Hotel New Otani Tokyo: $15 Super Overhyped and Overpriced Japanese Shortcake

If there’s one place you should avoid for cakes in Tokyo or even the whole of Japan, it is Patisserie Satsuki of the prestigious Hotel New Otani, the same place that houses the first Pierre Herme outlet in Japan. 

It’s famous for its super melon shortcake which is priced at a whopping ¥3500 per piece and limited to only 20 per day.  WOW. To think that something so simple can fetch such a heavenly price. And if it can continue to be around for so many years (more than 10 years), it must be damn good. 

Having found out that the cakes can be booked online for collection (which means no wasted trip  if it is sold out or no wasting time to queue), I eagerly booked 3 items from the edo Sweets series, a collection of matcha based pastries. 

1500 yen (~SGD 18) millefeuille

As I tried to navigate through the rather forlorn hotel (think old Beauty World Shopping Center) with kimono-clad Obaasan sipping afternoon tea on red cushion sofas, trying to reach the god-knows-where patisserie, I felt very awkward and I just wanted to collect and get out of this place asap. But the horror of all horrors came later. The cakes turned out to be the worst decision ever made in my life. 

1250 yen (~SGD 15) per slice 

I won’t describe the details of every single piece because it reminded me of the mental torture to try to consume as much as I can without wasting my money. The sponge (be it in the roll or shortcake) was terribly dry and rough you’ll better standby some water by your side. Meanwhile the matcha cream/ganache was so sweet that the first reaction most will do is to scrape it away. I felt sad for the matcha which have been robbed of their beauty because of the poor control of sugar and chocolate.

Portion for each cake is definitely bigger than average but who will even be keen to finish it when it tasted like this? 

Better save your calories and $$ for something else across the streets.

https://www.newotani.co.jp/tokyo/restaurant/p-satsuki/cake/edo-sweets/

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Mandarin Oriental Tokyo Gourmet Shop : Fly me to Kumo

Most people don’t really bother about the pastries from hotels but I think it would be a pity to overlook those from hotels in Japan. Not every single hotel I mean because some are worse than convenience stores.
So far the most unpalatable ones I had were from Hilton. The pastries from Shangri-la and Mariott group are average.

But those from the Hyatt Group (Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt and Andaz) are excellent. No I’m not paid to write this and neither am I affiliated to any staff who work there.

Mandarin Oriental? I would rank it 2nd, below Hyatt Group and above Shangri-la. This is because this 5-Star hotel does invest efforts to ramp up its pastry boutique. It not only revamped the space but also hire new executive chef stephan to helm the kitchen. The pastries are visually attractive but the flavours were not sharp enough to create a lasting impression. Take for example I thought the Bonsai, one of the botanical inspirations, would revolve around matcha but matcha was only limited to the surface and the entire composition was predominantly vanilla mousse.

I had high expectations for the Kumo, the signature “cloud” cake launched last September and changes flavour every season. It was chestnut last Autumn and Pistachio-Raspberry this spring. The cake was massive, such that it was placed separately in a cake box that could fit a regular 8-in strawberry shortcake. Perhaps it’s a flavour issue as the pistachio-raspberry mousse was quite sweet and tasted just like an average mousse cake. My favourite part was the sturdy chocolate shell.


The Sakura Pannacotta was the tastiest of all with its silky wobbly texture and the presence of sake in the jelly.

Website: 

https://www.mandarinoriental.co.jp/tokyo/nihonbashi/fine-dining/cake-shops/gourmet-shop

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Andaz Hotel Pastry Boutique : Sakura Sweets 2018

It’s back to Andaz Hotel Pastry Boutique after nearly a year and that’s all because of the Sakura Sweets Fair which will end on 27 April 2018. 

I’ve had several Sakura sweets this year but those from Andaz stood out even though they are pretty simplistic in design.

Be it the Mont Blanc or the Roll Cake, the overall taste and texture were amazingly light while the flavour of Sakura is kept in check. What surprised me was the Sakura Cheese Tart whose tart filling was so rich and dense-contrary to the usual touch of Japanese pastries. 

However, the most regrettable impetus buy was the Vert which I spotted on the display shelf on my visit. It was a far cry from its predecessor in 2017 as the entire thing suffered a huge damage from the overuse of white chocolate. Super duper sweet. Yikes. 

I returned to my Sakura Sweets right away after taking a bite.

