Musée du Chocolat Théobroma, Caramel Orange

The other cake the Sunday before last was the cake-off reward for Musée du Chocolat Théobrom's win. I went intending to get their version for Forest Noir, which I would generally avoid, as I can't expect cherry and chocolate to come out well, but their best cakes have been chocolate. However, I ended up getting a cake I hadn't seen previously, Caramel Orange. It ended up being more eastern European, though that just means east of France, as far as being heavy on almond biscuit. It was good, so I'm not disappointed, and I'm caught up with the quite fine shops that aren't tens of kilometers from central Tokyo, which are going to be a problem now that Isetan isn't rotating visiting cake shops on a weekly basis.

Musée Du Chocolat Théobroma, Diable

Sunday, I started with this small item, which I got as my 4(+1 for a cake-off win)th cake from Musée Du Chocolat Théobroma, though most past purchases have been via their Cocoa Store shop nearer Yoyogi Park. This is Diable and is just what it looks like, chocolate custard on a chocolate puff pastry. It was definitely good, which is both better than I expected of the item just based on the concept and actually the second best "cake" I've had from this shop, so I was satisfied. 

Jean-Paul Hévin, Verrine Chocolat Menthe

Monday, I first went and got cake from Jean-Paul Hévin, as well as pick up knives from Isetan. It's verrine season, which is not my favorite, but I've allowed them as fresh cake and JPH doesn't have as many new cakes as I want. This time I got the Verrine Chocolate Menthe. I don't like mint in general, at least with my chocolate. Chocolate mints are usually pretty bad, except as a sweet way to consume mint. Still, I expected it to be better than the coffee one.

For exercise, before doing my indoor muscle training (excluding legs), went out to do some minor loops related to my recent neighborhood course. I did the little (600 m) Akasaka 3 loop, near Akasaka-Mitsuke Station, and did the Akasaka east loop next to Tameike clockwise correctly and varied the existence of a couple coffee shops, a Tulley's and a Starbucks, that give me an excuse to add a couple loops to the east and call the three a new clump, so I don't need to include the Akasaka east loop in the clump with the huge main Akakasa loop, which means I don't have to finish confirming it until I get to some clumps that are closer in.

I cake the verrine and it started like others, since I don't mix it up, but work my way carefully through the top chocolate mousse. When I got the mint part and mixed it in, I couldn't even identify it as mint, though there was a change in taste that harmonized with the chocolate. Partially in relief that the mint didn't destroy it, this seemed like the best verrine yet, so that I almost would call it great, but I'm not sure that I really need to have this particular one again, just my expectations for future verrine has improved and I'll call it definitely excellent.

I'll lump in Tuesday, since I forgot to take a picture, but I went to Théobroma(who supply Cacao Store) and got their Chocolat Classique. It's on the dry side of the classic chocolate cake spectrum, but not very dry. It was good but not remarkable. This is actually an improvement on the previous two cakes from there, which made me put off visiting, despite designating their signature chocolate cake as great. BUt it means that it's not at the top of the quite good group, so it won't be the one that will be a priority to explore to possible replace the low ones in the excellent group.


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Cacao Store, Exotic Edamame

Wednesday, feeling fine despite Tuesday's long run, I did a run out to Bien-être, where they did not have any of their seasonal cakes, so nothing new for me to try. Rather than reserve something for another day, I finally followed up on the cake-off win by the Cacao Store (Théobroma) in Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku. My choice there was between Exotic (or maybe Exotique) Edamame, which is coconut and I suppose edamame (immature soybeans, usually eaten steamed, in bars) though I didn't look that closely, and an orange cream puff, so I went with the more traditional cake over the puff. I walked back mostly, because of carrying cake and just in case my body needed the rest, checking out a landmark in Harujuku, which I rejected as an ice cream place, which I don't want get into.

I've had great coconut cakes, though it's not my favorite flavor and this one did not have much else going on. It was still okay, but that's a pretty low level of appreciation, so I'm not even going to bother cross-posting to Twitter.

