15 Irresistible Matcha Desserts To Try in Johor Bahru
May 27, 2016
Gone are the craze for salted egg croissants and Hokkaido cheese tarts, let’s welcome the matcha desserts into the scene! We have recently hopped across the causeway for some matcha desserts treats. For matchaholic out there, matcha desserts are literally your all-time favourite. Here are 15 places to try matcha-infused desserts for your next visit to JB.
1. Uji Matcha Cheese Tart by The Sugar Pantry
Singapore has Antoinette cheese tart series and in Johor Bahru, the trend has also start at The Sugar Pantry. They have just launched 4 types of Hokkaido Cheese Tarts and one of them is Uji Matcha. The cheese tart are made of 3 different types of cheeses and the green tea is imported from Japan. Launched just 3 days ago, the cheese tarts are selling like hotcakes. The uji matcha tart was rather thick and creamy for me. Its cheese taste was overwhelming that I can’t taste the matcha though. The other 3 flavours include Cheese Tart, Salted Egg Cheese Tart and Caramel Tart. I would recommend to purchase 4 types at one time at RM24.00 instead of purchase one at RM7.50 per piece. The tarts are freshly baked and available from 12pm onwards.
The Sugar Pantry
Address: 47 Jalan Molek 1/9, Taman Molek, Johor Bahru
2. Matcha Yuzu Tart by Bonbon Bakery Cafe
Bonbon Bakery Cafe is the latest cafe addition in Taman Molek. The cafe started 3 weeks ago specializing in cakes and crepes. Their matcha yuzu tart caught my attention so I decided to give it a try. The almond tart base was crispy and the combination of matcha and yuzu works well. Although the matcha has a rich flavour by its own, the yuzu taste was able to give it a refreshing aftertaste. Prepare your camera for the flowy matcha ganache.
BonBon Bakery Cafe
Address: 11 Jalan Molek 1/5c. Taman Molek, 81100 Johor Bahru, Malaysia
3. Hokkaido Matcha Hotcakes By Sugar Top
I attempted twice to the café to try this dessert and finally got the chance on the third time. My advice is to visit around 4plus to avoid disappointment. The Hokkaido Matcha Hotcakes with a scope of ice-cream costs RM16.90 and RM13.90 without ice cream. As we cut through the hotcake, the oozing matcha flavour just flow out immediately. There is a slight bitter taste from the surface of the green tea powder but the overall matcha taste was not strong. The sweetness taste was overwhelming and it is best to have it together with the berries and ice-cream. Made in-house with limited servings per day.
Sugar Top
Address: No. 1 Jalan Kuning 1, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
4. Green Tea Parfrait By Union Fashion Bar
Union Fashion Bar has recently launched their Green Tea Parfrait early this month. The dessert has the combination of frozen cheesecake, matcha ice-cream, red beans, panna cotta and matcha Kit Kat as the topping. With RM16.90 (~approx S$5.80), you get to enjoy this instagram-worthy desserts with so many layering of ingredients.
Union Fashion Bar
Address: 24 Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4 Taman Sutera Utama, Johor Bahru
5. Matcha LAVA Cookies by Creamery Boutique Ice-Cream JB
Creamery Boutique is one of the cafés not to miss as they serve oozing lava cookies from Thailand. There are three flavours of lava cookies available at the café now and one of them is the matcha lava cookie. We ordered the matcha lava cookie with a choice of one scoop ice-cream. The moment the scoop of ice cream falls on top of the soft cookie, the lava ooze out beautifully. That’s when everyone went ‘WOW’. The rich matcha lava is mildly bitter, which I thought didn’t go too well with the sinfully good Thai milk tea. But both are good on its own, we probably should have pick a milder ice cream flavour.
Creamery Boutique Ice Cream Johor Bahru
Address: No. 33 Jalan Austin Height 8/3, Taman Mount Austin, Johor Bahru
6. Ujikintoki (Uji Matcha) by Miyakori Cafe
If Japanese water mochi is not enough to satisfy your matcha craving, you can go one floor down to visit Miyakori. The café was opened December last year offering coffee, cakes and desserts. One of their signature desserts is Ujikintoki (Uji Matcha) served in cup. The cup was filled with shaved coarse ice and the ice sizes were irregular. The matcha ice-cream was too milky for my liking and surprisingly the shiratama and red beans in it were quite decent. The best part is that the café has WIFI access for you to chill in air-conditioned place.
Miyakori Café
Address: Lot J5-10 Level 5 106-108, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor Bahru
7. Green Tea Parfrait By My LIBERICA
My Liberica is a local homegrown café that sets up their first branch in Taman Molek few years back. They specialized in brewing coffee and has a cultivated coffee farm of it’s own in Kulai. The cafe does not only sell coffee and cakes, they also extended their menu to offer desserts. We were at their branch located at Taman Sutera and decided to give a try on their Green Tea Parfait RM15.90 (~approx S$5.30). Their matcha ice-cream is actually haagen dazs ice-cream with green tea pudding and cornflakes. The ice-cream has slightly creamery taste and mild matcha flavour taste but the combination works well with the crunchy cornflakes and pudding as toppings. The dessert is available at their other My Liberica outlets in Johor Bahru.
