It’s Always Time for Matcha
Do you enjoy matcha flavored treats? Well, you’ve come to the right place. There are many shops with matcha flavored snacks close to Athenian.
Matcha’s Unique Background
Want to know where matcha comes from? Matcha is green tea leaves that have been ground into a very fine powder. Many people enjoy matcha with steamed milk, making it a latte. While it originated in China, the best matcha is now produced in Japan, specifically in Uji, a small city south of Kyoto.
The traditional method of making matcha drinks is using a whisk, called a chasen, that is made from a single piece of bamboo. It helps aerate and dissolve the matcha powder into warm water very well. While another option is to use a frother, the traditional method is seen as a labor of love, as it takes more time. However, a chasen will make a drink bubblier and release more of the matcha flavor.
Local and Convenient:
The closest matcha shop to Athenian is Uji Time Dessert, located in Danville Square, near Trader Joe’s and Rakestraw Books. They make a variety of matcha drinks and snacks, including taiyaki, a popular fish-shaped, waffle-like cake, which is commonly sold as street food in Japan. I ordered a taiyaki with matcha soft serve, red bean filling, and matcha powder as a topping. The soft serve had a very smooth texture and was creamy. The matcha flavor wasn’t too sweet or strong, but there was still a balanced aftertaste. Overall, it was very enjoyable. The red bean filling added some chewiness and sweetness to balance the natural bitter flavor of the matcha. The taiyaki was crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and paired perfectly with the ice cream. Other flavors of soft serve include black sesame and ube. The staff was efficient and friendly, and the atmosphere inside was similar to that of a standard dessert shop. In addition to Danville, Uji Time Dessert has locations in San Francisco, Concord, Lafayette, Alameda, and Palm Desert.
Popular Coffee Chain, But Not For Matcha:
Starbucks offers matcha too, and while some of their coffee drinks may be enjoyable, their matcha latte is definitely not. It is watery and has no distinct matcha taste at all. Unlike more authentic matcha drinks, which have a dark green color, the Starbucks matcha latte is a very light shade of green, which means that they most likely do not use high grade matcha powder. If you go to Starbucks, I would stick to their coffee-based drinks.
Hidden Gem: Third Culture Bakery
One of the best places for an authentic matcha drink and snack is Third Culture Bakery, located in Walnut Creek. The original bakery is based in Berkeley and calls itself the home of the Original Mochi Muffin, butter mochi donuts, and other foods and drinks. Its Walnut Creek location is small but has indoor and outdoor seating. I ordered their hot ceremonial matcha latte, which was rich, balanced, and smooth. There was a sweetness from the added honey, and overall, the drink was very light and frothy. Most hot drinks might burn your tongue if you don’t wait long enough; however, the temperature was perfect and it had a very balanced and smooth matcha aftertaste. The staff took great care when preparing the matcha with the traditional bamboo whisk and were happy to explain their methods and the origin of matcha.
Third Culture uses two different types of matcha for their drinks. Their classic matcha can taste earthier and holds up more to the variety of syrups and flavorings they use. In comparison, the ceremonial matcha is made from leaves harvested at an earlier time. There is less chlorophyll because the sunlight is hitting them less. Both types have the same amount of caffeine, but the ceremonial matcha is creamier and has a sweeter and milder flavor. It is more delicate and commonly used in japanese tea ceremonies, as the name suggests.
In addition to drinks, Third Culture sells mochi donuts, muffins, brownies, and waffles. I ordered a matcha white chocolate mochi donut, which wasn’t too sweet and had a nice chewy, soft texture. Their mochi donuts are perfect if you love, well, mochi and donuts! Although it was harder to taste the white chocolate, which is only drizzled on top, the matcha latte and donut were a perfect combination. Third Culture has seasonal flavors throughout the year. In the past, they have had guava, sweet corn, and pumpkin. If you like matcha, Third Culture Bakery in Walnut Creek or Berkeley is a good place to try out!
What Else Is There?
Other local options in Pleasanton that I haven’t been able to review yet are SomiSomi, which is known for their variety of taiyaki; Kamurocho, which is known for their unique drinks; and Mochiholic, which is known for their mochi donuts.
As an added bonus, drinking matcha gives you a nice caffeine boost, with just enough to keep you energized for school, but not as much as coffee, so it won’t make you feel hyper. If you haven’t tried matcha yet, I hope you try out some of these places. Enjoy!
