Posh Japanese Patisserie Strasbourg Opens on Xiaoyun Lu With Baumkuchen and Cakes
Following a particularly strong need to satiate recent sugar cravings (perhaps on account of my recent less than admirable experience at Venchi), I was lead straight to Strasbourg patisserie on Xiaoyun Lu.
At a massive 250-square-meters, and occupied by an open kitchen and al fresco area seating, the space is airy and comfortable, and decked out with the requisite modern furnishing and jazz music, making it a perfect spot to hang out with friends or work remotely.
Was it sugary intuition, or sweet destiny that brought me there? I have to confess that it was neither, given that I stumbled in after a drink at nearby Yun Brew. The giant plastic baumkuchen, a variety of German cake, out front was what lured me in and I was not disappointed by what its excessive size promised, as I was immediately greeted with hundreds of cheese baum (RMB 15 each, or RMB 85 for a box of six), fresh out of the oven.
There's also a large shelf stacked with cookies, a dozen varieties of sliced cake (RMB 30-55), the aforementioned baumkuchen (RMB 32-36 per slice, RMB 120-160 for a whole), as well as salads and brunch (RMB 52-58), and coffee and juices (RMB 30-50).
The cheese baum (RMB 15) are a combination of the store's two specialties: cheese cake and baumkuchen, and with its crispy crust and a flaky buttery and cheesy center they reminded me of a classic Hong Kongese egg tart. However, these are baked with more of a Japanese palate in mind, meaning that the resulting flavor is mild and not overly sugary.
The cheese baum may be what Strasbourg is known for, but trust us, it's the lava chocolate cake (RMB 38) that will win you over; layers of soft but sturdy chocolate sponge cake with a rich smothering of cream between each, covered with a thick outer chocolate ganache (French style glaze), and sprinkled with chocolate powder, chunks of chocolate, and flakes of gold foil. Need I say more?
Then there's the Mont Blanc (RMB 46), a dessert homage to the highest mountain in Alps. It's made of noodles of sweetened chestnut puree on a cake base and topped with whipped cream. Sadly, this one didn’t taste as good as it looked given that its strong chestnutty flavor was actually superceded by the notes of soap. No, you didn’t read me wrong; something must have gone terribly wrong in the kitchen because this actually smelled and tasted like soap, albeit of the luxury variety that you might find in a five-star hotel. If you do end up buying this one, please let us know if you encounter the same.
The first Strasbourg opened in Yokohama, Japan, in 1997, before expanding across the country, and is notable for popularizing baumkuchen. This location on Xiaoyun Lu is the first in China and it will be interesting to see if it can have the same affect on the Mainland's burgeoning bakery scene as it did in the Land of the Rising Sun. We say: go for the creamy cheese baum, but leave if they start to foam.
Strasbourg
Daily 8am-midnight. 15 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang District (8069 8402)
思特堡: 朝阳区霄云路15号
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Photos: Tracy Wang, Dianping
