Mont Blanc Tart @ Bunmeido Ginza, Tokyo

[Catching up on back posts]

Last day in Tokyo on 22 July 2010 was amazing…  I was amazed at myself to be able to taste 3 different places within 4 hours and yet enjoy each experience to the fullest.

• 11.00 -12.30pm  Échiré Maison du Beurre
• 1.00 – 2.40pm  Bunmeido Cafe
• 2.45 – 3.00pm Laduree Cafe

I always enjoy sitting in a cafe to relax, more often to dream, at times to write my journal notes.  It must have started as a habit during my business travel years when I traveled places alone, ate alone, read alone, and did so comfortably alone. (It is no wonder I am quite a loner who spent the last year comfortably alone at home “revising” when my hub is at work.)  Then again when I decided to break free from corporate life, I spent a lot of time reading, planning and dreaming in cafes.  Then again in Houston to do my 20 week course in Baking and Pastry Arts, I spent my weekends tasting cafes, reading and at times meeting new friends.  Even now, my hub and I love spending time together tasting, enjoying our books and at times discussing ideas in cafes.  The cafe energy moves ideas.

Bunmeido Cafe, Ginza

After a satisfying “to-go” brunch from Échiré Maison du Beurre at the courtyard, my immediate destination was to sit down in the cafe next on my agenda.  On my list was Bunmeido Cafe for 2 key reasons.  While searching for cafes in Tokyo, I was attracted to Bunmeido, coz it is a traditional pastry shop which carries my favorite Castella cake, not particularly this brand but the type of evenly baked honey flavored sponged cake.  Secondly, I do not associate Castella cake with cafe setting, it was often sold over the counter in the basement sweets floor in mega mall.  A possible 3rd reason was that I read that Bunmeido Cafe has high ceiling, I found such space to be rare with space-squeezed Tokyo.

Mont Blanc Tart @ Bunmeido

I found the cafe easily (which I later realised the block to be diagonally across the cross junction from Mitsukoshi Ginza).  The cafe was almost full, and the crowd turn over was also fast which made it easy to get a seat.  As I walked past the display counter being guided to my seat, I immediately identified my target for tasting – Mont Blanc Tart.  While seated, I had second thoughts since Bunmeido is traditionally known for Castella, but I always crave to taste various forms of Mont Blanc Tarts (ever since the item was introduced as part of new menu for hotel buffet during my stint with the pastry kitchen, also I enjoy chestnut flavor), so I ordered.

The environment was very relaxing.  In fact, in between sips of ice-kohi and bites, I was spaced out.  I wasn’t brewing ideas, I was part people watching, part asleep with eyes opened.  Ice-kohi was satisfying on a summer afternoon, the Mont Blanc tart was a tad too sweet for my liking, maybe that induced my sleepiness.  I tasted each component separately, as well as in combined mouthfuls, the tart inner filling lacked a lightness in the mouth-feel to contrast with the outer layer of marron paste sweetness. Though I like the idea of dark chocolate coating on the sable dough to balance the sweetness of the mixture. I did not finished the sweets.

I thought I could give myself sufficient time to check out the main street along Ginza enroute to the subway station and give myself sufficient time to collect my luggage and catch my connecting Narita Express to the airport.  Not realizing, what was in store for me just 50m down the street.