Ever since Chubby Hubby teased and titillated my senses with this picture of Sadaharu Aoki éclairs, I have been haunted and tormented by it day and night, daydreaming about it at work, during lunch, in the MTR, while brushing my teeth, when watching movies, etc, etc. So it should not come as a surprise that when I finally arrive in Tokyo, the very first thing I do after dropping off my luggage at the hotel is to run (ok, run is a bit exaggerated, but I did brisk walk at 7 kmph) to Shinjuku Isetan to meet these babies in person.
I am told that for the Japanese, eating while walking is a big no-no as this multitasking act is considered impolite in their culture. I thank God that very moment for my Filipino-Chinese roots. I just canNOT imagine the pain of having to wait even a second to sink my teeth into these babies. Now scroll down and tell me YOU can!
And so, at the risk of being frowned upon by all the polite peoples of Tokyo, I take my first bite.
Aaaahhhhh!!!! Oooohhhhh!!!! Aaaahhhhh!!! is the reaction this green treasure evokes from me. Thick green tea custard blanketed in soft choux pastry, painted with a thin coat of green tea ganache, perfect level of sweetness, perfect green tea taste. It is, simply put, THE éclair of all éclairs.
Caramel Éclair
After dark chocolate, green tea is my next favorite. I love green tea and I am biased about green tea. Naturally, the caramel éclair experience, although quite good, pales in comparison. I find it just a tad too sweet, but fret not, lovers of caramel! If you delight in the taste of this liquid sugar goodness then this one is definitely for you.
I want to try all the flavors Chubby Hubby mentioned in his post, but green tea and caramel are the only ones available on the two occasions I visit the patisserie. Oh Black Sesame and Yuzu, where art thou???
Feeling heartbroken, I decide to console myself with a different kind of love…
“Fraisier” Love
A bit melted, at room temperature. That is how I like my cake. And I like this cake very much. The sweetest strawberries, encased in feathery buttercream, moist sponge cake and almond paste, this kind of love makes me forget my sesame and yuzu heartaches. Finally, I am happy and content.
And then I see it. That green color of matcha deliciousness. My heart starts to beat again. I love matcha. I am in love with everything matcha. 抹茶, té matcha, Маття, ماتشا , groene thee, まっちゃ, muelita teo… I love matcha in all languages! And what more a matcha opera cake? Layers and layers of rich matcha buttercream, matcha cake, and chocolate ganache – my favorite things in this world – all mine in one bite, rewarding me with the taste of true happiness.
Really, can life get any better than this?
Patisserie Sadaharu Aoki: B1F Shinjuku Isetan & B1F Tokyo Midtown
