?opens June 20, but expect extremely long queues because Ansel has brought to Japan not only his famed Cronut, but also a vast array of unusual and creative desserts.
Though Ansel has said that he¡¯ll be toning down the sugar levels for the Japanese clientele, this is still definitely a must-do for people with a?sweet tooth as we discovered on a recent press preview event.
The bakery¡¯s celebrated Frozen S¡¯more ¡ª huge chunks of toasted marshmallow-covered vanilla ice cream on sticks ¡ª and Cookie Shot ¡ª chocolate-lined cookie cups filled with milk?¡ª are being served alongside several Japan-only treats.
Among the exclusive items is the Paris Tokyo. Inspired by the circular metro sign and Japanese bamboo, Paris Tokyo¡¯s small balls of vanilla cream and matcha ganache have a dab of passion-fruit jam and are sandwiched between rings of choux pastry and topped with white chocolate ginkgo leaves.
Then there¡¯s the Maneki Neko Religieuse filled with vanilla cream and?yuzu?jam, and?fashioned in the shape of a smiling lucky cat. If you¡¯re looking for something a bit more mature, though, the traditional Japanese sweet-inspired Mont Blanc Wagashi is a chestnut-paste covered meringue that sits on a bed of gold leaf.
Most of the desserts may be rich and aimed at adults, but the space is for the fun-loving child in everyone. Even the bakery¡¯s brightly lit interiors uses candy-floss colors in a mock Paris subway map that names Ansel¡¯s creations in place of stations, while cute color-matching graphic works by Vahram Muratyan look down on customers from the staircase.
If you need a break from the sweet stuff, the second floor also serves light savory dishes, salads and drinks, and if you¡¯re brave enough to take your kids there¡¯s always the Mr. Roboto melon pan ¡ª it¡¯s filled with Hokkaido milk cream, but it can¡¯t be any worse than a regular Japanese melon pan pastry.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.