Located on Meguro Street, everyone knows the upscale bakery in Ginza known for its high-quality bread suddenly closed three months ago after only lasting two years. The sign and curtain were gone, and after a while, two doors and a small window appeared. I wondered if it would become a gelato TO GO shop by summer. However, the construction has been ongoing for a long time, and it still continues today. I peeked through the glass and saw what looked like an order counter. It seems like it will become some kind of TO GO shop. On this day, the bread was selling for 6 slices for ¥356, which is a third of the price of the previous bakery. From August 7th to the 28th, they are featuring products made with Kyoho grapes from Yamanashi Prefecture. They have a Kyoho grape shortcake (¥540), a fromage tart (¥442), and a premium roll cake with four fruits topped with Kyoho grapes (¥2376). I chose the wine glass jelly (¥594), which is served in a glass container with white wine jelly at the bottom, Kyoho grape jelly on top, and a single Kyoho grape on top. The visual is quite impressive, with four cut Kyoho grapes visible through the glass. The combination of fresh Kyoho grapes and jelly creates a delightful taste experience. Enjoying it in the glass was a treat, and it made for a pleasant summer afternoon under the clouds floating above Hachisuka-en.

Yatsudoki is fun because it offers both Japanese and Western sweets! There are not many options, but there are always a few items displayed in the center island of the store. On this day, before 2 pm on a weekday, one of the three options was already sold out, leaving only Hokkaido butter daifuku and Yatsugatake yomogi grass mochi (¥172). From the Western selection, I chose matcha dacquoise (¥194) from the baked goods section and Kyoho grape jelly (¥594) from the refrigerated showcase. Another item that caught my eye was the orange chocolate tart (¥378) next to the Aomori Fuji apple tart. The tart had custard cream on top, large orange slices, and a hint of chocolate chips hidden underneath, with the main flavor being orange. The buttery and almond-flavored tart crust was crispy and delicious. Yatsudoki uses freshly laid eggs from Yatsugatake Myono and collaborates with local farmers to develop their original eggs. The navel oranges were juicy and tasty, and the yomogi grass mochi and matcha dacquoise were fragrant and flavorful. The lemon tart I purchased last time was next to the Kyoho fromage tart, making me want to cheer them on. The familiar bar-shaped dacquoise was created in 1981 by a Japanese pastry chef who worked at a pastry shop in Paris, using a base made of cake flour, almond powder, and meringue, and later introduced in France in the shape of a monaka. Did you know that dacquoise was originally from Japan and then imported back to France in a bar shape?

About a month ago, a large-scale renovation started in the apartment building where YATSUDOKI is located on the 1st floor, and the view in front of the store is not as nice as before. Last month, the cherry blossoms in the park next to the store were beautifully blooming, but in Ginza, Shikawa closed after 2 years, with the signboard removed, and a new store is expected to open next spring next to the closed one. YATSUDOKI has been open for almost 3 years now, just like Beatrice. As there were no customers inside, I checked the showcase through the entrance door, placed an order over the phone, handed over my credit card, bought some cakes, and left. This time, I chose the Setouchi Lemon Mont Blanc (¥496) and Citron (¥518). The Citron has a lemon mousse au citron, with a refreshing lemon flavor that is perfect for this season. However, it may be a bit monotonous, while the Mont Blanc is more interesting with its tart base. Both cakes have a lemon card made with a firm jelly rather than jam in the middle, showcasing Setouchi lemons. The bright lemon yellow color is delightful in both items. Citron has a lemon peel grated into it, along with lemon juice, granulated sugar, eggs, and unsalted butter, creating a superb lemon card. It has been three months since my last visit, and this time I discovered something new. They have a special promotion called "YATSUDOKI Day" on the 8th, 18th, and 28th of each month, where you can get a free leaf pie or financier topping on your soft serve ice cream. They also offer a set of 4 half-baked Gâteau Fromage for ¥888, and a set of 4 single pieces of apple pie, leaf pie, financier, and half-baked Gâteau Fromage for ¥888. The clever idea of aligning the prices with the number 8 is what makes their promotion stand out. It's not just about lowering the prices!

On the 8th of every month, you can receive a free Financier and Leaf Pie with your soft serve ice cream purchase. I tried the soft serve for the first time and it was delicious, with a rich milk flavor. It cost 380 yen, which is a great value considering the taste. They also offer a smaller size for around 280 yen. I will definitely be coming back this summer.

