菓子工房&Sweets Cafe KYOTO KEIZO: The Mont Blanc that Lasts Only Ten Minutes

I used to wonder what is the hype with a 10-min Mont Blanc? Why has it been so popular amongst dessert afficionados in Kyoto?


I finally visited the shop and found out the truth. The 10 min Mont Blanc is so named because it is said to have a super short lifespan of 10min from the moment it is created. As such, don’t even think of having it as a take-out. But does it mean that one has to finish it in 10min? I don’t think that is necessary. To be honest, I took my own sweet time and I didn’t notice any apparent change in texture. But I couldn’t help smiling to myself from the start to the end.

The seasonal variation I had, Sakura Mont Blanc, could possibly be the best Mont Blanc I’ve ever had. The cream was utterly soft, with subtle notes of savouriness and gentle scents of Sakura. It had none of those boorish sweetness of typical Mont Blanc, though I can’t guarantee the same for the original Mont Blanc here. Beneath the cream was Mochi and matcha cream on a airy crisp small meringue. Excellent.

With a focus on a la minute desserts, the shop freshly prepared the desserts upon order and customers are invited to the backyard kitchen to view their dessert being made in front of their eyes (or iPhones). Fortunately the desserts here are not just an act of gimmick.
After being full blown away by this Mont Blanc, I decided to check out its latest chocolatory that is just few shops down the same street. Opened only in Feb 2018, it’s a chocolate retail gourmet shop that sells all kind of chocolate bars. I was thrilled to be able to taste test all types of chocolate and finally settled on buying the Sakura and Matcha after much deliberation. If you are keen to learn more about the techniques of chocolate, you may be able to pick up some tips here. In fact, chef Keizo Nishida was making some chocolates at the chocolate kitchen instead of the cafe when I visited.

There’s no queue for chocolatory Keizo but if you want to try the Mont Blanc for yourself, be prepared to arrive early before the shop opens to stand in the queue.

菓子工房&Sweets Cafe KYOTO KEIZO

https://kyoto-keizo.com/

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Salon De Muge 無碍山房: Dessert in the woods by Michelin 3-Star Kikunoi

 Getting a seat here by reservation was a horrible story.

 I don’t know whether to count that is gaijin sabetsu because they can only take in reservations if you have a Japanese phone number. Even hotel concierges don’t help because they don’t want to be liable to the cancellation cost.

But the popularity of this place amongst the locals isn’t surprising at all. As the first dessert salon opened by Michelin 3-Star Kikunoi, standards and expectations are set in place.

I only had eyes (and stomach space) for one dessert and that’s the matcha Parfait.

My first reaction was “やばい 超濃厚だ” it was very rich but strangely the more I eat the sweeter it became. Here, there’s the order of eating, carefully planned with the position of the spoon. I was told to spoon from the right to the left, which means I will encounter the Yuzu castella first before reaching the ginger castella on the other side. The yuzu castella was too sweet, which probably make things rather “jelat”.  There was nothing much special about the warabi jelly as well but I guess what merits praises is the matcha ice cream that boasted such a charming dark hue which would be perfect if it is less sweet.

I’m glad I didn’t have to queue long for this. My neighboring customers ordered the seasonal Ichigo Parfait which looked no less attractive then the matcha Parfait. Perhaps that could be a better bet.

Website: http://kikunoi.jp/kikunoiweb/Muge/

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Malebranche Kyoto : Matcha Rediscovered

I've written about Malebranche of Kyoto a few times previously and to date, I still think of it as a befitting representation of modern Kyoto sweets (not Tsujiri). As with the ever-changing sweets market business, Malebranche has renewed its shop at Kyoto Station Porta and Kyoto Tower with new items that are exclusively available only at those two locations. 

Repoened on 20 March 2018, the Kyoto Station Porta outlet has introduced a new matcha roll in two versions, Futomaki ("fat" large sharing size) and Hosomaki ("thin" individual portion) However, both rolls are vastly different in texture and taste composition. I had the Hosomaki (500 yen) which is a palm-sized okoicha sponge enrobed with okoicha sauce and white chocolate cream in the center.