Afterhours: Gateau Chocolat

Took the afternoon off yesterday, coincidentally one of the few days without rain, with the main plan being to do a one-way neighborhood course run taking in all of the Hatagaya--Hatsudai--Honmachi--Tomigaya--Yoyogi loop, which merges an old loop with what was going to be the Hatagaya-Honmachi loop. Haven't measured how far it is to the nearest point, but it took just under 50 min, which I was happy with. The target loop is 11.1 km long and includes 4 pedestrian bridge crossings and another bridge-equivalent set of stairs between the New National Theatre Tokyo and Tokyo Opera City, which maybe they don't want people running through (just the down half were in the arcade, so I limited myself there, at least while the guard was around). I could avoid the latter stairs if I took the long way around on the main streets. The loop took about 80 min. There was lots of pausing to check the map and some walking around crowded areas, so I could probably do it faster and felt like I should practice it some more, but when I played back the run in my mind, I could remember the total shape, just there are just a couple places were I don't yet recognize because there isn't an obvious landmark and its more than three streets from the previous landmark. I found one problem with the map (I pedestrian signal blocks the main path), but it gives me an excuse to take out separate loop (I can just turn there and pick up the loop as part of the main loop). Found one cake shop, though it's just homemade style tarts, so not a high priority, and a Christian ministry headquarters, which I've added to the map, along with a sandwich place (Sun&Witch) on the way that sells bread, now that I'm adding general take-out baked goods places, not just places with cake or pastries. I'm still walking on updating the rest of loop, just to make sure all the included landmarks are together, in order, and labeled.

There was also cake, not surprisingly. One of the harder to visit cake shops on a neighborhood course (specifically, the above-mentioned long loop) is Afterhours, which was closed a long time in summer, closes at 6 pm in general, and isn't open Sundays. They are tiny and have just a few simple cakes and a small table and a counter (both occupied this time) that require a drink order, so I got cake and ran it to the next park on the loop. Choices were a tart, a shortcake, a baked cheesecake, and a traditional (French) chocolate cake, Gateau Chocolat, so I went with the latter, which they just put in a paper bag like a loaf of bread, which is all it needed, since you might find this at a bakery. It was good but didn't really surpass its simplicity, so no special reason to go back there other than that I'm going past and want some cake (though, if they were closed, I was going to go to Cacao Store, which is less than 100 m away running (probably 50 m as the crow flies) and I owe a cake from a cake-off win.

Cacao Store (Théobroma): Tarte Berries

Went to Bien-être, but, no surprise, Friday evening they were sold out of the newer cake items in the lineup, so I went for a second cake from Cacao Store, the nearest shop I wanted to follow up on. The cakes are double-listed with Théobroma, which is reasonable since Cacao Store's focus is bean-to-bar chocolate, not cake. The only choice was the Tarte Berries, which is self-explanatory, at least with the picture. I walked back, still not that interested in running with cake, at least not in the evening heat. My expectations were low, and this tart failed to meet them. The fruit quality was reasonable, although blueberries (or whatever) aren't very flavorful and the base tart didn't have anything good going on in terms of crust or filling (there is custard, obviously, but this was very dry for a custard tart but not good as a butter tart). It was still ok, but "ok" is not okay with me, so I won't be back probably unless their first cake, which seemed great, wins a cake-off round.

Cacao Store (Théobroma): San Juaquin Dos

Defying the Sunday forecast that Monday was the violently hot day and the rest of the week would just true summer hot (30-35 degC), every day has been hotter than the previous this week and it looks like tomorrow is more of the same.

Nevertheless, I went running to Bien-être, where they had nothing new for me, so I headed down to Cacao Store in Tomigaya, Shibuya, where I got San Juaquin Dos, which actually comes from the Théobroma shop, which several blocks south. Now I know. Their closing hours are the same, I think, so it doesn't matter which I go to. Cacao Store is a little Bean to Bar & Chocolate Bar shop, whereas the other is an older shop on a larger scale, whatever that proves.

