Shiseido Parlour Tokyo (Since 1902): Not Make-up Products but SWEETS and PARFAITS

Do you know that Shiseido isn't just a cosmetic brand but also a full fledged restaurant in Tokyo? It started serving western fusion dishes such as croquette and omelette rice since it opened its doors in 1902, which is even much older than the famous Taimeiken in Nihonbashi.

Maquillage: Not your make-up base but edible chocolate...even more attractive than macarons!

Occupying one entire building in the premium streets of Ginza, each floor is dedicated to a specific concept, for instance 1F is the retail space for souvenirs and petit entremets while 4/5F are reserved for fine-dining guests. 

Nope, of course I did not have the time and money to travel all the way to Ginza. Fortunately, the only pastry boutique is opened in Isetan Shinjuku and I would usually take a look to see if there is any interesting items. On a random visit, the shop was retailing two award-winning cakes produced by its young in-house chefs at the 2013 Japan Cake Show Contest Petit Gateau Section.

 

As you may tell from the name Ananas Coco, it is a caramel coated coconut mousse with mango and passionfruit centre on a tart shell filled with tarty pineapple chunks. I do not usually fancy pineapples but the use of vanilla beans soften the edginess of the fruit to my delight. However, the pastry tart has succumbed to some moisture attack and the coconut allure had not been fully extracted. 

Despite the all-too-common pistachio-raspberry pairing, this Pistachio cake was very captivating. Compared to the usual light fluffy mousse, this one is dense but not cloying.  

From the sponge wall to the filling to the rooftop pool of green sauce, every bit adhered obediently to the theme of pistachio. Not much textural contrast here but you know that the chef was not stingy on the pistachio paste. 

Nonetheless, there is still a wider selection of items at the main outlet in Ginza. It was love at first sight for Azuma Odori, a pretty cake with a mesmerizing oriental charm.

The components of white chocolate mousse, matcha mousse, vanilla custard and sponge cake might bring no surprise but I like the exceptionally milky scent in the matcha layer. Anyway, sorry to inform you that this is a limited edition item only available last summer in 2014 ! Hope you chance on something better next time.

Shiseido Salted Caramel cheesecake (Tokyo Station Limited Edition) The team behind Shiseido really knows how to market the popular flavours as limited edition items. These petite baked square cheesecakes are so dense and rich that having one at one time is more than sufficient. 

But instead of the cheesecake, I think their La Ganache Petit is definitely a more worthy investment. With a intensely dark ganache filled center, this resembles a deluxe version of a chocolate crunchie.

"An amazing, unique texture with rich flavour?" I am glad these are not just merely marketing slogans but these Chokaki (a word play of Chocolate + Okaki) are probably one of the most successful hybrids experimented by the quirky Japanese. They are not as hard as typical rice crackers but disintegrate into shambles in a few bites. The cheese version has a bonus dust of cheese powder that intensifies the balance of taste. Available only at Tokyo station and Haneda airport. 

Matcha Parfait

The quality is more like a casual cafe that does not pays too much attention to matcha. To put it bluntly, it is a cheap sundae in disguise, filled with vanilla ice cream, azuki bean paste, green jellies without shiratama dango. The warabi mochi on top were strange as it does not have any elastic stretchy texture. But for ¥920, I guess one can't bargain much. 

Do you know that Okinawa is another prefecture that produced excellent mango? This is a seasonal edition parfait featuring the sweet juicy Okinawan mango. It did burnt quite a big hole in my wallet but it was worth at least a try.

From the ice cream to the mousse, everything is made of the prized fruit, not the Creme de la Creme of the crop (i.e Miyazaki's Taiyo no Tamago Mango), but already good enough to help me tide through the sticky heat in July. 

Shiseido Parlour 資生堂パーラー

[Address] Ginza Shiseido Bldg. 3F, 8-8-3 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

[Direction] Ginza Station; Shinbashi Station

[Telephone] 03 5537 6231

[Open] 11.30am-9pm (Sun & holidays until 8pm)

[Holiday] closed Mon (except for holidays)

http://parlour.shiseido.co.jp/ginza/

Latest updates on FB page--> https://www.facebook.com/shiseidoparlour

La Patissierie des Reve : Snow White's "Poisonous" Apple

What are Japanese cakes? I have been asking myself this question as I find that there is a huge gap between the cakes in Japan and the kind of "Japanese" cakes we see in Singapore. Honestly, I don't think cakes in Japan are Japanese. Like breads, cookies, chocolates, the cakes have evolved significantly over the years and are influenced by European countries, especially France.

