Roppongi Hills can somewhat be maze like for someone who first arrived, and trying to make their ways round the different sections from the Met-H, Hillside, Northside and Keyaki. It did take me one day to walk around to explore all the retail and cafes. I didnt buy anything of course since I am surrounded by high end heavy weight luxury brands with the likes of ugly LV and other beautiful local but equally expensive brands. I laughed when i saw one with Hello Kitty. Talk about abnormal obsession! My first reaction was "Are they crazy?"
Call it occupational hazzard but I couldnt help but be drawn to the brand I was working with previously and snap a shot. Looking at all the retail display, I was slightly overwhelmed by nostalgia of all those long hours, roadshows, marketing plans and bloody work with all the new store opening ...
Its very fun really to uncover all the different stores, walking into the ASAHI TV building and checking out their displays for their new drama. I wanted to try their cafe but it was filled with smoking executive so I changed my mind. Instead, I took a picture of my childhood hero Doramon (I prefer calling him as Xiao Ding Dang) before I left. Donning the windows were 2 huge RED CLIFF movie poster
Later that day, I stumbled upon this dessert shop HARBS (HILLSIDE 1F)and the cake display completely draw me. I didnt want anything else. I did toy with the idea of the chocolate cake but then firmed myself with the singualr choice that lured me into the store in the first place. So I had it, without regrets I might add - THE QUEEN OF CAKE.
Damn it was a huge slice at 1600yen but it was worth every bit. It really does fill u up even when I didnt have lunch. The cream was whipped, light and fluffy. The sponge cake delighfully soft that kinda melt in your mouth. The taste was of fresh cream, without the usual greasy after taste associated with those $1 cheap cake stores. Rather, it was mildly sweet, with a hint of milk flavour. The strawberries were apt in quantities. I was in heaven. It was a pity I had to have it all by myself but better in me than not having tried it at all. This is positvely my fav dessert store in Roppongi Hills. I thought that one picture doesnt do it any justice, so i took 2 shots..I guess the first one wasnt close enough to empahsis how delicious it was...
One night after dinner on our 2nd last night, we chanced upon this dessert store Derriere which was still open late. A rarity in Japan since alot of the stores I know close relatively early about 8 plus or early 9plus. So to still find one open close to 10pm was a gift. The staff doesnt speak a word of English. The menu are all in Japanese and while I could decipher about 70%, a few I just give up because after so many days of reading Japanese, I wanted a rest. It was funny because I tried asking if they had English breakfast tea and and the girl pointed to this undeciphered cake. I guess when you are forced in a situation to be made understood, trying to compose a grammatically correct sentence is last thing on your mind. Once I uttered "Nomimono" , a look of comprehension, and a menu of the different tea type in english was shown to us to my husband's joy. Its stressful when you are relied upon as the source of lamguage medium....when u are not exactly fluent.... Before I left, I politely asked if i could take a picture of their showcase which the girl said ok. I thought it is only nice to ask, than be crude and all assuming in a foreign land that is all about manners and etitques.
Anycase, we tried the No#1 Popularity cake which is somesort of choc layered crepe cake. It was nice and unique.
What I was more amused about was the petite hourglass to time the tea. Funny.
On seperate day when I was walking aimlessly in midtown Tokyo, more dessert stores to captivate me..... This is on Paris style and you wont believe the Q.... The cakes looked sooo pretty I couldnt tear my eyes away from them.... so beautifully displayed....feeling of love rushed through me....
Next to the lovely dessert store is a chocolate store - Jean Paul Hevin. Now I definitely know this store and seen it in Times Square in HK but never tried it. In HK, the store is always empty apart from staff when I passed it, herein tokyo, the Q is long!!! But perhaps they had a cafe that's why. The Japanese really like their sweets huh.....
No comments:
Post a Comment