Right in front of the entrance to the food floor of Nihonbashi Takashimaya, one of the top department stores in Tokyo, there is a cake shop called Au Bon Vieux Temps. Whenever I dropped by there were never any good-looking cakes left, so I had been ignoring it all this time.. and it turns out it is one of the very best patisseries in Tokyo (ToT) The thing is, if you go in the evening, all the good cakes are already sold out and there is nothing left to buy.
The Au Bon Vieux Temps counter
The main shop is in Oyamadai, on the west side of Tokyo. Getting there is a long trip, so being able to find it at Nihonbashi Takashimaya, which is easy to reach from home, is truly a blessing. That is Takashimaya for you..
I arrived late, so not many cakes were left in the display case.
Compared with cake shops of a similar level, the prices are really reasonable. That day I bought two cakes called Framboisier and Barre d’Or.
They sell whole cakes too.
They all look delicious.
The packaging
It comes with a ribbon, which feels very classy.
The cakes
The top of the Barre d’Or is caramelised and slightly bitter, and the flavour was addictive. The Framboisier was delicious too. Even though I picked them more or less at random, the level was high and I loved them. Chances are every other item on the menu is just as good.
My second attempt.
The second time I made a point of going a little earlier. Clockwise from the top: Fromage Cru, Ali Baba and Snob.
Ali Baba
A sponge cake soaked in brandy, to the point where you cannot tell whether you are drinking or eating cake. If you like alcohol, I strongly recommend trying it.
Snob
A cake you could call pistachio incarnate. The flavour is so rich that you cannot help being impressed.
Fromage Cru
A simple cheesecake, and again the level is high, but it gets a little overshadowed by the previous cakes. I do not think you would regret any choice on the menu. If you are curious about the best cakes in Tokyo, do go and try it.