I went to Patisserie Sadaharu Aoki Paris in Marunouchi. It was around noon on a holiday and the eat-in area was not crowded, so I could sit at my favorite table. I ordered the Galette des Rois Nature Earl Grey. Galette des Rois is a traditional French pastry eaten to celebrate the new year. This shop bakes it whole and you can enjoy it by the piece. The galette is in a round shape with a nice pattern on the surface. The moist dough and the almond cream inside have a deliciously sweet and fragrant taste. The base pastry is also firm and tasty. The Earl Grey tea served in an iron teapot is also delicious. The tea leaves are placed in a strainer, ensuring that the tea does not become bitter after the first cup. It has a refreshing citrus aroma and a clean taste.

A cafe in Marunouchi. This is my third time using it. It's convenient for waiting for someone in Marunouchi or killing time, when you need to find a cafe. It's a bit pricey, but compared to going to a hotel lounge, it's much cheaper and the quality is very satisfying. The atmosphere and the service of the staff are also good. So, I actively use it when I need to kill time in Marunouchi.

After finishing watching a play at the theater, I decided to stop by a cake shop I saw along the way. I didn't realize it was the famous patisserie Aoki until I saw the cakes. The shop was filled with beautiful cakes and macarons, making it hard to choose. I bought a peach cake, mille-feuille, gâteau au chocolat, and a croissant.

I got a takeout of Opera and Côte d'Ivoire (passion fruit) cakes. They provided a free 1-hour cooling pack, but any additional time would incur a charge. Since it was summer, the cakes had melted a bit after more than 1 hour, but they were still intact in the box and paper bag they provided. The Opera cake was more like tiramisu in taste, while the Côte d'Ivoire cake was sweet with a strong passion fruit acidity that made it delicious. The coconut added a nice crunchy texture.

I happened to stop by on my way and saw this place that looked like a famous shop. The lady in front of me took a long time chatting while buying macarons, so the customer behind me left. I also thought about giving up. But finally, it was my turn, so I decided to order the croissant made with Echire butter that was on promotion. I was surprised to find out that the one on the counter, which I thought was a sample, was actually the product. I felt a bit uneasy about the hygiene, but since I had already decided to buy it, I made the purchase. It looks delicious, but for a renowned shop, I wish they would consider better storage methods.

When you enter the store, the cakes are just beautiful. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of nuts, so there were few options for me to eat. I ordered the matcha and the limited edition chocolate croissant. The matcha bamboo had an alcohol content of 3%, so it might be tough for those who can't have alcohol. It was refreshing and tasty, despite its appearance!

I wandered around the Yurakucho area looking for a place to have tea. It was crowded everywhere, probably because it's summer vacation, but I found a few empty seats at Sadaharu Aoki's and decided to go in. It was hot, so I chose an iced matcha and a chocolate praline. The iced matcha was a bit sweet with added sugar. The cake had a luxurious feel to it (complex taste). The table next to me, however, was not cleaned up properly, which bothered me.

When I went to pick up the cake I reserved, it was quite crowded. It's really popular. The chocolate cake size is small, just right for two people to share. The crunchy texture in some parts is nice. There is a hint of orange flavor here and there.

During weekdays, cafes in Yurakucho and Ginza are usually crowded, but this one was quiet and relaxing to use. The prices are a bit high, but the food was delicious. There may be other cakes that are equally tasty but cheaper, but considering the appearance, delicacy, and atmosphere of the shop, I felt that it was worth the price.

It seems that they have created a flavor tea that is unique to the Japanese palate. Thé Douce France combines fruity flavors of apple, peach, and apricot with a refreshing taste of mandarin. Even though I couldn't detect these flavors much on my palate, I still found it enjoyable. It reminded me of the interesting experience I had at a certain Ladurée. Hmm, intriguing!

Stopped by to escape the heat and take a short break while out and about. Opted for the Marunouchi store exclusive cafe caneles and a hot coffee. The interior was like heaven, with the air conditioning almost too effective in the scorching 37-degree heat outside. It was so comfortable that I felt like ordering a hot drink. A much-appreciated oasis for those out and about. ✨

■Bonbon Chocolat 9 pieces for ¥4,212 First of all, the appearance is beautiful and cute. Each flavor is completely different, and I was surprised by how delicious they all were. This Bonbon would definitely be a well-received gift. ■Croissant Matcha au Amande for ¥416 Made with 100% high-quality Echire butter! It seems to be a special price until 9/6 (Croissant Day). I had it the next morning, and it was incredibly delicious. The layers of dough, butter, and matcha were irresistible. ※No waiting or lining up around 5:30 pm on weekdays. Payment method: cash. Thank you for the delicious meal!

Limited cake at the Marunouchi store. This cake features layers of soaked sponge cake with coffee syrup, almond-infused Joconde sponge, buttercream, and ganache. It has a rich flavor with a hint of bitterness from the coffee and a smooth texture from the buttercream.

This is a world of macaron shops that are all directly imported from Paris. To be precise, it is a French confectionery shop that offers cakes, baked goods, and more. Both dining in and gift shopping are very popular here. Inside the store, I enjoyed my favorite classic macarons, pistachio and raspberry. I couldn't resist the temptation of beautifully designed cakes that you see in department stores. But without succumbing to the temptation of their appearance and taste, today I indulged in the seasonal lemon tart for a citrus flavor, and the classic Opera cake for a chocolate flavor. They are assembled from a delicious base of solid dough. I thought, "This is definitely French confectionery." My companion ordered the Degustation Royale, which consists of eight mini cakes on one plate. My kind companion meticulously cut each one in half to share. I was delighted with the Mariage Frères tea recommended to me, "Special Aoki Pomme Caramel," while my companion had a matcha cappuccino. The tea was poured from a sturdy iron teapot, with enough for 2-3 cups in the teacup, which made me very happy. It's a flavored tea with hints of apple and caramel. It's definitely a French-style flavored tea. The bright and stylish interior of the store was where Star Chef Sadaharu Aoki was this afternoon. He was wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and had messy hair, tidying up the store displays and cleaning the entrance. Although he seemed to be doing behind-the-scenes work unnoticed by the customers, it left a good impression as a craftsman. I had various thoughts like taking photos, getting autographs, or shaking hands, but my companion stopped me. It will be a lifelong story to tell.

