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

Lime Restaurant at PARKROYAL on Pickering : Celebrate SG50 with LOBSTERFEST

SG50 is probably the most important holiday on our national calendar this year. And as befitting for such an important festival, it's time to go "loco" over lobsters with Singapore's FIRST local Lobsterfest at Lime at PARKROYAL on Pickering. From now to 17th June and every Wednesday thereafter, you can tuck into mouthwatering Maine Lobsters in various styles ranging from lobster gratin to Peranakan Nyonya LOBSTER laksa!
 

Led by Executive Chef Vijay, the team will whip up more than 8 different kinds of lobsters starting from the Maine Lobster Tower on Ice, a magnificent ice building loaded with fresh steamed lobsters, stealing the limelight away from the oysters and sashimi.

If the natural sweetness of this delicacy is what you are hankering for, you may like to park yourself next to this station. In fact, this is my favourite way of enjoying lobster, with just a bit of horseradish and red wine sauce. If Lady Luck is with you, you might even pick one with a bonus lobster roe! 

Moving on to the hot food section, the unanimous crowd favourite was the Singapore Chilli Crab Maine Lobster, judging at how frequent the giant serving wok was emptied every time a new batch is furiously cooked and served. The sauce is luxuriously rich and not too sweet.

But something more outstanding was the Wok-fried Black Pepper Maine Lobster that boasted good wok-hei and excellent aroma imparted by the use of curry leaves. One dish that might ring in some nostalgia is the Maine Lobster Kam Heong style. Meaning "golden fragrance" in Cantonese, this is said to be a Malaysian stir fry dish whose sauce base is a magical concoction of fiery bird eye's chilli, curry powder, curry leaves and soy bean paste. However, the gravy was short of the necessary fragrance that would imbue this dish with a sharper character. 

Nonetheless, there are still plenty of solid, comforting treats such as the Maine Lobster au Gratin with Tarragon Hollandaise sauce and the Grilled Maine Lobster with Garlic and Thyme. I love the unique pairing of hollandaise sauce instead of the usual cheese for the case of gratin as the savouriness balanced out the sweetness of the lobster without killing it with too much salt. 

Noodles and rice tend to fill one up easily during buffets but it would be grave mistake NOT to try the Spanish Paella with Maine Lobster. The grains are cooked to perfection to yield a pleasant chewy bite that bind together with very well with the flavours imparted from the mussels. The tart acidity of the tomatoes also introduced another level of invigorating brightness that prevent one from feeling jaded with the starch.

There is also a much anticipated Peranakan Nyonya Lobster but this missed the bull's eye a little as it was not as piquant as I thought and the heat from the spice seemed to be concealed somewhere. Fortunately, a spoonful or two of the potent Sambal Chilli managed to lift the gravy in a good way. In fact, the portion is so big that it is highly advisable to share, though I noticed many people still empty the entire bowl by themselves!

Baby lobsters might be small as they surely packed a punch with sweetness compacted into their petite shell. The Maine Lobster Pasta with Squid Ink Tagliatelle and Parmigiano-Reggiano is one such dish that proved that one should never underestimated the power of baby lobsters. The flesh is utterly tender and easy to chew. 

Cooked ala minute at the LIVE pasta station, you can be guaranteed a plate of piping hot pasta that might get you salivating as you stand in front of the chef watching it being prepared.

Despite the fact that it was the first day of this lobsterfest, the place was fully booked and the chefs were doing their best to cope with the huge demand for lobsters. I highly recommend you to place your reservation early as I was told that the response has been very good and seats are running out fast! While lobster takes the centerstage, there is plenty of food for you to explore and even a matcha fondue that I wish I can dive into. Click HERE to read more about my previous visit.

As part of this unique Lobsterfest, diners can also enjoy unlimited servings of local drinks such as ‘Bandung’ (Rose Syrup with Condensed Milk), 'Cincau' (Grass Jelly), 'Ma Ti Shui' (Water Chestnut), 'Tau Huay Shui' (Soya Milk), Lemongrass Tea, chilled juices, soft drinks, specialty coffee and tea, as well as free-flow of Tiger beer. 

Also, do keep a lookout for special lobster dishes such as lobster pizza and lobster bisque with cognac as you claw your way through the extravagant buffet spread! Who knows? Maybe you will be luckier than me and catch a lobster dessert on your visit! 

 

Lobsterfest is available at $98++ during dinner now till 17th June and EVERY WED thereafter!
 

Lime Restaurant at PARKROYAL on Pickering

 Daily Dinner 18:30 – 22:30
 Tel: +65 6809 8899 
e-mail: lime.prsps@parkroyalhotels.com 

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

Instagram @parkroyalpickering

Malebranche 京都 マールブランシュ : My Favourite Omiyage Shop in Kyoto

Instead of getting those all-too-common regional edition Kitkat, Collon cookies etc., why not get some sweets of excellent quality that could represent the flavors and style of Kyoto at Malebranche? 