The showcase had fresh chocolate pie, homemade sweet red bean paste & butter croissant, and two American-sized cookies lined up. I decided to try the cookies that I had never had before. The vanilla caramel cookie was sweeter and softer in texture compared to the oat cookie, with a crunchy caramel accent that was enjoyable. The oat cookie with chocolate chips was a whole piece, with a satisfying coarse texture from the first bite to the last. It felt more homemade with individual packaging and a direct visual appeal. Interestingly, the Yatsudoki Shirokanedai store does not offer a cookie assortment. They have assortments of baked goods like madeleines and financiers, as well as raisin sandwich assortments, but specifically cookie assortments seem to be unavailable. However, they do offer the large vanilla caramel and oat cookies individually, and they can be packed as a gift upon request. It's rare to find a patisserie with only these two types of cookies, which makes me wonder about their reasoning behind it.

I noticed the A-sign of the fresh chocolate pie in front of the entrance. It is made by blending French black chocolate with 72% and 70% cocoa content, and Belgian dark chocolate with 54% cocoa content to create a chocolate pie (¥345). It was 3:30 pm and this was the last one available! The extremely thin pie crust looked like it could crumble at any moment. The visual presentation looked delicious. For gifts, there are chocolate baked goods and brownies in a pack with cocoa bean illustrations and a message in French saying "How about a cafe time?" (¥648-¥885), as well as a boxed assortment of madeleines and financiers in a chocolate version (¥1555). This time, I decided to try the half-baked Gâteau Fromage (¥259) for the first time. The surface of the Gâteau Fromage resembles a Basque-style cheesecake with a burnt feel, and the cheese inside is rich and creamy (baked quickly at high temperature). It was very delicious, but a bit too sweet. I thought if the sweetness could be reduced a bit, it would make a great adult cheesecake to enjoy with red wine. On the other hand, the fresh chocolate pie has an excellent bitter taste with fruity aromas within, creating a well-balanced dish. I believe that with a higher level of craftsmanship, the pie crust's layering, lightness, and airy texture could be enhanced. However, considering that these are not viennoiseries made by a pastry chef in their own atelier, but rather produced in a factory to be sold at an affordable price in various stores, it is quite good.

I purchased some pastries from the freshly baked workshop corner of Hachifukuen on my way back from seeing the plum blossoms. The prices are reasonable and they offer single pieces which is convenient. The chestnut pie (280 yen) was sold out, but they said it would be ready in 40 minutes. It's nice to be able to enjoy them freshly baked. My friend and I recommend the apple pie (370 yen) which is rich in buttery flavor and delicious. The flavor and taste that cannot be achieved with commercially available pie sheets with a lot of margarine. The oven-baked pudding is also rich and creamy. The cookies (150 yen) were sold out. There is also an ice cream corner where you can buy low-sugar sweets. Among the soft serve ice creams I bought to take home, the Belgian chocolate flavor was the best! It was delicious. Right now they have a strawberry sweets feature. It's handy for small souvenirs. The small store is always full of customers. You need to choose quickly, but it's fun. Thank you for the meal again this time!

Beatrice and on the way back from the beauty salon~♬ Through the glass door, you can see the showcase, so I called from in front of the door and bought two items~♬ I tend to prefer tarts over shortcake when it comes to strawberries, so I chose the Tart aux Fraises (¥518) without hesitation. Since it was January 8th and just after the New Year holidays, I was hoping for something Japanese-style, but Japanese sweets are often placed on a table in the center of the store, making them not visible from outside. I didn't want to leave Beatrice unattended while shopping, so I gave up on Japanese sweets and also chose the Chestnut Pie with a chestnut skin (¥302), which I could tell without looking. The saleswoman came out with a small box for the tart and a paper bag for the chestnut pie. Even though I don't visit often enough to be considered a regular customer, the service was fantastic! At Yatsudoki, there have always been pictures of the faces of contract farmers on the wall, and the strawberries come from the Watanabe Farm in Kawakami Village, Nagano~♬ The eggs are sourced from the Akeno Agricultural Cooperative in Akeno Town, Yamanashi, but due to the recent rise in egg prices, the pudding has disappeared from the shelves for the time being. As I mentioned in my previous review, Yatsudoki's policy is a challenge to 'not raise prices,' so until the egg prices stabilize and can be offered at the usual price, it's a temporary farewell to the pudding, right? The strawberry tart has small strawberries, and while it is sufficiently sweet, the small size means it lacks the juiciness compared to larger strawberries. To compensate for this, a small plastic container of condensed milk is placed on top of the tart. If a young child sees it, it might look like a decorative candy and they might accidentally put it in their mouth, so it's important for parents to be careful. The chestnut pie with one chestnut inside is consistently delicious and a safe choice! When I visited in February, there was a strawberry daifuku, but no strawberry tart, and no sign of the pudding. I wonder if next month will bring sakuramochi~♡

I visited YATSUDOKI, which has been exhibiting in various places recently. I was curious about it before, and I visited the one in Shirokanedai. I had a galette. The galette was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. I personally prefer it a bit crispier.

