Matcha. It is a Japanese green tea powder made from super finely ground dried green tea leaves. So finely ground, indeed, that it is powder-like in form and solubility. When you mix it into hot water it dissolves nicely and gives you that distinct slightly grass-like taste that is unlike any other and a nicely bitter aftertaste. Some people do not like it because of that vegetal taste, but more people swear by it. Including me. Sipping a cup of freshly made hot matcha green tea is pure bliss. This is why a lot of Japanese specialty restaurants serve it as their house tea or offer it on the menu.
Matcha is so versatile as an ingredient that it is no longer confined to being a drink, although it is also great as a matcha latte and as a cold milk tea drink. It is always a staple on the menu of milk tea shops and is always a bestseller, too.
Because it is a big favorite among consumers, especially those who love Japanese food, matcha has evolved into many different forms of desserts and cold snacks. Most Japanese restaurants now offer their own homemade matcha ice cream, if they do not source it from ice cream makers who are willing to supply them with bulk orders. Lately, 102 Izakaya has collaborated with Karabella to create a matcha gelato with carabao’s milk which the restaurant now proudly offers matcha-loving customers.
Matcha is also a stable and delightful ingredient to use in cakes. One of the first matcha green tea cakes that I tasted and loved is the Matcha Cappuccino Cake of Honeybon. It combines matcha with coffee, and it works perfectly.
Matcha works best as a cheesecake. The Alley by Vikings has come up with several versions of it, as each branch of The Alley is distinct and unique and has the free hand to create and serve their own set of, say, desserts. Matcha cakes and other desserts will always be available at the dessert station because, as chef Michael Santos, corporate executive chef, puts it, “matcha is popular everywhere.”
The UP Town Center branch offers a delightful Oreo Matcha Cheesecake, whose texture and flavor are awesome, supported by other matcha desserts, such as Matcha Shortcake, Matcha Bobba Panna Cotta and Matcha Latte. There’s also Matcha Cheesecake with fresh strawberries on top courtesy of The Alley’s Capitol Commons branch. It is delightfully surrounded by matcha Kitkat sticks, making the cake a lovely dessert spectacle that does not disappoint when you take a slice of it. Rounding it out is The Alley Manila Bay’s Choco Matcha Cake with white chocolate petals on top.
Not to be outdone is Ikomai Japanese Restaurant and Tochi Desserts owned by chef James Antolin. They make everything from scratch. One of the most popular desserts is Black Sesame Matcha, which is a combination of black sesame mousse, matcha sponge and matcha glaze. They also make their own Matcha Ice Cream. Then there’s Tochi Desserts’ perennial favorite, Matcha Cookies, which you can buy per piece or in packs of five or eight pieces along with other delicious flavors.
Young pastry chef sensation Kris Edison Tan has also made a to-die-for Matcha Croissant filled with Azuki Red Bean Custard topped with Matcha-mazing Chocolate for his newly opened Fabrique Bakery located at The Public Eatery, Robinsons Magnolia.
Matcha heaven!