I used my cafe time ♫ I had only eaten chocolate during the Valentine's season before. Today, I ordered a dream-like set where I could eat 8 different types of cakes all at once (//∇//) They were bite-sized, so I could easily finish all 8 varieties (^^)v They were all very delicious! Please check the names and features in the images. They looked stylish and had a healing effect ☆ Thank you for the meal~

• Degustation: 1,770 yen • Coffee: 670 yen • Pistachio Macaron: 325 yen *excluding tax On a holiday afternoon, I visited Marunouchi! After having lunch, I had some free time until evening, so I decided to come to Aoki for some sweets. I love the macarons here. Just a little while before this day, I was impressed by the deliciousness of the sweets at New Otani's buffet, and I was in the mood for "I want to eat delicious sweets!" Aoki has a street-level store in Yurakucho, and it's also located in Roppongi's Midtown, but I had never been to the café before. I often bought their sweets as souvenirs, but this was my first time sitting down to enjoy them. It's always crowded with lots of people waiting, so it was lucky that there happened to be an available seat on this day. This time, I ordered the Degustation, which allows you to enjoy six different cakes - perfect for those who are greedy for variety. I also ordered a single pistachio macaron because I love the pistachio flavor here. My favorite macaron flavor is pistachio. The chocolate one seemed to have a hint of orange, giving it a refreshing taste while the chocolate cream was nicely balanced. The cute macaron on top was a nice touch. The green one was Bamboo, with a Kirsh-flavored sponge cake, matcha cream, and ganache that was just right - not too alcoholic. I'm not a big fan of cakes that taste too alcoholic, but this one was incredibly delicious. I was quite surprised by the strawberry cake. Honestly, I haven't been a big fan of strawberry cakes before because many of them tend to be quite acidic, which I don't really like. But this one had no acidity at all, and the sweetness of the strawberries came through perfectly. It was amazing! After that, the pistachio macaron was consistently delicious. The prices are a bit high, but each cake is delicate and delicious, so I think the satisfaction level is very high! (Gourmet enthusiasts probably already know this, but... haha) For those who have been working hard this week, finding parenting tough, or feeling extremely stressed, this dessert is perfect for soothing your daily fatigue.

Paradis Phrase is delicious♡ Pistachio and strawberry are both my favorites, so it's a perfect combination! The pistachio cream had just the right amount of sweetness! *The seating is close to each other. There are many foreigners, and it seems like many people are not wearing masks. There are no partitions, so if you are feeling anxious, it might be better to avoid using it for now.

After a sushi dinner in Ginza in March 2023, I walked to Hibiya Station and stopped by Sadaharu Aoki at around 7:45 PM. There were still some items available, so I bought three types of cakes: Saya for 880 yen, which had layers of pistachio cream, strawberry cream, and sablé; Paradifraise for 960 yen, a luxurious-looking cake resembling a large macaron filled with pistachio and white chocolate cream; and Chocolat Blanc for 820 yen, a milk chocolate cream cake with a slightly sweet taste. The cakes I purchased this time were a bit sweeter than my preference.

Sadaharu Aoki. About 20 years ago when it first landed in Japan, I was impressed by the chocolate cakes. Then in 2007, I visited Paris for the first time in my life and went to Sadaharu Aoki's flagship store. While the sweets at Sadaharu Aoki in Tokyo had a refined form, the pastries at the Paris store had a rugged appearance that surprised me. And I lost the desire to buy. With that said, although I thought it was a wonderful store, I didn't have the chance, and it has been almost 20 years since I tasted these pastries. ★9 Bonbon Chocolat 4212 yen Opening the package, I was impressed by the vivid beauty first ☆ and then tasted it and was impressed ☆ It's delicious. A very elegant sweetness with a moderate amount of chocolate. Smooth yet with a perfect texture that is just firm enough. There are 9 different flavors, each with distinct differences in taste. Yet, they all lean towards the same taste direction, with just the right amount of edge. I particularly liked the yuzu and sesame flavors. While there are many fruit flavors, yuzu had the most refreshing sweetness and sourness, even more than lemon. Only sesame and matcha have the inside of the chocolate in gray, matcha color. The black sesame flavor is outstanding. There was also wasabi as a unique flavor, but the wasabi flavor was hardly noticeable. In short, it is extremely tasteful ☆ with a sense of calm yet with elegance and individuality. Nevertheless, this chocolate, one piece costs 450 yen. I can only taste such delicious and expensive chocolate once every few years.

I had some errands to run in Yurakucho and decided to buy a White Day gift while exploring. I stopped by Sadaharu Aoki in Marunouchi. The display case inside the store was filled with beautiful and delicious-looking cakes. There were also many White Day gifts lined up. I purchased some chocolates in cute, signed packaging. I hope they will be pleased.

The Senshuell matcha and fluffy milk cappuccino are very delicious. The raspberry cake available only in January and February is a must-try. For chocolate-based cakes, you can choose between the neighboring La Maison du Chocolat or this place. I tried eating in for the first time, and the bright and quiet atmosphere inside the store makes it easy to use. The matcha cappuccino was fluffy and you could really taste the matcha. I recommend this place as well.