Anyway, in some ways this is a pretty basic chocolate cake, with high sugar glazing (to keep moisture in, of course). It was definitely excellent, and I'm really not sure how it is not as good as the best other chocolate cakes, so I'm going to call it great and put to the test, though I'm not in a hurry. However, as a cake shop, there was not much on offer there, just 3 other items (none chocolate), so I'm not sure that this shop can rise very high in the rankings. Also, I've yet to buy cake from Théobroma, so I'll have to see whether they actually have different things there (I know Théobroma has pastries, which Cacao Store doesn't).

I think I'm to try Bien-être again tomorrow, so maybe I'll find out, since the next nearest backup isn't so close and Théobroma is easily on the way. I'll go by bicycle, I think, so I might have time to get to some place that closes at 7 p.m. instead, such as 365 Days near Cacao Store, which has pastries and over 2000 photos posted on the main food rating site, so maybe I should try something; anyway, I've put it on the local neighborhood map, so I'll have to learn a new route.

Rue de Passy: Paris-Brest aux Cassis et Noisette

Monday afternoon I did my first run for a while. There was some walking too, especially where I swung past some marked locations on my Central Tokyo Neighborhood Running Map. Actual, in western Jinguumae, I found a temple that I had missed and a café next door that's related to Le Petit Mec, which is a bakery I respect, so I've had to introduce a new Jinguumae-Jinnan loop, though looking at the map, I have to wonder whether I've actually shortened it and so should have had this as part of the route anyway. I means all my kilometer markers past #21 on the previous long run and some new ones that I had made since are invalid. Anyway, my next run is going to skip some places from last time so that I can do more new parts of the route within increase the length.

Since I was off in the afternoon, I to get a new cake from Rue de Passy, who won the previous cake-off. I got Paris-Brest aux Cassis et Noisette because it was "Chef recommended". Like the previous cake I had calling itself a Paris-Brest, I don't understand the naming of this definitely now circular éclair a Paris-Brest. Anyway, since it was cream-based, I let it thaw a few minutes, though it was still plenty firm even then. Also, the pastry was nice and crisp. The mixture of currant cream and hazelnut also worked well, so I don't have any problem calling this excellent, which firms this shop up in the very good category (which is pretty bloated, so I'm going to have to cut some of these eventually, after I get to having a third cake from each, which I'm not yet in a hurry to do).

Tuesday was also a pretty long run. First, I managed to get to Donky again in Tomiyaga near Yoyogi Hachiman Stn. and this time they weren't closed early. I went with the croissant, which I walked and ran a little down to the nearest park in Shouto as part of practicing what's currently labeled as the Kamiyama-chou--Shouto loop but should actually be merged with a much larger loop extending out as far as Hatagaya. I failed, in that I turned correctly but with the wrong route in mind (I should have gone clockwise but was thinking this was part of the counterclockwise route. The rest I was okay with without checking my map, so I don't need to practice this again until I need to learn new kilometer markers for the next big run, which I haven't set yet. The croissant, while bread-type, had at least some layering in the crust and was fresh and buttery, even though Donky was minutes from closing. Don't need to go there again, but wouldn't mind if I needed to.

Cake-off: Rue de Passy "Opera Pistache" over Fraoula "Angers St Laud"

This time my side trip to Fraoula looking for "Angers St Laud" paid off. My original plan in looking for it was to see it through the window and go on to get the second cake, picking this one up on the way back, but the the usual counter person spotted me and pointed to the cake, so I had to come in and buy it, especially since they said that they had specifically made it because I had been asking about it (the patisserie was also out front). They are very friendly and I'm very recognizable, but also not that many people probably come asking about a specific cake and then stalk them over the next few months looking for it. I decided to take it home first rather than carry it 13 km, most of that with a second cake. Actually, I was faster going home, 10 km/h versus 9 km/h, both 4+ km.