Andaz Hotel Tokyo

東京都港区虎ノ門1-23-4 アンダーズ 東京 1階

Tel: 03 6830 7765

Hours:

Weekdays 8:00～20:00

Weekends/PH 10:00～20:00

Dine-in seats available

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Le Coin Vert by The Agnes ル・コワンヴェール : Hidden Patisserie in Kagurazaka

Hidden in the quaint neighbourhood of Kagurazaka is a boutique hotel named The Agnes and right next to it is a 2-storey wooden hut that houses a French patisserie that opened at the same time in 2008. It was headed by Chef Koji Ueshimo until 2015 June when Chef Koji left the shop to open his standalone patisserie Avranches Guesnay in the same year. In fact, 50% of the cakes at Le Coint Vert can be found in Avranches and I'm curious if there's any difference between the two places.

But back to Le Coin Vert, it is more suitable for takeaway though one can enjoy them at the outdoor terrace seats when the weather is good. 3 out of the 5 cakes left me with the deepest impression. Chocolate lovers, especially dark chocolate fans, would be exceptionally pleased with the ultra dark bitterness of Fortissimo. It's just layers of ganache and sponge, but more formidable than any chocolate cake of similar structure. The fleetingly light Fromage Cru offered a captivating savoury flavor of cheese and this, was gone in a twilight--the unspoken unanimous favourite of everyone.

The signature cake was Renald, which spoke easily to those who favour cakes with varying textures and of course caramel + chocolate. The cakes are reasonably priced but I think they could invent more original items rather than depending on the "old" cakes created by the previous chef.

Le Coin Vert

10.30am-7pm (Closed on Mon)

〒162-0825 東京都新宿区神楽坂2-20-1

http://www.agneshotel.com/patisserie/

Nearest station : Iidabashi Station / Kagurazaka Station

Violet

Mont Dor

Fortissimo

Pistachio St Marc

signature Renald

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Andaz Tokyo Pastry Boutique : Shincha Bitter Sweets

 
May marks the season of Shincha (first tea harvest) and Andaz Hotel has launched a series of Shincha sweets featuring teas from Shizuoka Prefecture. Just when you expect everything to be green, the cakes are mostly decked in white. But all the cakes we've tasted would have passed with flying colors if there was a cake examination.

The textures were brilliant and the structure of the cakes were coherent. Take for example the Shincha Opera (650 yen), probably the best opera I've ever had. The green tea ganache was smooth yet potent, contrasted by the nutty chocolate feuilletine in the center. The Vert (650 yen) was a showcase of exemplary chocolate mousse; not porous but silky tight like wearing a comfortable pair of leggings. Again, there's a variation of textures here which took to our fancy.

The Shincha roll cake (600 yen) tasted normal but the fluffy texture could easily threaten the position of Es Koyama's roll in my ranking chart. I was intrigued by The Barley Tea (麦茶) Chocolate (550 yen) as very few chefs would play with this underrated tea. Clearly, mugicha was an excellent partner with chocolate just like Hojicha. The eclairs (small 200 yen / large 490 yen) were decent but I would recommend getting the regular sized ones for a deeper satisfaction. 

Good to know: With 20 dine-in seats, this pastry shop offers a truly relaxed space for enjoyingquality cakes without having to queue or pay for any compulsory beverage. Pastry chef Tanaka Reito has vast experience in French pastries and has been working with Grand Hyatt Tokyo for more than 15 years before being appointed as the chef for Andaz Tokyo

Period: now till June 16 2017
Details: https://www.andaztokyo.jp/restaurants/jp/pastry-shop/

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Lime Restaurant @ PARKROYAL on Pickering : New Afternoon Tea Menu with Local Twist

Lime Restaurant at PARKROYAL on Pickering has recently revamped its "Tiers of Joy" afternoon tea menu which interweaves more local flavors into the bite-sized selection. Out goes the classic sandwiches and in comes interesting fusion items include the Expression of Nasi Lemak, a ball of coconut rice coated in crushed peanuts with a dab of sambal Chilli at the base. It tasted almost like having nasi lemak except that the grains were rather dry and crumbly. The Peking Duck Duxelles Profiteroles were mildly sweet fillings of tender duck meat in a choux shell. 

While the current afternoon tea looks more presentable than before, it no longer comes with scones. This is a huge pity because the scones here were fondly delicious and it made the afternoon tea less complete. 

The sweet selection is cut down to one tier and each item comes in 1 serving, which made sharing troublesome since the tier was meant for 2. Nonetheless, the quality of the sweets continues to stay strong and some of the new additions were better than before. Highlights include the aromatic Coconut Pandan Mousse Tart and the sweet-savoury Peanut Butter Chocolate Cup with Gianduja Chantily.  

