Years ago, I had a meal at a Spanish restaurant called Esquina, and I had this little nasi-lemak inspired seared scallop dish which left such an impression on me that I remarked that it was”(q)uite marvellous and one of my most memorable and startlingly good mains ever”, ending my review with a…
Houjicha Pancake (vanilla ice cream, chia seeds, crushed hazelnuts, matcha spread, seasonable berries) from Les Patisseries’ newly-refreshed menu. The pancake starts off like a comfortably light, brownie-esque chocolate cake before quietly unveiling a dusky, gracefully understated hojicha fragrance and bitterness which lingers on your tongue long after the moment has…
Matcha Pancake (azuki bean paste, fresh berries, azuki ice cream, vanilla sauce) from Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters. Whilst the Potong-esque ice cream and thick paste represent the azuki faction with VJC-style flags-ahoy enthusiasm, the titular matcha teammates are demonstrably nonchalant, with the kitkat chunks being more milk than tea and…
Matcha Montblanc with Matcha Ice Cream from Kyushu Pancake. The sheer volume of chestnut drama within the thick, ropey cream would more than excite a scurry of rascally squirrels, the cream possessing a matcha powdery bitterness which adds a zen, masculine edge to the proceedings and prevents you from getting…
Ujikintoki Green Tea Kakigori from Sakurazaka. The bitter, milky green tea ice wore its Tsumori Chisato dress with a refined dignity and poise, while elsewhere even the luxuriously chewy shiratama tasted like it shops at the Mandarin Gallery and high-teas at the Ritz Carlton. 3.9/5 This was a hosted meal,…
Mini Choux Platter from Ollella – Matcha Azuki, Dark Chocolate, Apple Cinnamon, Tiramisu, Raspberry, Vanilla, Lemon Meringue. Generally appealing if you select flavours which reveal the choux’s texturality with minimal distraction. Whilst the crumbly Apple Cinnamon was positively pregnant with sweet apple chunks and the appealingly aromatic Tiramisu had a…
Matcha Oreo Tart from Bloomsbury Bakers. The green tea – simultaneously milky-sweet and smoulderingly bitter – was as thick and rich as a millionaire hippo, whilst elsewhere the tart base had the defensive valour of a mid-tier knight. 3.4/5 Bloomsbury Bakers 30 Bendemeer Road #01-889 Singapore 330030
Green tea bingsu from Nunsaram Korean Dessert Café. The choice of whipped cream to collar the bingsu was rather bizarre, but once said collar was scrapped off the mountain the green tea dessert was quite the hot weather delight, with the combination of sauce and ice cream somehow lasting long…
Aquarium Japone from Henri Charpentier – matcha, chocolate, white chocolate and yuzu mousse. The chocolate cap over the aquarium – wherein honeycomb, crumble and green tea sponge reside – disintegrates dramatically when hot chocolate is poured over it, and the dessert eventually segues into a green tea take on Eton’s…