On Saturday at 11 am, there was a couple as the first customers. The interior of the store allows walking in two directions, so waiting for 3-4 people is okay. As I was looking at the baked goods corner, I overheard a conversation asking if there was a roll cake without fruit. I chose the unique strawberry Florentine and rusk, and also a galette Bretonne. Then, I heard a couple expressing disappointment that they had come all the way to Shirokanedai but there were no roll cakes without fruit. The head chef came out and explained that their roll cakes are popular with seasonal fruits, like strawberries in the upcoming season. I ended up choosing a Mont Blanc tart with purple sweet potato. The Halloween-themed Mont Blanc tarts in purple sweet potato and pumpkin were visually appealing. I also added an apple pie, chestnut pie, and a half-baked gâteau fromage. The purple sweet potato cream on the tart was rich and delicious, with a Halloween-themed decoration. The almond caramel rusk was tasty, and the galette Bretonne was good as always. Finally, I tried the strawberry Florentine for the first time, which had a caramel flavor. The store's commitment to not raising prices was evident, with the same price for the galette Bretonne as two years ago. The store has expanded to Ebisu and Shiodome, but the Shirokanedai store remains a favorite for seasonal sweets.

It was easy to find something to buy in the Platinum area - I had been passing by a few times and wanted to try the new shop. There were various types of long-lasting baked goods available, so I decided to try the fresh cake type, anko-filled pie, butter dorayaki, and financier pie. The Japanese-style anko-filled pie was generously sized. I usually don't buy from Chateraise, but I would definitely buy from here again if I passed by!

Last year, I tried the Shine Muscat grape mochi and it was delicious, so I was hoping to find it again this year. After leaving the beauty salon, I stopped by the store, but unfortunately they only had Shine Muscat cup fruits and jelly in three varieties. The beauty salon is always with Beatrice, so I called the store from outside and ordered two each of Yamanashi prefecture white peach and Kyoho grape jelly. It took about 5 minutes to prepare. It was a slightly cloudy day with a temperature of 28 degrees Celsius. There were many dogs walking on Meguro Street in the afternoon, and Beatrice was very happy. After putting the jelly in the refrigerator, let's go to Donguri Park. Looking up at the sky, I saw several planes gradually descending towards Haneda Airport. The sweets at Yatsudoki are known for their low prices, but the design of the packaging for the fruit jelly was a bit disappointing, both in terms of color and overall appearance. Each jelly was 97g, a standard size, and the taste was also standard fruit jelly. Personally, I prefer the Shine Muscat grape mochi, which was a unexpected hit in the past. The summer stamp card that came with the receipt is valid until September 18th. For every 500 yen spent, you get one stamp. With 3 stamps, you can get a financier or a white peach smoothie from Yamanashi, and with 5 stamps, you can get a bottle of locally sourced vegetables and fruits, or a barrel-aged natural wine. The Shine Muscat jelly had a flavor more similar to green apple than grape. Overall, the Yatsudoki standard is appealing, but in terms of fruit jelly, I still prefer the packaging and texture balance of Ginza Chano-Ya's jelly. It was the shining star of this summer, in my opinion.

Near Shirokanedai Station, there is a sweets shop. When I visited on a Sunday around 3 pm, the shop was quite crowded. I got two items to go: a Custard Choux Pastry (270 yen) and a Cherry and Peach Panna Cotta (486 yen). The Custard Choux Pastry is not your typical cream puff, as the bottom is made of flaky pastry. It's a great deal to enjoy both choux pastry and pie crust in one dessert. The Panna Cotta is a seasonal item. It's hard to see in the photo, but it's sprinkled with gold powder and looks incredibly cute. The ratio of Panna Cotta to peach jelly is about half and half, so it's quite refreshing to eat.