The sponge had an interesting mochi-mochi bite but I found the tea taste to be lacking and overpowered by the sweetness of the white chocolate roll. The Futomaki is probably a safer bet though you need to find someone to share such large roll.

I prefer the Nama-cha Ice Bar (250 Yen) from Kyoto Tower Outlet. You pay from a vending machine, hand the ticket to the staff to exchange for a matcha ice popsicle-like thing dipped in hot (no actually mine was not hot at all) rich matcha sauce. I found the sauce to be redundant as it did nothing to melt the pop and the ice bar itself was very rich and shiok. However, I read that they had a winter edition hot yuzu sauce which I felt should be permanently placed on the menu. 

Tokyo Station Porta Outlet

京都府京都市下京区烏丸通塩小路下ル東塩小路町902番地 京都駅前地下街ポルタ内

10am-9pm

Kyoto Tower Outlet

京都市下京区烏丸通七条下ル東塩小路町721-1

9am-9pm

http://www.malebranche.co.jp/

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Grains de Vanille : The Kyoto Cake Shop Visited by Pierre Herme

Even Pierre Herme dropped by this shop twice, how could I have given this a miss?

Compared to Tokyo, Kyoto seemed to have fewer cake boutiques and dominated by more standalone cafes. But this doesn’t mean that there are no worthy ones around. Grains de Vanille has been on my list for the longest time because the cakes stood out amongst other competitors like Patisserie S and Grenier de Au.

The Japanese-French pastries here are less conservative than their counterparts in Kyoto but not too bold and wild to assume bright, neon coloring that most French pastries are donning these days. They are similar to those in Tokyo, such as Asterisque or Mont St Clair. It was a challenge to narrow my selection to only 4 items and luckily only 1 turned out to be a disaster. The seasonal item was menacingly sweet— a mental torture to consume.

However, I found the Cafe Escargot interesting because very few chefs would flavour the meringue and tone down the sweetness. This was a brilliant combination of the 3cs; coffee, caramel and chocolate. The pistachio mousse was tasty but I thought the black tea chocolate st honore stood out more with its intricate layerings of tea and Cacao.

I haven’t tried many patisseries in Kyoto but I think this shop can stand in line with Tatsuhito Satoi and beat Tendresse hands down.

住所：京都府京都市中京区鍵屋町間之町通486
電話番号：075-241-7726
営業時間：10:30～18:00 (dine in available after 1pm)
定休日：第2・第4火曜、水曜

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Salon Bake & Tea @ Shinjuku NEWoman : 30-cm jumbo parfait and other quality French desserts

I am usually very skeptical about desserts from cafe restaurants in commercial shopping complexes because they tend to be of very mediocre quality. However, I was totally proved wrong at Salon Bake & Tea, a restaurant that serves all-day French food and desserts in the newly opened NEWoMAN mall. 

This is part of the Salon adam et Rope group whose main business line is fashion. I couldn't think of another better place than Salon Bake & Tea for late night desserts in Shinjuku because other options are franchised cafes in department store or fruit tart cafes. Not anything attractive to me to be honest.

 Tartelette Au Poitron タルト・ポティロン

One can order the specialty plated desserts or pick and choose any petit entremets showcased on stylish plates at a corner of the restaurant. I was shocked to learn that each petit entremet cost a hefty \400 but the quality was worth the splurge. 

cassolette カスレッツ 

カスタードクリームと柚子ベリーコンフィチュールが入ったシュー生地のお菓子

My favourite was the Cassolette and Tartelette Au Poitron as the sable base is excellently crunchy and buttery. Especially the cassolette whose gold crackly sugary skin shattered into a pool of custard and yuzu berry confiture cusped within the choux pastry. 

