family of three, and the person behind me was a young white woman, which is a tough market segment in this travel environment. Just because of their selection, and the college-aged English speaking Japanese staff, I wonder whether they are related to the folks to took over the bakery Tournage one running neighborhood loop to the north, who were also doing the vegan baked good things. They had a kitchen, though it's the middle of Tokyo, so it wouldn't be hard to move containers of small baked goods from any of hundreds of shops. Anyway, one shop to visit down, and I found another one I hadn't recorded one building further along (I knew they sound some coffee, as well as whatever their main thing was, but I hadn't noticed the baked goods before).

The tart reminded me of rhubarb pie, which my mother frequently made but I did not appreciate, so it was usually made at the sime time apple pie was made. It was good, but too much of what I'm not interested in. I have no memory already of what running if any I did. It was a lot of walking carrying cake and an umbrella, so probably I didn't.

the whatever spelling they are using. . Actually, I intended to get them from two, but it didn't work out. It was raining, so I went walking with an umbrella.

Paris S'éveille, Tarte Printanière

Got an early start, about 8 am, with the intention to try the Daikanyama-chou--Ebisu-Nishi--Hachiyama-chou--Nanpeidai-chou--Sakuragaoka-chou--Sarugaku-chou--Shibuya--Uguisudani-chou loop. I'm not too surprised that I failed, though large parts of it are unchanged. It's up to 13 km now and I did most of it before I saw that I had skipped a cafe in a religious bookstore; it was on the map, but I needed to make a little loop around it at around halfway. Otherwise, I made some on-the-fly changes, which would have be fine (I knew the official route, but could see how it needed to be fixed). Will try again tomorrow if I wake up early, which I tend to do. On the way, and only 30 minutes out (which wasn't that early with my breakfast before 6 am), I tried a Croissant d'Almonde (not sure if that was the name they used), from the Crossroad Bakery over in Ebisu-Nishi. They require a drink to eat in, so I got takeout and ducked into a garage next door to get out of the rain and maintain social distancing from anyone using the sidewalk, though the streets were pretty empty everywhere I went, except maybe near the supermarket coming back. The Croissant was the kind I liked: baked through, not wet. Definitely good, but didn't seem like the best I've had, or I'm just not into this particular pastry now. I didn't bother to get a picture.

After finding where I went wrong, at around 10:20, I had an hour plus walk (I had had enough running) to Jiyuugaoka, where I got a new cake from Paris S'éveille: Tarte Printanière (Spring Tart). This is a cherry compote tart (with a lot of cherry) as a base and I think almond and pistachio paste/top. I'm not that into cherry, but I'm trying to have an open mind. Certainly, appreciate the nuts and it's a quality tart, so I have to say it's excellent. I'll look forward to the next tart, if that's what comes next, but I'm up to day now, so probably I won't have anything to get from this this month unless it's for a cake-off, but next one with them probably won't be until August.

I also got a Croissant from them (which I ate immediately coming home, whereas the cake was after the first half of lunch), which I've give them the benefit of the doubt and say was excellent. Unless I want to include their brioche, I might be up to date surveying their pastries, though there are probably some pastry-like baked goods that I could retry, but don't necessarily need to be fresh, which is my excuse for revisiting shops for pastries.

Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's Giverny over En Vedette's Rocher

Did a cake-off, first going to Paris S'éveille to get Giverny. Only problem is, they were opening late and I arrived early. However, I hadn't done my stretches the day be fore and had no trouble filling a hour hour catching up. There's a little two set sort of park across the street with a phone booth where I could social distance and keep an eye on the door to make sure people didn't line up in front of me, which they didn't. Unfortunately, road vibrates caused layer shifting and scattering of fruit. After bring this home and having lunch with the extra new cake, I went out by En Vedette, also by bicycle and also getting one extra cake: my contribution to reducing unnecessary trips. Again, the road vibration separated layers, in this case the top decoration. No great impact on taste of either, I assume. These were pretty well matched. On the one hand, Rocher is a  fine collection of things I like, as far as being nutty and chocolaty. On the other hand, Giverny offered a different slightly fruity alternative and avoided being over sweet better, I think, so in the end I decided to give it the win.

Paris S'éveille, Tarte Fraisette

Last weekend, went down to Jiyuugaoka by bicycle, which is a mistake as far preserving the cake. As the pictures shows, this Tarte Fraisette did not like the vibration, though jogging is slightly better. I should perhaps give up and use the train, since there probably would not be many other passengers. Anyway, this tart is strawberry and orange compote on a pâte sucrée almond base, where the almond is mixed with cinnamon. I missed this last year, apparently, but was glad to catch it this year, as it was excellent. As I just wrote about them, probably thinking about this cake, they seem to be getting a the hang of fruitier cakes relative to previously, or I'm learning to like them more. I hope to make another visit next week, as I don't think I'm caught up on their new cakes. If the weather is good, I might try to eat outside. This time, I was also getting cake for a cake off so that was not practical.