I had reserved Beatrice's birthday dinner at District Brasserie on the 2nd floor of the Kimpton Hotel and as usual, I drove from Meguro to Nishi-Shinjuku on the Shuto Expressway. I was surprised to see that the old cherry tree at the Natural Education Garden before the traffic lights was already about 80% in bloom. From Meguro Station to the Sheraton Hotel on Meguro Street, this old tree always blooms earliest every year, reaching about 30% in bloom, I thought. On this day, it was cold and rainy in the morning, with snow falling in the afternoon... It was March 22nd, but it felt like midwinter! Two days later, I wondered about the ancient Yoshino cherry trees at Happo-en... so I peeked into the garden. The Kawazu cherry blossoms were in bloom, but the Yoshino cherry trees, as well as the two weeping cherry trees that beautifully reflected their thin branches in the pond, were still about to bloom. After an English lesson at Slash Cafe, we enjoyed dinner admiring the fully bloomed cherry blossoms lit up, with a group of four at the Slash Cafe. The first review was back in 2012, during the time of Rachel, the Golden Retriever I used to have before Beatrice. The cafe overlooks a 10,000 square meter Japanese garden that has been around since the Edo period. The afternoon tea that was previously only available on weekdays has been available on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays since last November. The terrace in spring, where cherry blossom petals fall in the wind, is lovely, but unfortunately, dogs are not allowed, so I haven't been able to enjoy the Happo-en cherry blossoms every year, unlike the old cherry tree at the Natural Education Garden. Last year and the year before, I couldn't visit due to COVID-19, so it had been three years since my last visit. The entrance on the parking lot side was closed, and we had to undergo temperature checks and disinfection inside the building before going out to the garden through the stairs next to Slash Cafe. Although the lunch at Roku-san Tei with pine bonsai was revived, the cherry blossoms were not visible... It seems they will bloom on the weekend, but it looks like there will be a huge crowd (before COVID-19, several large tour buses always parked in the parking lot). Feeling disappointed, I crossed the pedestrian crossing and reached YATSUDOKI... I wondered if they were selling sakura mochi this year? Luckily, they had it!! Sakura mochi is made with glutinous rice, right? Traditional Japanese sweets include sakura mochi, yomogi mochi, and ohagi... With the spirit of "more than flowers, dumplings," I bought sakura mochi and yomogi mochi (both for ¥172) and headed home to enjoy the photos of Dog Runs Well in Koto and the Slash Cafe. I had revisited the cafe since last autumn, and I noticed two tall freezers on the right side that reached the ceiling, making it difficult to see the signature apple pie and chestnut pie from the entrance. It may be suitable for an ice cream shop, but in a small shop, the towering freezers are intimidating, and the previous cute interior may have been better... I had enjoyed the hand-picked yomogi mochi from Mt. Yatsugatake last year, which was made with thick domestically grown uruchimai rice and had a hearty texture that I liked. The ohagi is made with Tanba Dainagon beans, washed and cooked in Shirasu spring water, but what about the yomogi mochi? In Kansai, sakura mochi refers to daifuku, but the sakura mochi I had at Roku-san Tei the other day would be considered Kanto-style, I suppose. I think both are delicious in their own way! However, I feel that the daifuku has a firmer texture, making it more juicy than the crepe skin made from wheat flour, so you can enjoy a richer flavor. The sakura mochi made with glutinous rice from Shiga Prefecture and wrapped in a double layer of cherry blossom leaves has a perfect harmony with the salted cherry blossom leaves, without being too sweet. Although the cherry blossoms were still not in bloom, I felt the arrival of spring with sakura mochi... Thank you, Yatsu!!

I ordered a sweet potato, apple, raisin sandwich for takeout and enjoyed it with tea when I got home. It was all delicious and not too heavy. The location is great, and I hope it continues to be loved by the locals. It's also a great place to find souvenirs.

When entering the entrance this time, there was a stand '8' on the left that wasn't there before, with Yamanashi prefecture white peach mixed smoothie and smoothie made from vegetables and fruits harvested around Mt. Yatsugatake (both 1000ml for ¥518). They were developing original drinks! I asked my friend to get me a set of apple pie, chestnut pie, and silk sweet pie, and while waiting, I saw the 'grape mochi' with a whole Shine Muscat grape from Katsunuma, Yamanashi (one for ¥172 or a set of 4 for ¥688). Of course, they are currently holding a limited-time Shine Muscat Fair (Shine Muscat from contracted farmers in Katsunuma, Yamanashi, harvested at Mr. Ono's grape farm where you can see the faces of the producers!!) so the showcase had Shine Muscat shortcake (¥626), Shine Muscat panna cotta (¥507), and Shine Muscat and cream cheese tart (¥594) in a colorful lineup. However, since I had been pleasantly surprised by the seasonal Japanese sweets I had purchased before, I decided without hesitation on the 'grape mochi' this time. After returning home and putting the 'grape mochi' in the refrigerator, I brought it to my friend's house with Beatrice, and the next day we enjoyed it. The chilled Shine Muscat was delicious, and the unparalleled deliciousness of the single grape, along with the perfect thickness and sweetness of the surrounding sweet bean paste, was exquisite. It was a gem of a dish. It comes in a simple pack, so it may not be suitable for gifts, but it's perfect for enjoying at home! Definitely chill it in the refrigerator and enjoy it! Highly recommended!