Many renowned France patisseries from Pierre Herme to Sebastien Bouillet, have entered Japan in a bid to snatch a bite of the sweet pie. Needless to say, majority of the chefs working behind these shops are still Japanese. It's the intimate cross-influence of the culinary styles of France and Japanese that continues to intrigue me and spur me on my pastry conquest in Japan. 

And La Patissier des Reve is yet another France-originated sweets boutique that I chanced upon this time in Osaka. Opened by "Sweets Magician" Chef Phillippe Conticini, Patisserie des Reves can be found at the Umeda depachika and the interior looked exactly like its main shop in France. What caught my attention is not the perfectly crusted Choux or eclairs, but this dark sinister "apple" called CERISES (648 yen) that resembles something that the wicked witch would give to Snow White.

It is actually a classic Black Forest with all the "must-haves" components such as Kirsh-soaked groittine cherries, dark chocolate, etc. There is some brilliant techniques and elegant cacao hues in the chocolate parts that make this more than just an apple of an eye. 

Instead of the signature Paris Brest, I went for the St Honore (540 yen), something which I have a major weakness for. Even before I take a bite, I couldn't help but admire the structure, the few globules of golden Caramelized choux that stood rooted on one of the two parallel eclairs cushioned by a crunchy puff pastry base.

As my teeth cleave through it all, the sweet intense vanilla pastry cream gushed out inescapably, leaving me utterly speechless as I attempt to regain my spiritual consciousness. 

I tend to fault a Fraisier (627 yen) for the obscene amount of butter but not this one. There seemed to be two tones of cream that balanced off the unpleasantness.

Yes, another reason why you should get this instead of a strawberry shortcake next door is because the plentiful crumbly sable toppings would set one in ecstasy. 

Last but not least, the humble Tarte Aux Fraise (648 yen). No, this isn't just the usual fruit tart. Weighing a hefty compared to an average tart, the whimsical combination of the juicy strawberries, spiced crumbles and raspberry Gelee got my endorsement until the flat soggy tart shell pulled the brakes on my praises.

I took a while to come to terms with the accidental flaw and made a note to return again for other awesome pastries, especially when the price are SO reasonable that the overall excellent quality seemed too good to be true.

La Patissierie Des Reve ラ・パティスリー・デ・レーヴ

Umeda Hankyu Department Osaka outlet: Japan, 〒530-8350 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Kita-ku Kakudacho 8−7, Basement Food Hall

Other outlets in Kyoto

Website: http://www.lapatisseriedesreves.co.jp/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LPDRJ

Nakano-ya なかの家 Osaka: Family-friendly Izakaya Restaurant

I always have a list of food places that I want to go for any holidays but Nakano House is an exception. It happened to be located at the restaurant dining floor of Abeno Harukas and online reviews on tabelog were quite good. After doing a quick research, I found out that this Osaka-originated restaurant is like an upscale izakaya that sells a wide variety from seafood to rice bowls. 

Perhaps let me jumped to my conclusion first. The food is good, cheap and the ambience is excellent because the seatings  are divided into compartments so diners can enjoy some private space. I am usually skeptical about restaurants in department stores as they are rather mediocre and expensive. However, I would gladly recommend anyone to visit any of their 6 outlets in Osaka. 

From the "creative dishes" menu, we had the tofu and vegetable gratin, which was rich yet not overwhelming because the cream is made of tofu. The Simmered Pork Belly (¥780) is a must-try; soft tender and not too fatty. The flavoured egg is one of the most beautifully cooked ones that I've seen and it tasted fantastic.

Both the Daikon Salad and Hourenso (Spinach) with Onsen Egg Salad would replenish the necessary greens but I prefer the Onsen Egg because it has a more distinct Shoyu dressing.

We also had the Sashimi Platter of the day (¥2800) in which the seafood is sourced from a local port. 

If you can read Japanese it will be good because this place actually has a daily special menu printed on an A3 size paper, with a date written at the side. We had the steamed clams with sake and the Shio-Yaki (salt grill) chicken which has to be grilled by yourself. We always go for chicken dishes because chicken is my dad's favourite meat in Japan besides beef.

There is also the usual salt grilled chicken with crispy skin but the portion is too small. It's better to grab those at the basement of department stores. 