My Liberica
Address: No.129 Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/2, Taman Sutera Utama, Johor Bahru
8. Japanese Matcha Sundae by The Sugar Pantry
The Sugar Pantry cafe located at Taman Molek has a double storey space that offers Japanese and French inspired bakeries and pastries. Their first successful café was located at Permas Jaya. The first floor of the café has the display pastries and bakeries for customers to pick and go whereas the second floor is mainly for dine-in customers. We tried their Japanese Matcha Sundae RM16.00 (~approx S$5.50) which comes with matcha ice-cream, red beans and oats. The matcha ice-cream flavour was strong in flavour and it goes perfectly with the red beans. With the inspired oriental teahouse setup, it is best to chill at the café with the sweet treats and FREE Wifi.
The Sugar Pantry
Address: 47 Taman Molek 1/9, Taman Molek, Johor Bahru
9. Matcha Softserve By KOONE
Located within a few doorsteps away from The Replacement Lodge & Kitchen, KOONE is known with it’s pink exterior. Their specialty? Soft serves with liquid nitrogen that can last for approximately 30 seconds in pink pastel cups. And their matcha softserve is available in two types of servings. One is just the matcha soft serve with dry ice which is quite instagram-worthy and the other one is with other toppings. We ordered the Matcha softserve with Japanese dango, azuki beans, green tea soils, drizzled with wild honey and topped with red velvet donuts. The matcha flavour tasted a little artificial for our liking. I still prefer the ones I had at Via Tokyo, Hong Kong which was thick and strong matcha flavour in it.
KOONE
Address: 30, Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, Johor Bahru
10. Matcha Ice-cream by Sangkaya
Although Sangkaya is known with its coconut ice-cream, they also offers other ice-cream flavours. One of them is the matcha ice-cream. The combination of matcha and coconut ice-cream do work pretty well too at least for me. Their matcha ice-cream here tasted mild flavour but it was good enough to pair with the coconut ice-cream and chai yen ice-cream. With choice of toppings to choose from, this makes the desserts appealing and photogenic too.
Sangkaya
Address: 14 Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, Johor Bahru
11. Green Tea Pound Cake By Sweet Blossom Coffee Roasters
Just 5-10 minutes walk away from Pelangi Plaza mall, you will come to this small yet comfy café that serves coffee and cakes. The cakes served here are mostly in-house made and maybe one or two items are outsourcing from third party. Their speciality is the 3D art for hot chocolate by the talented barista. We were there for the coffee session and their green tea pound cake. It was recommended by my friend’s friend complimenting the taste of it. The beautifully earthy green tea colour cake was served tasted less sweet. There is a slight bitter green tea taste in it. It would be best if they can drizzle syrup on the cake to enhance the taste of it. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it with my choice of cuppa.
Sweet Blossom Coffee Roasters
Address: 28 Jalan Maju, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
12. Matcha Latte Mille Crepe By Humble Beginnings
This triggers my interest to explore the taste. Started from an online bakery to now a shopfront, Humble Beginnings is well-known for their mille crepe which is served with creative flavours. Located at JB City Square, Humble Beginnings serves matcha latte mille crepe. The flavour is only available on weekend, so take note!
Humble Beginnings
Address: Lot J6-05 Level 6, City Square Zone B, Johor Bahru
13. Matcha Tea Shingen Pie by Yokosuka Curry House
Mizu Shingen Mochi aka Japanese water mochi is available first in Johor Bahru at Yokosuka Curry House. They served two different flavours and one of them is the matcha flavour raindrop cake with matcha sauce and soybean powder. As jiggling as it can be, this jelly like texture dessert will dissolve within 30 minutes. Thus, get a quick shot and enjoy it. It has refreshing take but lacks that matcha taste. But with RM5.90 (~approx S$2.00), it is a pretty good deal though. Try it and tell us what you think!
Yokosuka Curry House
Address: Inner City Level 3, City Square, Johor Bahru.
14. Matcha Tiramisu By Lemon Tree
Approximately 7 minutes drive away from KSL mall, Lemon Tree Restaurant located at Taman Melodies is a casual dining place where family dinners and group gathering will patron for celebration. Their desserts are by Sweet Moment Cake & Dessert which the owner collaborate with Lemon Tree to supply desserts in Lemon Tree. The matcha tiramisu top layer was covered with matcha powder and the sponge cake within the layers was moist and tender. With RM13.90 (~approx S$4.80/slice), have this for dessert to mark a sweet ending to your meal.
Lemon Tree Restaurant
Address: 18 Jalan Bedara, Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru
15. Nestle Kit Kat Green Tea Ice-cream
Lastly, have you tried Nestle Kit Kat Green Tea Ice-cream? It was launched September last year in Malaysia (Disclaimer: this is NOT an advertorial). The green tea ice-cream comes with a full-sized Kit Kat Chocolate wafer bar embedded in the centre. With only RM3.20 ~ (approx S$1.10), you can get it from all mini-markets, provision shops, convenience stores and petrol stations, supermarkets and hypermarkets in Malaysia. This flavour is 100% halal too! Have a Japanese-style Break, Have a Kit Kat Green Tea!
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Text & Photos by Hazel. Born in Malaysia, Hazel loves to travel and soaked herself with enrich cultures and food. Follow her food adventures on her blog.
