Matcha

For one, they really don’t skimp on the matcha; not in the bread dough, and definitely not in the oozy flowy custard. It’s rich, it’s got matcha’s characteristic bitterness, and it’s sweetened just right. The bread’s as fluffy as it’s moist and tender-crumbed, the perfect canvas for that thick custard filling. Psst, I hear today’s the National Doughnut Day and yes this ain’t one but I’ll tell y’all it beats some bombolonis I’ve had out there.

Take this Matcha one: very flavour-forward, the tea discernible while not being overtly bitter (though I personally enjoy the bitterness of Matcha coming through in desserts), balanced out with layers of lightly sweetened whipped cream. I didn’t quite like that the strawberries were sour though. I guess the acidity helps lift up the cake a little, but considering how light the flavours were on the whole I’d much have preferred sweeter, juicier strawberries.

Literally, it’s also like drinking milk stained with a touch of matcha. The matcha was SO WEAK in this like idgi what am I paying for I make better matcha milks at home. I would like to say I’m kidding, but this has to be the worst matcha latte I’ve ever had — even bux does it better. Can’t honestly say there’s any reason I’ll wanna come back again.

I thought this Paris Vert ($7.50) would be really sweet, what with the meringue, matcha and azuki creams; but it turned out way way better than expected, and I wiped the plate clean all on my own 🤤 I’m usually not a huge fan of meringue, but this was really more like a cake with just a thiiiin layer of crispy meringue on top: so not overwhelmingly sweet, great textural contrast as well. The matcha and azuki cream were wonderfully ethereal and light, boasting an amazing nuttiness that comes through in every bite. Absolutely delicious.

But ooooh how (matcha) I love this. I've been itching to try Old Hen's Cold Matcha Milk since first hearing about it eons ago, and now that I have...my oh my what a lovely shade of green 💚💚 I especially love the powdery texture that's so telltale of matcha, and how that melds fantastically with the silky cold milk. Would've loved a more intense matcha flavour, but as it is it's a fantastically delicious drink and I'd not hesitate getting it again. The Valrhona Dark Cocoa was as good as ever, and I'm glad to have found yet another reason to revisit Old Hen soon!

Thick, smooth and intense, the matcha custard had the distinct fragrant bitterness characteristic of the tea, balanced with just a hint of sugar — the epitome of bittersweet. Probably the result of using really premium matcha powder though, as Dulcet & Studio shared they're still deciding if this Matcha Cream Puff is cost effective enough to be a mainstay. Good news is miniature versions are now sold at The1872 Clipper Tea Co stores, so you can still get your fix while praying Dulcet & Studio brings this larger one back for good!

Definitely not for the faint-hearted. Lightly sweetened, smooth, with just a touch of its characteristic bitterness, this matcha soft serve is one for the purists. Good on its own, and even more intense with the added shot of matcha. If you have a sweet tooth though, you may wanna hold back on the extra shot — it really is quite bitter.

Really something worth checking out if you guys've got some time to spare this weekend. I've been following Matchaya for their fantastic tea lattes (really really worth trying if you haven't), and now they've got an entire range of Japanese tea noms at their new store! From a variety of Japanese milkhotcoldclearceremonial teas, Hokkaido milk breads with homemade matcha and houjicha jams, to artisanal soft serves, there's something for every Jap tea fan. My fave's the houjicha soft serve — be sure to give it a try if you're there!