Paris S'éveille, Palet d'Or

In the afternoon, I tried going down to Paris S'éveille, as I was thinking they might have a new cake, which have been rare from them, so I've fallen behind in that respect. I went with Palet d'Or, which seem very familiar, as something that I ate in, but I can't find any record of it and the experience wasn't that familiar, so I'm not sure what I'm thinking of. This is a layer of dried fruits and almonds under passion fruit sauce (congealed). I suppose the sauce and the whipped cream on top are what make it a cake versus a cookie, but I'm not going to quibble, as, whatever you call it, it's quite nice. I can say that this is excellent, which usually I can't about their new cakes. They've been playing around with fruitier cakes for a while, but it seems now like they're finally getting the hang of it.

Paris S'éveille, Tarte Bergamote Framboise

Eight days behind, I'm sure I did some neighborhood running course running in the afternoon, but I can't remember what I was working on back then. In the morning, I was trying to get cakes for the next cake-off, but failed. First I failed at Rue de Passy, which is not too surprising, given the epidemiological conditions (no pastries today) and that maybe the great cake I was looking for was seasonal, since it was fruity. I went on to try my backup cake-off, which involved a cheesecake from Dalloyau, which was another couple kilometers down the line (though I was running) which when it came to it, I finally realized had changed. So I went to Paris S'éveille, to at least get a new pastry. They did have pastries, but it was still a little early for them to have everything out, so I went with Chauson aux Pommes. It's very traditional and excellent but not the most interesting type of pastry and I wouldn't have minded a recipe with more fruit.

There were a couple new cakes at Paris S'éveille, which doesn't get many. The other was sold out (or not yet sold), but I could get the Tarte Bergamote Framboise. This is in the form of a lemon meringue tart, though bergamot oranges are less tart than lemons but not sweet like other oranges. It was definitely good and interesting as a variation, but I think I'd like lemon or yuzu more, though maybe those wouldn't harmonize with the raspberry accent.

Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's Monsieur Arnaud over Yu Sasage's Perfum

My Sunday plan for a cake-off worked, other than falling asleep too late and waking up too early. I hope to better tonight. First was a run to Paris S'éveille, by way of Takeshita, so I could get some pictures I forget yesterday. Note sure either of these places qualifies, as candy itself does not, and I'm not sure whether the cakes on a stick are something you make, which would also not qualify. Fortunately, the current version of the neighborhood running map doesn't depend on them either way.

At Paris S'éveille, I got the required Monsieur Arnaud and carefully verified that they have no new cakes. Because this places has the best pastries I know, I also got their Croissant d'Almonde, and, no surprise, it was great, which few are. My requirement, I discovered, was that it be baked to hardness on the outside: a soggy croissant is not a croissant, or much of a pastry (thus my problem with recent Pain aux Raisins). See the nice feet?

I took the train back and got Yu Sasage's Perfum from Isetan. The next best place I've confirmed for great pastries is Sadaharu Aoki, which only has things rarely, so I could pass up getting a fresh new one: Cannelé au Chocolat. Unfortunately, though I should have predicted, chocolate and cannelé doesn't work for me. The taste is good, but I'm not thrilled by the texture, so I'll be kind and say this was good and see what they produce next month (not that they are that frequent or have the big a back catalog).

Since I had a pastry after the first run and then after lunch, I went out running again before getting to the cakes. I'm completely redoing my running maps to add all the coffee shops and convenience stores I ignored before. Even if they don't have good cakes, they have some sort of packaged snack or energy cookie that is at least good, and they sort of define the pain points of the neighborhood, so just in terms of navigation, I should include them. What a mess though. Along this, I tried a Machi Café scone from Lawson, rather than my usual during running snack. It was okay, but I think I'll stick to my rule of ignoring packed breads/pastries, at least from convenience stores, as well as cake from Caffe Veloce (my other running snack was their cheesecake, with similar results, and only slightly better tasting than the Lawson 100 cheese tart).

Finally, cake-off. This is a fourth-round cake-off from the winners bracket. Paris S'éveille's Monsieur Arnaud is heavy decadence and Yu Sasage's Perfum is light elegance. I'm into the heavy, though it was a tough decision nevertheless. So becomes the second cake to reach four straight wins, and I'm caught up with the winners bracket at least through July.

Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's Gateau Vanille over En Vedette's En Vedette

In the name of completion, I'll mention that I did a quick weights workout on Friday night, but that Saturday I was busy. Had some time to kill in the afternoon near Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. I saw that the Starbucks there was listed as "Reserve", so I was hoping that it had some of the fancy baked goods, like the Starbucks Reserve in Aobadai or the Princi on the other side of the river and the old Yamanote Road in Sarugaku-chou, but no, just the usual Starbucks stuff, except for a fancy coffee bar with their reserve brand. I shared the New York Cheese Cake, which is good, and The Chocolat by P. Libre's Ichiei Taguma, which has chestnut and caramel, besides the obvious chocolate, and ultimately didn't work for me, though it was okay.

