Right after the last exam of my second last semester in college, I booked a flight to Hong Kong on a whim. I try to make an annual visit to Hong Kong. It’s almost like a second-home to me and I have family members living there. On every trip, I would return to old favourites and enjoy exploring new gems.
This time was rather different. I went to HK alone and had nothing concrete planned other than a long list of food places to hit and a few friends I wanted to meet. Met some HK Instagrammers as well as new friends who flew in from the States. We hung out together on a few occasions and it was so much fun! On hindsight, it was a great idea to travel alone as I had no one to accommodate to and had plenty of time to myself (I really do enjoy my own company).
I think I consumed an average of 2 Matcha-related food/drink/desserts per day. I was there for 7 days, so you do the math. Many have asked for my itinerary, or rather, fooditinerary, and so I decided to do up one that features many of the Matcha items I’ve tried. I will save the savouries for another post, just in case it seems like I live on a Matcha-based diet.
Without further ado, here’s my list for all Matcha aficionados!
1. Via Tokyo
For the longest time, I was constantly tempted by the pictures and descriptions of Via Tokyo on my Instagram feed. People raved about this place and I had my hopes up for sure. My friend brought me there on a cold afternoon and we ordered a dessert each: Matcha Soft serve with Warabi mochi and Tri-flavour waffle cup.
Moment of truth. It definitely did not disappoint. The soft serve was creamy, thick, and of a perfect consistency. Not icy, but more on the creamy side. The Matcha flavour stood out and it left a nice bitter aftertaste too. I also tried their new Genmaicha softserve and it was a refreshing change. I liked the roasted rice notes in the Genmaicha, which paired wonderfully with the grassy Matcha flavour.
However, I wasn’t too pleased with the Warabi mochi that came with my order. Maybe the word ‘Warabi’ had created the expectation of a jelly-like and light texture for me. I felt that this version was more like the traditional chewy ones and definitely tougher in texture as compared to Warabi mochi.
Other than that, all was great. I enjoyed the generous dollop of azuki bean paste which was chunky from the use of whole red beans. Definitely quality stuff. I would highly recommend Matcha lovers to visit Via Tokyo.
Address: Shop nos. 1A-1B, G/F., Leishun Court, 106-126 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay
Tel: +852 2895 1116
Opening hours: Mon-Thu & Sun: 11:00-22:30
Fri-Sat & PH: 11:00-23:00
2. Tea-Kha
I liked Tea-Kha so much that I went there two days in a row. They have expanded their shop space since my last visit two years ago. Tea-kha is known for their rustic Japanese-inspired desserts and uniquely-flavoured tea lattes (Houjicha, Keemun Rose, Masala Hot Chocolate, etc).
Order their Matcha cheesecake when you’re there. Its texture was perfectly creamy, yet not too rich. It had a nice airy bite to it and a distinct Matcha taste too. My favourite Matcha cheesecake till date.
Special mention to their scones as well. Not your usual tall and perfectly-shaped scones but don’t judge it by its looks. I ordered the persimmon one which came with persimmon compote and it was delish!
Address: Shop B, 18 Tai Ping Shan Road SOHO, Sheung Wan
Tel: +852 2858 9185
Opening hours: Tue-Fri: 11:00-19:00
Sat-Sun: 09:00-19:00
Closed on Mon
3. I Cremeria
I-Cremeria was just recently established (Dec 2014), and being in close proximity to Via Tokyo (above), I knew I had to give it a try. I ordered the Matcha Affogato (Matcha softserve with hot Matcha latte) and my friend had the parfait.
I have a love-hate relationship with the Matcha Affogato- on one hand, I like its unique way of serving but dislike the fact that my soft serve will melt quickly. Thankfully I managed to snap some shots before it started disintegrating.
The soft serve in I-Cremeria is more icy (I spotted small chunks of ice in mine) compared to most Matcha soft serves I’ve had. I guess it would be a lighter alternative to those who prefer something less filling and rich. The Matcha flavour was nice but slightly more muted due to the soft serve being on the sweeter side. I’d say it’s still worth a try and they have other interesting desserts such as ice cream served in a melon.
Opening hours: 11:00 – 23:00
4. Cha-no-wa
Cha-no-wa is known for their Matcha roll (not pictured) but I got the Matcha Baumkuchen instead. I liked that it was not dry unlike most packaged cakes, and I also liked the deep green hue of it. It was overall decent, but nothing much to rave about. In addition, I tried Cha-no-wa’s freshly made Matcha pudding (not pictured) and it was divine!
Two outlets:
Address 1: City’super, 3/F, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852 2736 3230
Address 2: B1, City’super, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay
Tel: +852 2917 7213
Opening hours: Mon-Sun: 10:00-22:00
5. Sweet House Cha Cha
Sweet House Cha Cha is another favourite of mine. I had the Hokkaido Milk & Matcha duo soft serve parfait that came with chunky azuki bean, shiratama dango (glutinous rice balls) and Matcha pudding. I really enjoyed this. The soft serve was of a perfect consistency, creamy and with a strong Matcha flavour. The ‘sides’ that came with the parfait were great too! Do note that it’s a takeaway store in the supermarket.
Sweet House Cha Cha’s Red bean oobanyaki. There is nothing much to rave about this and I wished they were more generous with their filling! It was a nice warm dessert to have in winter though. I heard praises for Sweet House Cha Cha’s Matcha cream puff but unfortunately they did not have it at the Causeway Bay outlet. Visit the Harbour City outlet if you wish to try it!
Two outlets:
Address 1: City’super, 3/F, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Address 2: B1, City’super, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay
Opening hours: Mon-Sun: 11:00-22:00
6. Yo Mama Frozen Yogurt
I’ve heard good things about the froyo at Yo Mama and when I arrived at the shop, I was pleasantly surprised to see a queue for it although it has been around for ages. I ordered the Green Tea flavour and wow it was really good! Tart froyo combined with a strong GT flavour – so much win. I chose fresh fruit and mochi as my topping. The homemade mochi had a very nice bite and it was not heavy at all. They also have special mochi flavours of the day.
Can I just add that this is one of those foods for which I genuinely feel a sense of sadness when I’ve reached the bottom of the cup.
Various locations: here
7. Sinmei Tea
Sinmei Tea’s Matcha Sizzling Brownie may look fancy but it was quite a letdown. After pouring the Matcha sauce over it, hearing it sizzle in the pan, and taking a bite of it, my thoughts were ‘oh, that’s it?’
More emphasis could have been placed on the quality of the vanilla ice cream as it was just ordinary. Moreover, the brownie had a rather weak Matcha flavour and was rather dry.
However, I’ve heard positive reviews about their Matcha Mojito and Angel Cake. Still, I’d return to Sinmei again because of its lovely ambience and friendly service. Before I left, the sweet staff gifted me a small bag of Matcha madeleines for Christmas and they were delish, by the way.
Address: 5/F, CS Tower, 50 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan
Tel: +852 3690 8238
Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 11:30-19:30
*Information accurate as of 9 Jan 2015.