Pop into Silom Complex today to celebrate the recent opening of the second branch in Thailand of Patisserie Masatomi, which is fast making a name for its Japanese-style sweet treats with a French foundation. Sticking with the sober garb of the original _ simple Japanese woodwork and a grey colour scheme, this little nook on the fourth floor is the must-go-to for gents who love pastries and sweetmeats but without the feminine frills.
Tommy Rungnoppakunsi, the chef-owner, knows from personal experience that many men wouldn't want to be caught dead enjoying a girly-looking cake in a dainty cafe.
While the desserts here look rather plain, they won't fail to impress you. Don't miss Moji Strawberry (150 baht); although large, you will be surprised how easy it is to finish it.
Thanks to a creamy yet light mousse made from raspberries and strawberries, which has just the right amount of tartness to offset the sweetness, this satiny delight is not at all heavy on the tummy. Although named after cherry blossom, the Sakura Roll (150 baht) is not a hot pink hue, but neither is it as sickly sweet as its appearance and fleece-like texture might suggest.
Sakura Roll.
It's a nice sponge to dig into and the strawberry chunks are crisp, giving a sour kick to the experience.
Those who prefer their treats to be not so sugary will doubtless enjoy these two cheesecakes: Double Cheese Green Tea Redbean (150 baht a slice) and Double Cheese Pumpkin Caramel (150 baht). Although perhaps not as aromatic as they could be (the pumpkin was a wan ghost in the melange and we only got the barest whiff of green tea), they were a nice change from the usual New York-style cheesecakes and a welcome feature was the two separate layers of cream cheese; all the more for you to savour. Of course, there's also a wide range of macarons available (40 or 50 baht each); they follow a traditional (White Chocolate Mint, Rose), Japanese (Momotaro, Sakura) or Thai (Samui) theme.
Not sure whether Pierre Herme{aac} would be appalled at the crunchiness of the coques plus the hollow parts encountered in all of these macarons, but we were.
While they aren't "stale", they just go through a different process than that used in other bakeries in order to make them a little less sweet than regular fare. For pastries that tread softly on the taste-buds, use sugar sparingly and are light on the stomach, Patisserie Masatomi's worth keeping in mind.
Patisserie Masatomi, fourth floor, Silom Complex, Silom Road. Open daily, 10.30pm to 9pm. Until Monday, get a free Lavazza coffee or cold Gryphon tea with every 150 baht purchase.
Double Cheese Pumpkin Caramel and Double Cheese Green Tea Redbean.
Strawberry Moji.
