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[Tokyo, Japan] The favourite past-time of Japanese ladies seem to be sitting down at a cafe, savouring a pretty tiny piece of cake after a tough day of shopping. One of the cakes places to be caught in is definitely Ladurée in Tokyo, which are available at Ginza Mitsukoshi and Shinjuku Lumine. Having pastries and tea here is ‘tai tai’ life at its best.
Think about it: Luxurious European furniture, macarons of every colours, cakes that are just too pretty to eat, packaging boxes that comes in pink, violet and beidge, with the touch of ribbons and their signature pastel green paper box. This is the place to be seen. And perhaps having silent conversations of handbags and flowers.
Yes. I also felt awkward to be the only guy in the entire store.
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For fans in Singapore, if you still have not heard, Ladurée is coming to town. What’s the fuss you may wonder? They ARE the inventor of the double-decker macarons (one ‘O’ please), known to be one of the best macaron makers, and still sell more than 15,000 of them every day.
From Singapore’s hearty love for macarons sold anywhere from Antoinette, Au Chocolat, Obolo, TWG, Canelé, Jean-Philippe Darcis, and Jewels Artisan, you know we have a slight obsession with the dainty brightly coloured sweet things.
The Parisian luxury patisserie chain is reported to be located in town, close to its sister company PAUL Bakery at Orchard. Let me make a guess, Paragon? (Read: PAUL Bakery)
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One thing I must say. I have never once had bad service during my 2 weeks in Tokyo, until at Ladurée Shinjuku. The grumpy faced service staff did not smile at all. Shocking. It may be normal in other countries, but in Tokyo, this must be called ‘service-sin’.
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The cakes are drop-dead gorgeous, every piece of them. But also drop-dead expensive. The reddish artificial strawberry lookalike cake cost more than $15, but also perhaps one of my most memorable cakes ever (in a good way).
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The chocolate gelato topped with nuts, brownie and caramel sauce also tastes as good as it looks.
The main let-down was surprisingly, the macarons, especially when they were also freaking expensive. Price was 2940 Yen for 8 pieces (SGD$45, USD$37). I wondered if it had anything to do with my ‘guyish’ choices of vanilla, chocolate and coffee, and should have picked the more bubblegum coloured looking blackcurrant violet, green apple or strawberry candy. Not that they were any bad, but they were just … ordinary?
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Until then, I hope the macarons in Singapore does not cost $45 for 8. Even though, I am sure people will still throng to buy them. Macarons? It’s never really about the taste.
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Ladurée
Ginza Mitsukoshi 4-6-16 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8212, Japan
Tel : +81 (0)3 3563 2120
Shinjuku Lumine 2, 1F, 3-38-2 Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-0022, Tel : +81 (0)3 6380 5981
Other Tokyo Entries
Café & Meal Muji (Ginza, Tokyo)
Tsukiji Honten (Shibuya, Japan)
Menya Musashi (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
Mutekiya Ramen (Ikebukuro, Tokyo)
Tsukiji Fish Market (Tsukiji, Tokyo)