I was equally successful for my first choice of a match for this, as Rue de Passy still had their Pistache Opera. This time I was faster going (10 km/h) than coming back (9 km/h), both 8+ km, which is reasonable for a second run where I'm not trying to make a particular pace, but rather trying not to over do it. Just watched a show on two "talents" trying to do sub 3.5 marathons, which requires a 12+ km/h average speed. Neither made it, though each was close in his way. I'm just not enough of an athlete, but at my speeds, I never have trouble with specifically muscle pain stopping me, like they did, so I'm not sure that I really need more training. Instead, I'll try to use my capacity to get where I want to go without causing any tendon or joint failures, or compromising my immune system.

These were both early evaluations of shops I've mostly moved on from (though Fraoula has great pastries). This Angers St Laud is a little different from the one two years ago. On the plus side, it has a great pistachio flavor and is well complimented by the almonds and biscuit. On the downside, it has somewhat gelatinous parts that slide off each other (you can see the white top and green bottom) when you cut into them. I still think it's excellent, but I have a hard time saying that it's great. In contrast, the Pistache Opera is a standard layered cake of biscuit and thick praliné/ganache, so in that way it's not exciting, but I like the taste and like the structure of this type of cake, so maybe those are why I am choosing it over Fraoula, at least today.

So I guess Yu Sasage is for next Saturday. In the meantime, I need a shopping run or research run with no cake to balance out the extra cake today. I also want to get to JPH for a Verrine this week, since they only have these and summer and classify them as cake; I don't consider them cake or like them much, but I should give them another chance while I have the chance: they have three varieties per month for 4 months, so they would keep me busy if it turns out that they are worth trying. Also, I want to work in a new shop and now I owe both Sadaharu Aoki and Rue de Passy another sampling, though I definitely won't get to the later this week. Not sure whether I'll take a rest tomorrow (probably not, as I'm not that tired or sore) or whether I'll need a rest Friday before my Saturday run (again, greed/obsession will probably prevent that). I'll probably keep the Saturday run to only 30 km, which is easily done but I'd like to stop by some other shops on the way for research purposes, though I'll also need a snack for that long a run, as Yu Sasage doesn't have eat-in space to eat my cake there and I'd rather avoid eating outdoors.

Limevert: Pruneau

For my long run of the week, I went over to Limevert again, taking a longer path of going south to the middle of Aoyama Cemetary before heading west to Roppongi Ave and then over to my usual route down to Old Oyamate Ave. (though I took the southern branch for some reason) and then down to follow Meguro River northwest and then the green path to Umegaoka, and from there along the train line.

I ate in again (obviously) and got chocolate again, this time Pruneau (580 yen) according to the French, but the Japanese name seems to be phonetic for "Brick" (though wrote down "Buritta": hard to write those cards). This is a couple solid chocolate sticks on top, then cocoa powder, chocolate mousse, chocolate cream, a little unlisted chocolate sponge (probably for cohesion), chocolate ganache, and finally a feuillantine base for crunch. I'm not completely confident, but I'm going to say it was great and look forward to testing that in the future.

From there, I went back a different route so I could stop by at Fraoula because I had overlooked that theirs was the first cake I rated here as great, so I should have started with them (I was greedy back then and had two great cakes on that day). Unfortunately, though they were happy to see me again, it seems to be something that they make on an irregular schedule. They offered to give me a call when they made it next, but my schedule is a little more complicated than that and I don't mind stopping in occasionally. I bought there Croissant d'Almonde, which was great. It is the soft kind, maybe with almond syrup, but the powered sugar definitely was part of the appeal for me. More than for cakes, this is a quite excellent place for the few pastry they make, so I need to get there more often just for that, though I'm not sure whether I've missed anything at this point.

