Hio Ice Cream Green Tea Milk Ice Cream: Even before I arrived in Japan, I had bookmarked this modern ice cream shop in Jiyugaoka to try for Tasty Snacking. Unfortunately, it's a bit far away from central Tokyo and I never got a chance to make it out there before COVID hit. I didn't realize, though, that you can actually find their ice cream at certain grocery stores. I went for the classic green tea flavor, which has specks of dark green mixed in. While I was hoping for a strong bitter matcha flavor, it actually disappointingl... (read more) 3.0/5.0
icecream japanese queensisetan hioicecream green tea milk ice cream 3.0 matcha
三星社 green tea castella: Somehow manages to be both moist and slightly dry. Green tea flavor is not bad, but the cake overall is overly sweet. Expensive ($5 for 4 pieces) 2.5/5.0
greentea matcha castella japanese hmart cake sweets green tea 2.5
Beard Papa's matcha cream puff: The Japanese cream puff chain Beard Papa's has made it to Boston, with a shop in the heart of Chinatown. I purchased a green-tea flavored puff, which was flaky on the outside and soft on the inside. The puff oozed cream, but the flavor was very light. So light there was basically no discernible green tea flavor. The color is the only indication of its supposed flavoring. Overall, it was not bad for a cream puff, but disappointing as a matcha dessert. 2.5/5.0
beardpapas pastry dessert creampuff matcha 2.5 boston chinatown cream puff
Meiji Kyo-matcha chocolates: These thin square chocolates have a light green color and ornate embossed floral design. While it has a concentrated matcha flavor, the chocolate itself has a waxy and dense mouthfeel similar to white chocolate. The ingredient list has sugar followed by cocoa butter, which seems about right. 2.5/5.0
meiji japanese matcha chocolate 2.5 greentea sweets kyo-matcha
Zenchai Apple and ginger matcha drink: Zenchai is a matcha cafe in the LES (NYC) with seasonal green tea drinks. I was really excited to try their fall apple cider and ginger green tea drink, but after I ordered and they began to pour out cider from a gallon container of Zieglers (which I haven’t had since I was a kid), I had a sense I was in trouble. Visually, the drink was appealing with a colorful ombré effect. But it had little ginger flavor and mostly tasted of very sweet and concentrated store-bought apple cider. I did feel... (read more) 2.5/5.0
drinks cider zenchai apple ginger matcha drink 2.5 nyc
Uegaki Beika Co Matcha Uguisu Balls: Uguisu Balls are a classic Japanese snack of bite-sized rice and wheat balls whose appearance is meant to mimic plum blossom buds. To me, they looked more like the shiny round acorns the two sisters chase after while exploring their new home at the beginning of Totoro. In this case, a sticky sugary coating envelops each piece, making it possible for green tea powder to stick to its surface. Slightly soft yet crunchy, sweet and bitter, this snack blends opposites to mixed success; the matcha... (read more) 2.5/5.0
tokyofishmarket matcha japanese uegakibeikaco uguisu balls 2.5