Tag Archives: スイーツ

{  Patisserie Paris S’eveille  }

Patisserie Paris S'eveille
Patisserie Paris S'eveille
Patisserie Paris S'eveille
Patisserie Paris S'eveille

Valentines Day is coming up and in Japan it’s hard to miss it since all the shops are filled with all kinds of chocolate-related gift boxes. In case you’re not familiar with Japanese Vday, it’s a big day for the ladies to gather up their courage and give some chocolate to that special someone. There’s “Honmei chocolate” – for their true love and also “Giri choco” – obligatory chocolate for co-workers and friends. It can also be a nerve-wracking day for men to see how many chocolates they get on vday, but it’s always interesting to see how many Honmei chocolates you get VS Giri Chocos. How can you tell the difference? They say if it’s homemade or an expensive chocolate gift, it could be Honmei ;)

Anyhow, in honor of Vday today’s post is a sweet one. Pastry Chef Yoshiaki Kaneko, the owner of Patisserie Paris S’eveille, has trained in Paris for a few years at prestigious places such as ‘Ladurée’, ‘Alain Ducasse’, ‘Arnaud Larher’, and ‘Le Daniel’. He opened his own store in Jiyugaoka in 2003 and it’s a very popular patisserie which is always crowded with couples and ladies of all ages. I’ve previously purchased some pastries from here but never had the opportunity to dine-in and try their beautiful cakes so I was excited. I wanted to try everything, but ended up ordering the ‘Gâteau Basque’ and the ‘Isabella’ after going back and forth between many options. The Isabella was executed to perfection but I wasn’t a huge fan of this walnut-based cake even though I usually love walnuts. On the other hand, the gâteau basque was delicious and we liked that both of the desserts we had were not too sweet. It seems that they are famous for their chocolate cakes so I plan to try that next time.

Address // 2-14-5, Jiyugaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5731-3230
Website // n/a

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{  Mama Tarte  }

Mama Tarte
Mama Tarte
Mama Tarte

There’s a cute tart cafe located slightly off the main area of Daikanyama that feels like your grandma’s homemade tarts and is very well known among the females in town. This place is almost always filled with women and couples that are enjoying some afternoon tea. It’s quite close to quil fait bon in Daikanyama as well so if one is crowded, try the other one ;)

As we are currently enjoying the peaceful autumn season, pumpkin pie (around 700yen) seemed like the perfect choice. We were worried that this pie was going to be too heavy and sweet from the looks, but it turned out to be the complete opposite. It was really soft and had a strong pumpkin flavor. It wasn’t too cinnamon-y either which I liked and the whipped cream that came on the side was the perfect complement. As you might be able to see from the photos, this tart is quite large for a Japanese portion and it will definitely fill you up! The latte (735yen) i ordered came in a huge bowl too so I was really full after everything.

If you need a cute place to tea while out in Daikanyama, check this place out! PS: There’s about 2~3 tables upstairs for a smoking section but the rest is non-smoking.

Address // 2-15-9, EbisuNishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3770-0620
Website // n/a

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{  Manneken  }

Manneken
Manneken
Manneken

Oh my! We were walking through Ginza and couldn’t help but stop to find where this sweet smell was coming from. We noticed it was coming from this small Belgian waffle store named Manneken and there was a small line out the door. Just like us, many on-goers couldn’t help but stop to check out this store as well and the line kept getting longer. We waited a few minutes and got to the counter and decided to try the plain (126yen) and the maple (147yen) waffles. Both were delicious! Soft and chewy, not too sweet but sweet enough, and the sugar coating on the sides were yummy. Can’t believe I’ve never noticed this place until now but hightly recommend it for a treat :)

Address // 5-7-19, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3289-0141
Website // http://www.manneken.co.jp

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{  Glorious Chain Cafe  }

Glorious Chain Cafe
Glorious Chain Cafe
Glorious Chain Cafe

Glorious Chain Cafe in Shibuya is owned by the DIESEL store and it’s the first cafe that DIESEL opened world-wide. This hip cafe is a nice spot to tea or to dine. They serve American food such as burgers, pasta, eggs benedict, hot dogs, salads, pancakes, and more. The chill environment with colorful yellow chairs, booths, couches, and friendly staff makes this place a nice place to hangout. It’s right next to the DIESEL clothing store so you can enjoy some shopping as well. The best part was that we had a group of ten of us but they didn’t force us to pay a minimum per person or to order course menus (many restaurants in Japan make it harder to dine with larger groups) so we were really happy about that. Very much enjoyed the good company with the easy going atmosphere :)

Address // 1-23-16, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3409-5670
Website // www.gloriouschaincafe.jp

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{  Tenguyaki in Takaosan  }

Tenguyaki in Takaosan
Tenguyaki in Takaosan
Tenguyaki in Takaosan

Did you know that there’s a 3-star michelin rated Mountain in Tokyo? It’s called Mount Takao (Takaosan) and it’s hard to believe that such a beautiful mountain is just an hour or two away by public transportation from central Tokyo. It’s a nice getaway from the busy city life and the best part is they have many trails to choose from so all different age groups and levels (from beginner through advanced) hikers can enjoy this mt. Even the ‘Inariyama trail,’ which is supposed to be the most strenuous, is hiked by everyone from elementary school kids on field trips to grandmas & grandpas, so it’s a great way to get some exercise surrounded by nature without going on an all-day hike. If you are not that into hiking but still want to go to Takaosan, you can still take the tram and reach the observatory for a nice scenic view! On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji from the top and it’s a great way to experience nature in the massive metropolis of Tokyo.

I love hiking — I’ve climbed Mt. Fuji and Half Dome in Yosemite, but Takaosan is one of my favorite hikes in Tokyo. Just a tip, I would try avoid climbing Takaosan during major holidays like Golden week as it gets really packed and difficult to navigate. Also, bring a large ziploc bag/trash bag with you as you will have to take your trash home with you. For advanced hikers, you can continue from the top of Takaosan to the Mt. Jimba Trail to extend your hike.

Anyhow, at the top of the tram station is where you can find the delicious treat pictured above called “Tengu Yaki” for 130yen. ‘Tengu’ means a long‐nosed goblin and that’s what the shape is based off of. It has a sweetened black soybean paste inside the crispy waffle and it’s tasty. Surprisingly not too sweet and it’s a perfect snack to pick up on the way. Go on this hike with your family and friends on a nice weekend :)

Takaozan’s English website:
http://www.takaotozan.co.jp/takaotozan_eng1/index2.htm

Address // 2205, Takaomachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 042-665-1808
Website // n/a

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