(Sunday 1) 9 km run (and 17 km run): Frauola

Visited a few shops (but hit the tag limit, so I'm splitting this). A straight to and back from Fraoula in the late morning was about 9 km. (Then from noon I took a long path that took me by Lettre d'Amour for the first time and to Ryoco again.) I updated shops on this map. From Fraoula, I got Fran Nature and Tarte Citron for 367 and 410 yen, because I was taking them home to share and I wanted something that I was sure would run well, as well as being something I had not gotten there before. They were very good. Note sure if they were excellent, but I might get them again. Definitely a great cake shop. Supposedly, that is meringue. Certainly it is egg-like and whipped. This tart is less sweet that some I've had, which is not a bad thing in a lemon tart.

Cycling from Au Bon Vieux Temp (Tentation Chocolat) to Faraoula (Angers st Laud)

To rest my feet, I went out with my granny bike to what I think of as the Jiyugaoka (自由が丘) area, which includes within a couple stations. As usual, having okay cake yesterday made me crave really good cake, so I went where I knew I could find some.

I started with my far point, which was Au Bon Vieux Temps (オー ボン ヴュー タン), which recently moved around the block to the wide street from the narrow shopping street that runs to the station (Oyamadai Station; 尾山台駅), though it's actually on the Todoroki side, not Oyamadai. No picture because I demonstrated to myself again that you can't carry cake on a bicycle (but I can run several kilometers carrying it), at least not operating it (the bicycle) in a legal manner. My cake was decapitated, but still quite edible, so no problem. The cake was a Tentation Chocolat ("chocolate temptation"; タンタシオンショコラ) for 650 yen. It had a not quite solid block dense chocolate tart-like base of about 1 cm (3 to 4 cm diameter), a middle slightly thicker layer of still fairly dense chocolate mousse, and was topped by chocolate whipped cream. Great cake (which is why I go to this shop). I need to go to the cafe/restaurant and have one of their frozen desserts, which are slightly more expensive.

Next, I searched for one new place among the many cake places listed on the local area website but that I had never heard anything particular about. m.koide, who I've seen open and with customers, was unexpectedly closed with a "help wanted" sign on the door. I had already gone past where Patisserie R Okasawa used to be and seen that it had moved, but since I knew that I also had also passed the new shop somewhere though was not sure where, I figured that it was better to look online later (which I've done) rather than go back and search. Patisserie Rikyuu (where I might have gotten cheesecake as maybe the only thing of much interest listed on the menu out front) had a tiny note on the door saying "back at 1:40". Merger-sasa (?) was no where to be found, although I did find an empty storefront with an awning at about the right place that would fit for a patisserie. So I ended up visiting Patisserie de la Loire, which is a tiny Mom (and I think I heard Pop in the back) place that admitted that they didn't have any specialty, which pretty much sums them up. They looked completely basic, but a little sachertorte for 300 yen tasted about like what one would expect, in a good enough way. If you need to buy a bunch of little cakes for students/children/underlings, they have a few basic varieties, and the lady was very nice. No reason for me to go back again.

Okay, back to the greats that bring me to Jiyugaoka: Tarte Tentation (タルト タンタシオン) at Patisserie Paris S'éveille (パティスリー・パリセヴェイユ). This was also chocolate, but a little wider and only about 5 mm thick of chocolate flavored with citrus (with a few orange pieces on top). It was high quality, but the orange (or whatever specifically it was) overpowered the chocolate, so it did not work for me, although not bad tasting. Still, I'll be back until I've sampled everything and then go through the one's I think that I like again (the main purpose of this blog is as a record, since I can't remember all these cakes and shops in detail).

Finally, a shop that just recently moved and came to my attention, Fraoula, hidden between stations at the southwest corner of Yoyogi Park, sold me one of the below (518 yen): Angers st Laud (アンジェ サン ロー)、which is pistachio flavored with vanilla Bavarois (Bavarian cream), but notice that there are little biscuits (English spelling is such a pain, I write as I try to figure out French from phonetic Japanese every day for this blog, although in this case, I didn't need to) in there, as well as almonds: great cake (or whatever you want to call it). Not disappointed with this place yet, so I expect more last stops there (if I can get there by when they close, 5 pm!).