First Glance: Booth's Cake

Booth's Cake is a new Japanese cake shop tucked away on the banks of the Liangma Canal near Maizidian. The Japanese chef is an expert baker and passionate about it too – he was sent to Shanghai with his previous job before realizing that what he really wanted to do was start his own bakery and educate Chinese consumers about Japanese-style cakes. 

His passion and attention to detail are in evidence everywhere at Booth's Cake. All the ingredients, from the cream cheese to the flour, are imported and all the cakes are made freshly every morning in the on-site kitchen. The space itself is clean and uncluttered, with white-washed walls and simple wooden furniture.

What of the cakes themselves? Their top seller is the Booth's Roll Cake (RMB 25-29) with a chiffon-cake style sponge enclosing a center of lightly sweetened whipped cream. For those used to rich western-style sponges, this may take some getting used. Unlike many of the sickly sweet offerings around town, the signature Booth's Cheese Cake (RMB 36 per slice) actually has a pronounced cheese flavor, which may better suit western palates.

Note that the store is not easy to find: look for it on the back side of the FX Hotel, facing the Liangma Canal. The owners say they plan to put tables on the banks of the canal when the weather starts warming up again next year. 

Booth's Cake
Wed-Mon 11am-8pm. 1/F, FX Hotel (on the side facing the river), 39 Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang District (6585 8077)
布司蛋糕：朝阳区麦子店街39号FX富驿时尚酒店一层，靠河的一面

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Photos: Robynne Tindall