Dominique Ansel Tokyo Part 2: More than just CRONUTS

While the savoury dine-in menu at DAB did not left quite a deep impression on me, the sweets, especially the gateaus from DAB generally left me gushing like a little kid. In short, I find that the forte of DAB lies in their petit gateaus instead of their breads ironically, even though they are famous as a bakery and not a patisserie. 

The first thought that flashed across my mind when I had the Cronut (550 yen) was, "Is there a need to be so sweet?" The sugar sent chilling shivers down my spine and I could barely chow through without removing some of the icky icing. Or perhaps this is what a true authentic CRONUT tastes as it bears the hallmarks of a chewy, stretchy texture of a donut and the crisp shell of a croissant. I can only blame my low threshold for sugar. 

The Houjicha Melon Pan and the Green Tea Monaka are some exclusive items that are only found in Tokyo but they were not as promising as the original bakes such as DKA (Dominique's Kouign Annan) and the seasonal "Gobble Me Up" Caramel Bread (¥350). 

Shaped like an inverted button mushroom, the DKA (¥550) is sweeter and more buttery than TBB's Kouign Annan but I enjoyed it no less. So sinful. 


What strikes out the most was their wide selection of delicious petit gateaus. With more than 10 choices on display, I took so long to choose but still ended up with 5 all for myself. The "fortune cat" representative of Japan, Maneki Neko Religieuse, was replaced by the Hooties (¥680) during my Autumn visit. However, I was not disappointed by this "birdie" as I have a soft spot for the maple cream filling and the walnut butter (the ears and the brown V-shaped area) was a bonus treat. 

The Paris Tokyo (¥700) was good but did not shine amidst the intense competition. It's somewhat repetitive, I say, as the Matcha-Yuzu jam idea was similar to the earlier Green Tea Monaka. I felt as if I was eating a bag of limes when I took a bite of this Lime Me Up Tart (¥680). It is so puckish, yet still sweet so I can imagine the amount of sugar that went into this. 

Standout items included the Gingerbread Pinecone (¥900) and the Raspberry Mousse Basil (¥700). It was a good thing that the Gingerbread Pinecone was actually a regular item and not a Christmas item as it was simply a master work of flavors and textures. The warm, spices within the smooth center were soothing to the frantic mind while the crispy feuilettine base works like a pleasant Christmas surprise. This is a cake I would not forget as I have never had such a unique creation that revolves around the meddlesome gingerbread. 

Priced around ¥380~¥550 each, the breads are more expensive than average bakeries in Japan so invest wisely or perhaps just skip and go for the cakes.

Click here for DAB Tokyo Part 1

Dominique Ansel Bakery Tokyo ドミニクアンセルベーカリー

5 Chome-7-14 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan

Tel: +81 3-3486-1329

Daily: 8am-7pm (9am for 2F Petit Park Menu)

http://dominiqueanseljapan.com/