TheLanceScape

You are my poison and my antidote

I am a matchaholic that literally goes weak at anything and everything green and went up to Matcha Heaven while I was in Hong Kong for my short holiday. Doesn’t the bold green color of matcha makes desserts look pretty and gorgeous?

Here’s 13 matcha-infused desserts I tried in Hong Kong in the space of 5 days, sounds EXCITING yet CRAZY I know and I looked back and wondered how I did it too!

1. NakamuraTokichi 中村藤吉 (Facebook)

Address: 18/F, The ONE, 100 Nathan Road 尖沙咀彌敦道100號The ONE 18樓 (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui 尖沙咀 B1

Opening Hours: 11:00-20:00 (Mon-Sun)

Nakamura Tokichi (Hong Kong) is the first overseas branch outside of Japan and so impressed were we by the quality of food here.

WARABIMOCHI that comes with green tea/brown sugar sauce (HKD 88) is soft and chewy with a melt-in-your mouth texture and leaves a long pleasant sweet bitter aftertaste that makes you longing for more. Please go early as this is served limited quantities of 15-16 a day.

The NEW Maruto parfait (HKD 108) with matcha ice cream, sweet potato puree and fresh chestnut cream melds together to create a splendid dessert this autumn.

Being a matcha-centric place, other delectable matcha items includes: Matcha Buckwheat (HKD 118) & Half matcha/honjicha ice (HKD 118)

The green tea quality at Tokichi is unparalleled and this is hands down our favourite place to go for MATCHA in Hong Kong. We certainly hope to visit the ones in Japan in near future!

2. Cha-no-wa 茶之環

Address: City’super, 3/F, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui 尖沙咀廣東道17號海港城3樓city’super內 (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui 尖沙咀 Exit A1

Opening Hours: 10:00 to 22:00 daily

Matcha Roll Cake (HKD 150) was one of the best matcha roll cake I have tried. Texture of the swiss roll was soft and the rich and dense matcha cream that oozes out upon the slightest touch was nothing short of amazing! Prices does not come cheap but this is surely a MUST try for any matcha fan.

3. Café R&C (Facebook)

Address: 22 Haven Street, Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣希雲街22-24號地舖 (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣 F1

Opening Hours: 11:00-22:00 (Mon-Thu, Sun); 11:00-00:00 (Fri-Sat)

The matcha latte (HKD 42) here has a deep, bitter matcha taste that is not overly milky but we would prefer the starbucks green tea latte to this. But hey, the latte art here are super cute and creative (sulley, minion and gudetama maybe if you request)!

4. Via Tokyo (Facebook)

Address: Shop nos. 1A-1B, G/F., Leishun Court, 106-126 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣禮頓道106-126號禮信大廈地下1A-1B號舖 (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣 F1

Opening Hours: 11:00-22:30 (Mon-Thu, Sun); 11:00-23:00 (Fri-Sat)

This Okome Shiratamo Matcha soft serve (HKD 45) was rich and creamy and the rice puffs gave a crunchy texture to the soft serve. Via Tokyo’s decadent matcha desserts are made with 3.6% fat Hokkaido Milk and offer a delicate taste of matcha.

Do note that reverse Tokyo happens on Wednesday – NO matcha but Houjicha (roasted matcha), so plan your trip down well!

5. Smile Yogurt & Dessert Bar (Web)

Address: Shop 509, 5/F, Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road 銅鑼灣軒尼詩道500號希慎廣場5樓509號舖 (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣 F2

Opening Hours: 12:00-22:30 (Sun-Thu); 12:00-23:00 (Fri-Sat)

This Love Green Tea (HKD 72) consists of matcha mochi, green tea sesame cracker, matcha pudding, chocolate brownies and mango balls.  It is like a party of flavours in the mouth; sweetness from the chocolate, bittersweet from matcha and sour from the yoghurt! A substitution of the mango with red beans would be more ideal.

This put a smile 🙂 on our face as we go healthier with yogurt and having our sweet tooth satisfied.