Look out for this stack of piping hot caramelized sweet potatoes that I found under the "Vegetables" and not "desserts" section. This street snack is like an endangered dish that is slowly vanishing from the urbanized cities so catch them if you can. 

Nakano-ya なかの家

Japan, 〒545-8545 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka

Abeno-ku 1-4-43, Abeno Harukas Mall 13F

Nearest Station: Abenobashi/Tennoji Station Osaka

Daily 11am-11pm

http://www.nakanoya-harukas.com/

Fumon-an 普門庵 : Kyoto Cafe with a Hundred Blessings

Most people easily walked past this place while heading towards the Kiyomizu shrine but I highly recommend anyone to drop by for a visit because the concept revolves around "fuku" 福. This site is believed to be blessed with fortune and luck being situated (not directly) in front of Kyoto's most renowned shrine. Walk into the retail area and you can find an array of samples for its unique snacks such as the Hyaku-fuku Manju, a traditional bean paste wagashi which has a very nice and chewy skin.

The matcha flavour is made from Ichiban-cha, the first batch of green tea leaves that is harvested and thus widely prized for its clean taste and aroma. 

Meant to be paired with a bowl of matcha or the unsweetened matcha latte shown in the picture, these kind of Wagashi may not be the cup of tea for everyone since their sweetness are dialed up, so just be forewarned. This Hyaku-fuku Manju set is available at their cafe right next to the shop. 

八福細めうどん。本わらび粉入りうどん。鱧と鮎のおだし

The menu offers only one savoury option but this is a case of simple dish done well. You won't demand for other options once you take a sip of the dashi broth that is made from two types of fish (Hamo "pike eel" and Ayu "sweet fish"). Clear and hearty, the soup embraced the chewy Hachifuku thin udon made with warabi-mochi flour.  In fact, Fumonan takes pride in the warabi mochi flour that it uses and you can enjoy it more in their signature warabi mochi that comes along with the set as dessert. 

Despite having so much green tea and parfaits up till the point I came here, I am still very impressed by the Ofukuhan Matcha Parfait (¥980), even much more than Iyemon or Marufuji. Everything from the crispy Matcha Cream Wafer to the Warabi mochi and jelly is produced in house. The more parfaits you eat at these places, the more you realize how poor most parfaits at Izakayas or cafes fare in comparison. 

The matcha soft serve is also available for takeaway with black beans and red bean paste. Skip those soft serves ice cream at those average souvenir shops along the trek and come here for the real good stuff. It is unlikely that you will walk away empty handed as there are plenty of yummy snacks to load in your shopping cart. 

Fumon-an 普門庵
10am-5.30pm daily
〒605-0862
京都市東山区清水2丁目246番地
246 Kiyomizu 2-chōme, Higashiyama-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 605-0862, Japan
TEL：075-533-8282 

http://fumon-an.co.jp/index.html
 

Cheese Garden Tokyo : Japanese Cheese Heaven

Nope, this is not your neighbourhood cheesecake shop. It's a restaurant cum cheese grocery store that is dedicated to their royal brand of cheese "Goyoutei Cheese 御用邸チーズ. The cheese is produced at their own farm in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture. I'm not sure if they are the selected brand for the Japanese royal family but the term "Goyoutei" refers to the Imperial villa that is currently situated in the same prefecture .

 

Even before you stepped into the shop, you will definitely stopped in your foot steps as the staff will distribute generous samples of their above signature Goyoutei Cheesecake (¥1230 for a whole cake). It's rich, dense yet not over cloying like a typical NY cheesecake. One of the secret is that the cake is baked at 3 different temperatures in about 1 hour. 

But the best way to sample all their lovely cheesecakes is to get their Cheesecake Platter (¥980), which contains Shirasagi--the most expensive cheesecake of the lot (¥3300 for one whole cake). On top of the cookie base is a baked layer made with 4 types of cheese and a light sour cream made with yoghurt and fresh cream. 

The third type of cheesecake is the Sappari Creamy Cheesecake, the typical Japanese rare Fromage blanc baked in a pie with a layer of French Strawberry conserve sandwich in the middle. I forgot what the last cheesecake is but this platter is so delicious and offers a interesting contrast of cheese textures! 

Cheese Fondue? Nah....that is a little out of fashioned. The team here has created an original dine-in only dish called Pandue (pan means bread in Japanese and this is a uniquely Japanese created word combining Pan+Fondue). The bread is cusped with soft molten cheese in which you can dipped the spare greens and potato wedges into. I have no complaints about this simple platter since I can even devour the bread in the end, leaving no trace of food crumbs behind. But I do wish there were more items for dipping. 