Available 3-6pm daily, Lime's latest interpretation of afternoon tea strikes a good balance between the local and the traditional English but we would definitely miss the scones dearly. Or perhaps with the team's constant strive for innovation, there could still be a hope of the scones returning in some local flavour like pandan or curry, maybe?

SD42+++ per set with a serving of specialty coffee and TWG tea

SGD48 +++ per set with unlimited servings of specialty coffee and TWG tea

Daily 3pm-6pm

Lime Restaurant @  PARKROYAL on Pickering 

a PARKROYAL Collection Hotel

3 Upper Pickering Street, Singapore 058289

Nearest MRT:  Clarke Quay, Raffles Place, Chinatown

Facebook : www.facebook.com/parkroyal.pickering

Note: This is an invited tasting

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Countdown 2017 : New Year's Eve Buffet @ Grand Hyatt Singapore

Don't fuss over what to cook at home on 31st December. 

There's only one more day left to 2016 so treat yourself to an A-grade dinner at any of five restaurants at Grand Hyatt. Be spoilt with all kinds of choices from Indian to Italian cuisine or a scrumptious platter of fresh sashimi served using sustainable seafood. But after your dinner, don't be too kanchiong to head home! Toast to a "Beautiful Age" at the Belle Époque countdown party where free-flow beverages and a dessert extravaganza awaits you alongside live music and entertainment. 

Here's a sneak preview of some of the dishes offered at Grand Hyatt for New Year's Eve dinner and of course, the dessert extravaganza!  

Straits Kitchen Indian section Lobster masala 

Assorted Bouchons

Macarons & Champagne Truffles

Chocolate Caviar Tiramisu

mezza9 spit roasted over yarrah hard wood, british red poll prime rib, garlic, black pepper 

StraitsKitchen Chinese Section : Double boiled superior seafood herbal soup in whole coconut” (Scallop, prawn, mushroom, chinese herbs, whole coconut)

Artisan Gelato (Must Try!)

For more information, click here  to view the detailed menus for 10 Scotts, mezza9, StraitsKitchen, Pete's Place, Oasis.

Prices start at SGD138++ for New Year's Eve dinners that include one complimentary ticket to the Belle Époque countdown party.

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Colony @ Ritz-Carlton Singapore : 5-Tier Tingkat Afternoon Tea + Free Flow Desserts from The Patisserie

Mini Lobster Quiche

Yam Puff with Baby Abalone

Relish a taste of Singapore's culinary heritage with Colony's latest revamped afternoon tea featuring a 5 savoury dishes served in an exquisite ceramic tingkat. They are inspired by local Chinese and Western cuisine and are larger than the average cocktail canapés. Delicious highlights include the mini lobster quiche--savoury egg custard with chunky lobsters encrusted in a buttery flaky shell, as well as the Pumpkin Cake with Chilli crab sauce.

Just as you find yourself about half or three-quarters full, take a break and sip on the glass of Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne before you continue The Journey with free-flow desserts at The Patisserie. This is a section where you can discover some of the top-notched desserts in Singapore.

Most certainly not every dessert here is born equal but one cannot afford to miss the rich and decadent Chocolate Caramel Hazelnut Tart which crumbles into a gooey caramel as you fork your through. It's petit but successfully ambitious in congregating multiple textures and building depths in flavors.

Another hot favourite is the Taiwan Ice Cream Peanut Wrap which is made by wrapping freshly shaved peanut candy, taro ice cream and coriander all in thin yet fragrant crepe. Savoury, sweet, nutty and crunchy, there's a wonderful medley of textures and flavors here. Don't be surprise if your brain asks you to go for a second serving immediately after you take a bite. Any rational human being will do that. 

The ice cream section is yet another cave worthy of some exploration. The Chendol, Matcha and Strawberry which I've tried were not shy of their distinctive flavors, though some parts were slightly icy. Count in all the other signature scones, assorted miniatures, chocolate pralines, etc. and you know you have to save up your lunch calories for this. 

Priced at $49 per person, Colony's afternoon tea includes the Colony Tea, a custom blend of black and white Sumatran tea leaves from that comes with your choice of tea syrup enhancement such as French Rose or Lavender. 

Colony @ The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

7 Raffles Ave, Singapore 039799

Tel 6434-5288

Available Mon-Sat 3.30pm-5.30pm 

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/singapore/dining/colony

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