6. I Cremeria (Facebook)

Address: 1/F Fashion Walk Causeway Bay (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣 D4

Opening Hours: 11:30-22:30 (Mon-Sun)

Sawatari Tea Daifuku Parfait (HKD 53) – Matcha soft serve was on the rich and lighter, and leaning to the sweeter than the bitter side. The portion size was smaller and pricier as compared to the ones from Via Tokyo or Cha Cha Sweet House. Texture of the ice cream was icy and melted pretty quickly.

7. Chau Kee 周記點心 (Facebook)

Address: Shop H1, G/F, Tung Lee Mansion, Water Street, 西環西營盤水街東利大厦地下H1號舖 (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Sai Ying Pun 西營盤 B1

Opening Hours: 06:00-17:00 (Tue-Sun); Closed Mon

Riding on the popularity of the salted egg French toast, the matcha lava French toast was a new addition to its menu. The French toast has a crispy crust and the matcha sauce gushed out, just like a picture-perfect foodporn. Matcha sauce was watered down and too sweet for us.

Our verdict: stick to their salted egg French toast.

8. Eyescream and Churros (Facebook)

Address: Shop B1, G/F, Tak Man Bldg, 29 Tak Man Street, Hung Hom 紅磡德民街29號德民大廈地下B1舖 (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Hung Hom 紅磡 A2

Opening Hours: 12:00-22:00 Daily

Doesn’t the churros looks like a pair of bunny ears atop the soft serve? Churros were kind of undercooked and the soft serve lacks the matcha intensity that we expected. This definitely scores high points aesthetically though.

9. Mammy Pancake 媽咪雞蛋仔

Address: Shop K1B, G/F, 36 Man Tai Street, Hung Hom (紅磡) 紅磡民泰街36號地下K1B舖 (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Hung Hom 紅磡 A2

Opening Hours: 13:00 to 21:00 daily

Recommended by fellow Hong Kong foodie instagrammer,Julie, the crispy crunchy egglets does not disappoint. The green tea egg waffles (HKD 25) are not airy and contains red bean fillings, better than LKK North Point  Egg Waffles 利強記北角雞蛋仔 we felt. Matcha and red bean (azuki) are such a perfect combination!

10. Oddies Foodies (Facebook)

Address: Shop 1F, G/F, 149 Wan Chai Road 灣仔灣仔道149號1F地舖 (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Wan Chai 灣仔 A3

Opening Hours: 13:00-22:00 (Tue-Sun); Closed Mon

Desserts with a local fusion – Eggettes on soft serve. We tried The Mob (HKD 55), chewy black sesame mochi eggettes with vanilla and matcha gelato ice cream and liked that the low fat gelato was smooth. The sweetness of the ice cream was well balanced with the sour apple yuzu jelly and citrusy flake lying beneath.

11. Sinmei Tea 川善茶居 (Facebook)

Address: 5/F, CS Tower, 50 Wing Lok Street 上環永樂街50號昌盛大廈5樓 (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Sheung Wan 上環 Exit A2

Opening Hours: 11:30-19:30 Daily

This quirky café is located in the fifth floor of a building and serves green tea desserts and drinks. The moist and warm matcha lava cake with oozing matcha centre offset by a scoop of vanilla ice cream (HKD 68) or matcha brownie in sizzling hotplate topped with vanilla ice cream and warm matcha mousse (HKD 78) would be good for a sweet afternoon green tea fix. My only gripe was that the matcha flavour could be a little more intense.

12. Sweets House Cha Cha

Address: City’super, 3/F, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui 尖沙咀 Exit A1

Opening Hours: 11:00 to 22:00 Daily

For a quick green tea fix, get the Matcha float with matcha soft serve. The matcha ice cream was velvety and creamy but the green tea smoothie was a little icy! Tip: Head a few doors to Cha-no-wa to get the matcha roll cake.

13. Teakha 茶。家 (Facebook)

Address: Shop B 18 Tai Ping Shan Street (Google Map)

Nearest MTR: Sheung Wan 上環 Exit A2

Opening Hours: 11:00 to 19:00 (Tue-Sun)

This small concept tea café is situated near Hollywood Street (good for some OOTD)  The greentea cheesecake (HKD 40) was not too heavy has a light matcha kick that is not overloaded with sweetness. A very good reward after a tiring climb up the picturesque steep Graham street.

Follow me and more of my daily matcha obsession escapades at lancetaey  #lancetaey_matcha !