Saint Honore au Chocolat サントノーレショコラ 

If I had known earlier that they've got an Order Buffet promotion from 2500 yen for tea + a buffet of these petit entremets based on order from 11am-4pm, I would have grabbed this chance 

The 30-cm tall seasonal Sweet Potato parfait stood out not only in height but flavors. This isn't just the usual whipped cream and cakes stacked over a pile of cornflakes. Right at the base is an ultralight raspberry jelly layered with vanilla custard mousse and fresh cream before being generously buried in homemade cocoa sables and granola. 

Above all these decadent goodness is luscious pumpkin cream, raspberry confiture, marron paste and a sweet potato burger choux that's encased with vanilla ice cream suspended at the top. 

The composition was flawless and the golden ratio contributed to a perfect harmony of all the characters in this seemingly chaotic work. Truly one of the best parfaits in 2016 besides the Purple Sweet Potato Apple Yoghurt parfait from Kissho Karyo. 

Salon Bake & Tea

Shinjuku-Ku 4-1-6 NEWoMAN 3F 

東京都新宿区新宿四丁目1番6号 NEWoMan 3F

Daily 11:00-22:00（L.O.21:00）

TEL : 03-6380-1790

http://salon.adametrope.com/bake/#bland-store-info

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Patisserie Rakkansha 洛甘舎 @ Kyoto: Excellent Shoyu Cake & 和風 Japanese Sweets

While most people usually head to Shijou district for Nishiki market, I prefer to wander and get myself lost in the back alleys outside the market. There are plenty of hidden gems such as new-age designer boutiques, bakeries, cafes and even artisanal craft shops that are waiting to be discovered.

As I was exploring the area by foot, I chanced upon a few patisseries that were not on my list or even featured anywhere before. One of them is Rakkansha, a young patisserie that opened in Aug 2015 and sells western cakes with a Japanese twist.

While similar concepts have been adopted elsewhere in shops like Jouvencelle or Kissho Karyo, the gateaus here exhibited a higher level of aesthetic finesse and technical sophistication. I decided to give it a try and boy, these cakes were mind-blowingly impressive. I was instantly attracted to their chouxs because they were displayed right at the entrance.

洛甘シュー (人気の洛甘シューがリニューアルしました。外の皮はさくさく、中のクリームはとろっと・・・)

Of the Black sesame, kinako, custard and matcha, I stuck to the old-fashioned matcha (250 yen) which tasted like matcha fondue when I reheated it using a hotel microwave according to the staff's advice. The choux pastry was soft but the interior was crazily delicious; warm, smooth and creamy. I did a similar thing once with beard papa's cream puff but the oil and cream split badly. It didn't happen this time round, luckily.

和心 (柚子ムースにガナッシュにと小豆を加え、日本酒でアクセントをつけたショコラタルト)
The prettiest item to me was Yuzu Chocolat Tart (500 yen) with its dainty floral adornment on the glossy yuzu mousse. If they could do away with the sugary candied azuki beans around the chocolate rim or replace the beans with some bitter cacao nibs, this would be a perfect tart that would meet the eye. The Japanese sake hidden in the chocolate ganache also contributed to a punchy aroma which I liked a lot.

洛甘ロール

もち粉を使用したモチモチの生地で白あんを巻いた、しっとりとしたロールケーキです。

The signature Rakkan roll cake (280 yen) had a plushy mouthfeel because it was made with mochi flour. Unless you are used to those sweet bean paste often found in Wagashi, the sweetness of the core (not the cream) might scare the soul out of you.

雅 (上質な抹茶で仕上げたムースの中に、求肥と餡をしのばせています。)
The Miyabi (500 yen) boasted a smooth and distinct taste of green tea both in the mousse and sponge but they could really do a lighter hand with the sweetened red beans.

My favourite was the Komachi (古町) 480yen, a shoyu Chocolate Chestnut Mousse simply because the chefs had cleverly hedged on the umami taste of the shoyu chocolate ganache to counterbalance the chestnut mousse. Savoury yet sweet at the same time. This cake also resonated with its name, which means an old town, because the taste of shoyu evoked nostalgic sentiments of the early times when life was much simpler.

This place is not as famous as Patisserie Tendresse but the style and taste of the entremets suit my palates more. With so many creative combinations yet to be explored here, I'll be right back.