Sunday, there was running, cake from proper shops, a pastry, a neighborhood course run, and indoor muscle training: a full day. I wrote a pastry, but on the run I started off with a pastry from Excelsior Caffé, because they are convenient, and higher priority targets along my route were closed. It was okay as a pastry (maybe good as bread), but better than that. By the time I left, they had Pain au Chocolat, which would have been a better test.

I went first to Bien-être, where I expected to get Cuit Chocolat for a fourth-round 1st runner's up cake-off. I had just been thinking that they hadn't had a new cake for a year, but they proved me wrong: the chocolate cake had evolved, though now I'm confused about into what. Maybe it was Anzu Frais Chocolat, which would be fresh Japanese apricot chocolate cake, which I could deal with, but at the time the topping looked like but the topping actually looked like Azuki Frais, fresh sweet beans. Either way, I considered a new cake (though the base cake might be the same) and wasn't prepared to deal with it. Since I was still particially in that direction, I stuck with the second target of Paris S'éveille's Gateau Vanille (though I had scare when the tray sold out in front of me, when it was already afternoon, but fortunately another tray was brought out) and instead matched it with En Vedette's signature cake. It's a little early for them, so the next couple cake-offs at least won't be fourth-round one's, as I still have a third round ones to do (I have a second-round one, but Sunday doesn't work for it).

Gateau Vanille is perhaps the best presentation of vanille (the competition being PH's vanille tart, which is currently one and one among cake-offs) in more or less pure form (actually, white chocolate), whereas En Vedette is an interest mixture of strong flavors. Both are interesting, but maybe the En Vedette is more challenging and I was in the mood for straightforward and am giving the win to Gateau Vanille.

Didn't notice any new cakes at PS to go for in response to their win, though I was more worried about getting my Gateau Vanille, so I didn't look properly. I've reviewing their pastries, though, so I got the Pain au Chocolat. This thing is huge and looks perfect. It's pretty hollow, intentionally, which isn't a problem but isn't particularly helpful. There isn't any more chocolate than typically, though more would probably imbalance it. Not my favorite, but I can't fault it, it was excellent.

The evening run was trying to do the updated/new Minami-Motomachi--Samon-chou--Suga-chou--Shinanomachi--Wakaba--Yotsuya loop. I knew all the sites and I might have worked out the correct order, which would pretty much determine the route (I know the roads I need), except there was a flaw in the previous map down at the nearest point to Shinanomachi Station that I fixed but going straight instead of turning a block early but didn't remember, so tonight was just practice. Still I could do the revised/new Suga-chou look successfully clockwise, all 152 meters of it, so there's that. Maybe later in the week, after I've taken cake of my main cake targets (or if I'm starting too late to try Monday or Tuesday).

Cake-off: Frédéric Cassel's Breteuil over Paris S'éveille's Saint Honoré Caramel

Still working through seasonal cakes I want to get to for fourth-round cake offs, I first ran in light rain to Ginza Mitsukoshi, arriving two minutes before opening. They weren't that surprised to seem me as their first customer at Frédéric Cassel, which I got the Breteuil.

After getting it safely home, I ran down to Shibuya in what was now snow, because I'm really greedy and wanted to also compare pastries. I got the regular Croissant from Sadaharu Aoki, since the next stop was Paris S'éveille, which also has great pastries. It was the next step, but I didn't go the shortest way.

At PS (still snowing lightly all the way), having successfully timed it to arrive between the interval that Saint Honoré Caramels are brought out and when the sell out, I was able to get this three-time cake-off winner. For the pastry, I got Croissant Orange.

For a first of the new viennoiserie-off, I'm giving the win to Croissant Orange. It's no secret what appeals to me about both: sugar. The SA uses a syrup coating and PS uses powered sugar. But I'm giving the win to Croissant Orange, for what it's worth. Not sure that this is as useful as comparing great cakes, since the bar is really lower.

The main event, however is the cake-off. At least on this day and in this combination, the caramel of the Saint Honoré Caramel was more bitter than I wanted. Also, the nutty creamy decadence of the Breteuil could not be resisted. It's a little sad to think that I'll wait another year before I have this gain, but I did squeeze in two cake-offs with it this season, so even a four-time cake-off winner can't really ask for more.

I tagged this with neighborhood run, but then failed to include the night run. What I tried to do, as a new project this year, is do neighborhood course "clumps" (at least two loops and including all attached links with sites), but I failed both. I added a new site and split what's become the Yotsuya 3-choume Stn. southwest clump into a Samon-chou-Yotsuya loop, which I could do, and a Daikyou-chou--Shinanomachi loop, which I failed on when it came to matching on the east and west ends of the north stretch. I tried the remaining Shinjuku Gyouen clump, but failed on a link, which was not consistent with another link, so I revised them to all use the shortest path (versus favoring hugging close to Shinjuku Gyouen).