Natalie
Family gave me a sake bonbon for Valentine's Day. A few days later, I received a message on LINE with what they wanted for White Day. It was the [Zabuton Mont Blanc]. I had no idea it even existed. It was a warm Saturday on March 11th. "Are we going today?" I was asked verbally. 'Uh, yeah,' I replied, and we changed trains and arrived at [Temmabashi] station right at 12 o'clock. However, my heart sank when I saw the long line even from a distance. I couldn't help but send a message to my family on LINE. "There are about 100 people in line." I immediately got a reply. "If you have time, please wait in line." I couldn't say NO to the power dynamics in our house. After waiting for about 2 hours, we finally reached the entrance. From there, we waited inside the store while looking at the surroundings. 30 minutes later, we finally entered the store. First, we passed through the "baked goods" area on the route. Some people couldn't resist buying here. We stood in front of the showcase. It's popular for a reason. The unique shapes and color schemes were unlike anything I had seen before. But I had decided not to impulse buy. Here are the options: - Cheesecake Poire: 900 yen - Speculoos Caramel: 800 yen - Mont Blanc Noir: 900 yen - Mont Blanc Pistachio: 950 yen - Paper bag: 50 yen In total, it came to 3,600 yen as a return gift for Valentine's Day. It took us 2 hours and 40 minutes from lining up to leaving the store. We were able to enjoy these precious 4 cakes, having two on Saturday night, one on Sunday morning, and one on Sunday night, sharing them as a couple. First, we started with the store's signature "Zabuton Mont Blanc." - Mont Blanc Noir This shape is so innovative and surprising! Even my husband was astonished! The beautiful woven pattern is all chestnut cream, topped with a spherical chocolate mousse with a hint of liqueur aroma. It felt almost too beautiful to eat. It had a three-layer structure: biscuit chocolat, milk chocolate ganache, almond crunch. - Speculoos Caramel Another innovative shape, with 27 spherical pieces arranged in 3 rows and 3 columns. Inside, there was a cinnamon-flavored, firm cookie that paired well with the caramel. - Cheesecake Poire This one was amazing too! It was shaped like a handbag (*'ω'*) The smooth woven pattern of the bag was entirely creamy cheese, and it was incredibly delicious! Inside, there were poached pears and crunchy almonds. The buttons were made of white chocolate. - Mont Blanc Pistachio This was a pistachio version of the "Noir." Naturally, you could enjoy a subtle pistachio flavor. I could see why this store is overwhelmingly popular. The unique design and creativity are unparalleled. The owner apparently studied architecture at Kansai University, and they use their knowledge to design the cake shapes with CAD and then bring them to life using a 3D printer. Regardless of whether it's true or not, the incredible creativity and freshness of the ideas are undoubtedly what have led to their immense popularity. I believe they will continue to dominate for a while. I couldn't help but think that this store is truly a revolutionary figure in the sweets and patisserie industry. As an old man who loves sweets, I was genuinely impressed. Every industry has seen new talents emerge and contribute to its development. I wonder if other sweet shops will start imitating this one. I want to applaud the use of 3D design in creating these confections. However, I do hope they find a way to manage the long lines. With a few adjustments to their sales methods, they could improve the situation. Complacency will eventually lead to decline. I truly hope this wonderful store continues to thrive for a long time. Thank you for the delicious cakes.