Not a fan of cheese? The Pandue is also available in Clam Chowder, Minestrone, Curry and Beef Stew. But I doubt any cheese hater would have step into the shop in the first place. 

Cheese is front and center here, so do not leave without getting their Goyotei Cheese Cookie. Made with Edam and Parmesan Cheese, these buttery almond delights translate so well onto the palate that you question if you are actually dreaming or living in reality. There is not only salt, but black pepper and some unknown spices that kick in as you chew on. 

Eventually, I ended up not only with boxes of this cheese cookie but also cheese galette, langue de chats and the wickedly sinful white chocolate cranberry cheese bar (¥280)

This is only outlet in Tokyo that includes an exclusive dine-in restaurant. The outlets at Seibu Ikeburuo and Haneda airport are retail-only spaces. I highly recommend you to drop by one of these three outlets as their products are really of superb quality. Otherwise, keep a lookout for their shops when you are in Tochigi prefecture! At least you know now that Tochigi isn't a place just famous for its strawberries! 

 

Cheese Garden

〒131-0045  1 Chome-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida

Tokyo Sky Tree Tower, Tokyo Solachi 2F

10am-9pm daily. 

http://cheesegarden.jp

Ootsuka おおつか : Hidden Wagyu Rated No.1 Tripadvisor Japan

 

Thanks to my good friend Pearlyn’s recommendation, I could indulge in the premium Wagyu beef without breaking my wallet. Ootsuka is a very exclusively hidden place situated in the quiet residential estates about 20-25minutes walk away from Kyofuku Line Arashiyama Station.

If you are not familiar with the place, you might easily walk past the restaurant thinking that it is just another private house. One feels very relaxed dining at Ootsuka because it doesn’t remind you that you are eating at a restaurant until the moment you pay at the cashier. Even the toilet is so nicely decorated! (Yes, do check out their toilets too haha)

Ootsuka is not listed on most guidebooks, which would name several tofu restaurants instead when it comes to gourmet in Arashiyama. That said, Ootsuka was rated the No.1 popular restaurant on tripadvisor japan. With just three family tables and 5 counter table seats, this place can become crowded during peak hours and thus it is best to place a reservation to avoid disappointment.  Lunch sets start from a super reasonable price of 1000 yen and would not exceed 5800 yen for the most expensive dish--  150g of Murasawa A5 Wagyu Steak that comes in a set with rice, soup and salad.

From the teishoku section, my favourite was the Roast Beef Rice Bowl (1500 yen) that boasted an alluring pink as the meat is only treated with a light sear and retained a soft chewiness. Some people might find this a bit raw but it was not too lean. See top pic for close up shot of this bowl of deliciousness!

The Beef Tendon (1000 yen) looked quite dry at first but I was surprised by that the meat was interspersed with fats that disintegrated in my mouth without any chewing. This is quite good for people who are not huge fans of beef because there are other ingredients such as eggs and tofu.

For a more satisfying meat experience, go for the Roast Beef or this Japanese short plate beef set (1500 yen) where the rice grains soaked up some of the mildly sweet sauce and natural oil/juices that seeped from the beef atop.

All the steaks are served on sizzling hot plates in two sizes; 100g and 150g. Just get the 150g because they are so good you’ll be crying for more if there was only 100g.

Besides the prime Japanese Beef that is used for most dishes, the chef-owner also uses A4 grade Kuroge (Black Hair) Wagyu and Murasawa Wagyu. The Murasawa might not be as popular as Kobe or Matsuzaka Beef but the marbling of fats and lean meat met my ideal proportion. They are soft, tender but not too greasy as if you were swallowing a whole cube of butter.  

In fact, the chuck flap steak is already a decently good cut at 3000 yen for 150g or 2200 yen for 100g. Those who don’t wish to invest too much money can opt for this without getting short-changed for the quality. I can’t tell which cut is which now from the pictures I took but it doesn’t really matter because everything is good.

Ootsuka おおつか

京都府京都市右京区嵯峨天龍寺瀬戸川町20-10

20-10 Sagatenryūji Setogawachō, Ukyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 616-8376, Japan

Lunch 11am-3pm

Tel: 075-864-7989 (Reservations are HIGHLY recommended)

English Menu is Available