Aux Bacchanales

Tokyo is full of excellent bakeries and patisseries and pretty much all of them offer an excellent array of croissants, whipped cream cakes, Japanese style breads filled with red bean or chestnut or sweet potato, and uniquely Japanese-French fusion breads. I've tried many pastries at many bakeries but the one I go back to time and time again is Aux Bacchanales. And the reason I go back is primarily for a single item: the magically delicious croquant.

From what I can tell, a croquant is a confection that falls somewhere between bread pudding and brittle. Buttery bread pieces are soaked in a sweet cream mixture and baked with a mixture of caramelized nuts, then glazed with a melted brown sugar brittle. With a glass of milk or cup of coffee, a croquant is the ultimate afternoon snack, although probably not good for your teeth or your waistline.

"Aux Bacc"'s other pastries are also excellent, and their cappuccino is hands down the best I've had in Tokyo. The brasserie also serves excellent versions of traditional French cuisine.

Croquant - the perfect pastry!

Food rating: *****
Bang for buck rating: 5

The essentials:
http://www.auxbacchanales.com/
Location: several throughout Japan, including in Ark Hills, Akasaka
Price of croquant: 210 yen (~$2.50)