Besides the Kitayama main shop, there several outlets in Kyoto, including two new openings in Arashiyama and Gion. The first must-buy is the Okoicha Langue De Chat. I've tried countless brands of langue de chats and this is truly the cream of the crop.

The recipe is jointly concocted by tea master and local professional patissiers. I loved how the cookies snap with a little effort and disintegrate into another realm of well-rounded bitterness that is not overshadowed by the white chocolate

 Cha No Ka Okoicha Langue De Chats in the Spring 2015 packaging

Come spring, don't miss the Kyo Spring Sables. I think they've beaten themselves with an even better product than their signature Okoicha Langue De Chats

Spring Edition Flavours : SAKURA, CHERRY, Matcha, Milk Choc, Wasabon Sugar, Strawberry. Uniquely shaped in the kanji word "京", they are the BEST sables I've had so far. 

Moon Macaron [Autumn/Winter] Available only at Arashiyama, there is only two types you can collect each year. In contrast to the white-coloured spring/summer edition, the autumn/winter version is a Charcoal and Uji Sencha Macaron Shell with Persimmon White Chocolate Jam Ganache [Autumn/Winter Edition] マールブランシュ嵐山限定の月のマカロン 秋冬「大枝の柿」

Maple Honey Pies and Goma Caramel Pies

Though I love most of their products, I cannot say everything is perfect because these leafy pies were too sweet and did not taste as crisp fresh as expected. Perhaps I should have thrown them into the fridge. 

Last but not least, DO NOT ever think about walking away from the shop without trying this SUPER delicious Matcha Eclair. What?? Matcha Eclair?? What so special about this piece of choux when you can get them anywhere else?

The cream is piped ala minute on a crisp fragrant choux baton, dusted with matcha for that extra touch of luxury. It's freshness and taste is unbeatable, even tons lighter than the delicious one from Creme de la Crème, another Kyoto cream puff specialty shop. 

Yes, this is definitely one of the brands that I would buy again and again and again.

 

Malebranche マールブランシュ
Arashiyama Outlet: 京都市右京区嵯峨天竜寺門前嵐山昇龍苑1F
Kyoto-shi Ukyo-ku Saga Tenryuji-mae Arashiyama Syoruen 1F
10am-5pm daily
Access: Directly opposite from Arashiyama Station
For other outlets, visit http://www.malebranche.co.jp

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
 

NY Gramercy: Depato (department store) Cakes, Anyone?

NY Gramercy does not refer to the famous street in NY but a Japanese-company-run cake shop that is located at some selected department stores like Takashimaya. I seldom patronize these kind of shops with many outlets as the quality is usually average. However, after giving this shop a try, I was impressed by the pillowy and moist texture of the sponge components and that was kept amazingly consistent across all the cakes.

 

Kept within the price range is between ¥500-¥700, these sweets won't really burn a hole too much as they are generally larger than the independent patisseries and not too heavy on mousse--appealing to those who prefer the traditional light Japanese cakes. 

Koicha (Matcha Cream, Black Beans, Matcha Sponge) 

Another of the memorable matcha cakes that is available without having to travel far to certain shops. My favourite item here as there is an almost full-bodied matcha taste that complemented the rest of the components. 

New York Brownie

This is unlike those dense fudged version but two cakey chocolate sponge studded with rum raisins. The concept is simple but to transform a rustic homemade treat into such elegant form is not definitely not in everyone's ability.

Anyone who walk passes the cake display would simply stop and stare in admiration. 

Melon Shower

The chef is simply too ambitious to shower the cake with so many chunks of honeydew and pineapple that cause that they fell apart before I could take this picture. Looked rather dishevelled but one can forgive the chef because the fruits are so sweet and fresh. It's a fruit + cake gateau and not a fruit cake (if you can understand the difference) so what consumers are paying is the fruits. 

The Mango Pudding is different from mango puddings elsewhere as the sweetness stemmed mostly from the tropical fruit itself and not artificial sugar. Even my picky mum who is a huge mango pudding fan herself enjoyed this tremendously.

 

Other seasonal creations include the Sakura Sponge (see top pic) and Okinawan Sweet Potato.

NY GRAMERCY グラマシーニューヨーク

Takashimaya Shinjuku, Nihonbashi

Daily 10am-8pm (except Fri/Sat until 8.30pm)

Tokyu Food Show Tokyu Department Store Shibuya

Daily 10am-9pm

Other outlets include Takashimaya Yokohama, Seibu Ikebukuro

http://www.gramercy-newyork.com/