The other day, I received a gift set of madeleines and financiers from Madeline and Financier. I wondered what kind of pack would be created if I combined my favorite YATSUDOKI Apple Pie and Chestnut Pie. When I asked in advance, they said that they have gift packaging available for baked goods (madeleines and financiers) and Baumkuchen, but for pies, they will put the desired quantity in a large box. So I decided to go for a Premium Apple Pie (x2 ¥798), One Chestnut Pie (x3 ¥972), and a Sweet Potato Pie (x2 ¥690) that I saw for the first time this time. The Apple Pie is delicious even when warmed in the oven, but I burned it the first time I bought an Apple Pie, so it's recommended to enjoy it at room temperature. The pie crust is made in a factory in the Netherlands, mixing finely chopped French fermented butter with European wheat, then kneaded with Shirasu water and salt in Japan. The light and crumbly pie crust is perfect for enjoying the caramelized apples, with a hint of custard cream for a light texture and a refreshing aroma. Similarly, the Chestnut Pie wrapped in pie crust made with fermented butter has a rich sweetness that stands out, with the light pie crust highlighting the chestnut as the supporting role. The Silk Sweet Potato Pie from the freshly baked workshop is a sticky delight for this season! I thought adding a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg would make it a stylish and sophisticated taste. However, my friends' husband and wife enjoyed all the pies, saying they were all delicious. They even collected all the pie fragments scattered on the cutting board and fed them to the sparrows on the balcony, who seemed very happy. But why are there pie fragments on the plate now? Do they want to let their friends know from the power lines that this is a must-see point on the town's flight route before starting to clean up the table? I've known for a long time that they come down from the tree at the perfect timing just before the table is cleared!

Patisserie located in Shirokanedai. Take-out only. Visited for dinner on a weekday. "Yatsudoki" seems to be a high-end line of patisserie called "Chateraise". [【Freshly Baked Studio】Premium Apple Pie] (399 yen) A huge apple pie. When held, it feels heavy. The surface is lightly coated with sugar, slightly caramelized. The pie has a crispy brown crust. The apples are a deep red color, soft and well-cooked. It has a satisfying texture, more like a main dish than a dessert after a meal.

I received a gift set of baked goods from Sommer House and decided to buy madeleine and financiers to compare them. Since the dorayaki was sold out last time, I was excited to find that they had plenty in stock this time. I decided to go for a more traditional Japanese theme this time, so I purchased dorayaki, Yatsugatake hand-picked mountain mugwort mochi, and Hakushu Meisui warabi mochi. The mountain mugwort mochi is made from wild mugwort picked by employees around Yatsugatake, giving it a unique flavor. The mochi was thick and chewy, but I personally prefer a softer texture. The dorayaki from Chateraise Premium Yatsudoki was good, but I wished the red bean paste was a bit tastier. The packaging advertised it as a butter dorayaki, but I was surprised to find buttercream inside, which I didn't particularly enjoy. However, the Hakushu Meisui warabi mochi I had the next day was a hit. It was cool, jiggly, and delicious. Made from water from the Hakushu region, it had a refreshing taste with a side of kinako and black honey. The compact packaging was visually appealing and the taste was top-notch. While I still hold a special place in my heart for the warabi mochi from Angelina and Terrace, this one from Chateraise was definitely satisfying for the price and taste. I'm glad I tried the warabi mochi!

"Rosy Heart (496 yen including tax) is a cake produced by Borujuku Tanabe on the TBS program 'Sakagami & Sashihara's Unbreakable Store.' The first impression is very glamorous. It features edible flowers, strawberries, and pink cream infused with rose extract. You can faintly smell the scent of roses. Between the sponge layers, there is a cheese custard cream and a strawberry jelly with a sangria-like flavor. It is very delicious. The only disappointment was the sponge made from Taiwanese castella. It has a coarse texture and feels dry on the outside. Perhaps this is how Taiwanese castella is supposed to be. While I appreciate incorporating current trends, personally, I would prefer a moist and fine-textured sponge like chiffon. If it had been like that, I would consider coming back for more."