Patisserie Rakkansha パティスリー洛甘舎

227-1 Sanmonjicho (Higashinotoindori), Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 604-8135

〒604-8135京都市中京区三文字町227-1藤六ビル1F（東洞院六角西北角）

Weekdays & Sundays 11am-8pm, 

Fri & Sat 11am-8.30pm

Closed on Wed

http://rakkansha.jp

Access: 3-min walk from Karasuma Oike station Exit 5

*Eat in space available*

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Ollella : Delicious Choux Heaven in Singapore

Many cake shops or dessert places in Singapore tend to ride on the bandwagon of food trends such as salted egg yolk lava or colorful pancakes but very few have looked into old-school pastry such as eclairs and choux. There is, of course, places like Tart by Cheryl Koh that focused on tarts, as well as L'eclair and Kumoya which turned humble eclairs into colorful statement pieces. 

But for a place that specializes in chouquettes, Ollella is probably the first in Singapore and the first that does it so well. I was glad to have the opportunity to check out this place with @fundamentally_flawed because it restored my hope in the local pastries just when I thought that everyone was too focused on Instagram-worthy stuff and neglect the actual quality.

Ollella is named after the owners, Ollyvia and Marcella, who are sisters of Indonesian parentage. These upside-down choux pastries are the creations of the younger sister, Ollyvia, who used to work at The Peninsua Chicago Hotel and underwent a three-month stint at the prestigious Pierre Herme in Paris a year before opening this shop. Meanwhile, the front service and operations affairs are managed by Marcella, a bubbly personality with corporate marketing experience.

Some might described this as "haute-coute" desserts but I begged to differ because there's a kind of simplicity and intimacy in each of these these 5-cm hollow airy pate a choux are armoured with a delicate craquelin shell. Piped full of creams and custards, there's little not to like in the combination of crunchy, aromatic and creamy.

Presentation wise, they might be a notch below those lightning eclairs but these darlings are gorgeous in my eyes. Prices are eminently affordable and satisfaction guaranteed. It's the next place after Dulcet & Studio that I would recommend for excellent cream puffs.

Our unanimous favourite was the Dark Chocolate, a black ugly duckling that sat right at the corner of the display choux. Yet this was everything a chocolate choux should be ― a perfectly formed, chocolate streusel that crunched loudly in the mouth, oozing forth an exquisite balance of hearty and rich 72% dark chocolate cream. At $4.50, this is the perfect plebeian pleasure.

The Matcha Azuki ($4.50) also hit the spot with a forthcoming tea taste that wasn't ruined by sugar. That said, the amount of red beans could be too much of a good thing to handle, even for those who love their azuki.

Other flavors include bright and tart Lemon Meringue ($4) which could afford a subtle burnt flavor of the meringue had been torched. My friend who don't fancy rose and lychee found the seasonal Lychee Rose ($5) here to be acceptable because the rose Chantilly was only lightly scented with floral notes. Just be warned that the lychee creameux hold no barriers in its fruity sweetness.

Last but not least, there's the Apple Cinnamon ($4) which offers varied textures just like the Dark Chocolate. It's stuffed with cinnamon-infused Apple compote, vanilla streusels and Madagascar vanilla mascarpone cream. Even those who fear cinnamon will find it easy to be acquainted with this choux.  

Apart from chouquettes, it also sells mini chouquettes in plain, chocolate and curry flavor. There's also a 20-layer Kueh Lapis Legit (from $38/600g or $1.50/slice) made based on their grandmother's recipe. Party-sized choux tarts are also available but a minimum 24-hour advance reservation is required.

Despite being new to the scene, Ollella has chalked up a fair share of experience at pop-up stalls with exclusive creations such as the Moon Choux series during the Mid-Autumn festival. With a confident mastery of the craquelin and Pâte à choux, Ollella definitely makes the cut as one of the best patisseries in town.  

Ollella Chouquettes ・Gula
Residences @ Somme
3 Petain Road, #01-01
Singapore 208108
http://ollella.com/

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