Kyoto Modern Terrace 1960 : Best Matcha Opera

Kyoto Modern Terrace 1960 is a cafe restaurant that sits in the middle of many attractions that include Heian Shrine, Kyoto Art Museum and Okazaki Park. It can get quite crowded during weekends or public holidays.


I wasn't loitering in the area for any sightseeing purposes. I was there only for one thing. The limited edition Matcha Opera dessert. And boy, I was totally blown away with this. I've had many many matcha operas before but I haven't come across anything as perfect as this. 

The matcha opera is part of the collaboration campaign held between the restaurant and Souda Kyoto. Perhaps to promote Kyoto I guess. But for a cafe-restaurant which doesn't focus on desserts to churn out something of such high calibre, I am really curious to know the brilliant mastermind behind this creation. 

THE KYOTO MODERN TERRACE

CAFE & RESTAURANT

京都市左京区岡崎最勝寺町13 ロームシアター京都 パークプラザ 2 階

TEL  075-754-0234
OPEN  8:00-23:00

Nearest station: Higashiyama Station
www.kyotomodernterrace.com

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茶匠清水一芳園 Ippoen : Most Elegant Matcha Tiramisu in Kyoto

It’s been a long while since my last post because I rarely dine out in SG and the food here rarely motivates me to write a post on it :P 

In any case, it’s time to get the keyboard (or I should say belly) working again. Recently, in a short documentary on Kyoto which I chanced upon on a local channel, many of the interviewees, be them foreigners or Japanese in from other prefectures, unanimously expressed “Matcha” as the main association of Kyoto. This isn’t surprising at all, given the popularity that Uji Matcha has garnered as a golden brand of premium green tea. 

There’s plenty of cafes or restaurants serving green tea related food and desserts in Kyoto. If you don’t want to bump into your friend or other tourists at Tsujiri or Nakamura Tokichi, you may want to consider queuing with the locals at Shimizu Ippoen. It is not the oldest tea house but definitely one of the respectable names in town since its establishment in 1980

It shot to popularity in recent years with its Matcha Espuma Kakigori. And it’s amazingly good. Never had I had an espuma that’s rich and light at the same time. The taste of the espuma was intense but it vanished in a fluff as soon as you spoon into your mouth. The red beans and shiratama are served separately so that you can choose whether you want to have them together.   As much as I love condensed milk, I barely used any as the taste was beautiful in its purest unadulterated form. 

On the other hand, the signature matcha tiramisu Parfait is like a delicate art piece, adorned with pulled candy that resembles a princess’s crown. In the middle is a generous layer of frozen strawberries and rice puffs. It’s  relatively filling and sweeter than the matcha Kakigori as the creamy components (matcha ice cream and mascarpone cream) can weigh you down. But it’s hard to give this seasonal limited item a miss when they make only 30 a day. 

There’s plenty of other potential matcha desserts to try and so if you are a matcha lover, you’ll be in for a treat. 

〒605-0963 京都府京都市東山区 塩小路通東大路本瓦町665

11.30-4.30pm closed on Monday
Access via foot is possible (takes 25 min of leisure stroll from Kyoto Station)
https://www.facebook.com/ippoen/

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Kyoto：Japan's No.1 Bread Consuming City and 5 Bakeries To Check Out 非抹茶而是面包！日本全国面包消费量第一、京都热门面包店。

Many people recognize Kyoto as a city in Japan that is not only famous for temples and shrines but also matcha. However, do you know that Kyoto is the top bread consuming city in the entire Japan?

Here are 5 popular and some new bakery spots which you may like to check out: 

Shinshindo 進々堂

A Kyoto-originated bakery with more than 100 years of history since 1913. Read here for more. Various outlets all over Kyoto 

Oike outlet:
Kyoto, Nagakyo-ku, Oike-dori, Yanagi Baba, Higashi-iri
京都市中京区御池通柳馬場東入「京都御池創生館」１F
Daily 7.30am-8pm 
For details, visit : http://www.shinshindo.jp/

ORENO PAN okumura

This French-Kyoto bakery is not affiliated to the Oreno Group and famous for its 宇治の散歩, a green tea melon pan. Some of its bread are inspired by Kyoto ingredients like tsukemono (pickles) 

Kyoto Station Outlet:

〒600-8215　京都市下京区東塩小路釜殿町31-1　京都駅近鉄名店街みやこみち内http://www.kyoto-okumura.com/orenopan.html

Le Petit Mec ル・プチメック

The No. 1 bakery ranked on tabelog. Famous for its French baguettes and croissants. Read more here about its cafe outlet in Shinjuku 

Oike Outlet
住所：京都府京都市中京区御池衣棚通上ル下妙覚寺町186番地　ビスカリア光樹1F
TEL:075-212-7735
OPEN：9：00～19：00
http://lepetitmec.com/
https://www.facebook.com/boulangerie.lepetitmec

Flip up! フリップアップ

Flip some bagels and bread onto your tray in this hidden bakery located in the quiet residential area. Unlike those American bagels, these boast a nice mochi-like chewy texture and not too dry at all. The best seller is the Chocolate Bagel but lookout for interesting flavors like Black Bean Kinako and White Figs. 

京都府京都市中京区押小路通室町東入ル蛸薬師町292-2

7:00～18:00 (or till sold out)

Closed on Sun and Mon

Patisserie Boulangerie Tatsuhito Satoi

My favourite patisserie and boulangerie! Read here to find out why. Located near university.

京都市左京区北白川追分町2 Eフラット北白川1F
Tel: 075-285-1171
8:00〜19:00
Closed on Wed 
Access
京阪電車出町柳駅下車 徒歩約15分
市バス百万遍バス停 徒歩約5分
https://www.facebook.com/Pâtisserie-TATSUHITO-SATOI-978434895584033/

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Umezono Chabo うめぞの茶房: Traditional Wagashi Reinvented in Kyoto 京都最新甜点茶房，吃出不一样的和菓子

Umezono Chabo is the latest concept by Umezono which also owns Umezono Cafe & Gallery that seeks to inject a new lease of life into yokan (bean paste jelly). It's one of the traditional Wagashi which I avoid at all costs because it tends to be too sweet and cloying. It's not even a jelly to me because it's so firm, just like eating a block of bean paste shaped in typically a square or rectangle.

I picked the lemon because I thought I wanted something perky and sour. Yes, the acidity hit the bulls-eye but the sugar was way off. Imagine how much sugar it must have contained if I still find it sweet amidst the sourishness. On the other hand, the Matcha turned out to be the one that I prefer because the matcha taste was very pronounced 

Even though the sweets have moved with times, the ordering rules here are still stuck in God-know-where. Hmpf......a drink order is a must regardless whether you are ordering any of the main sweet. It still sounds quite ridiculous even now although I understand their considerations for business operations. But that's the way it is.

Umezono Chabo うめぞの茶房

〒603-8223 京都府京都市北区

紫野東藤ノ森町１１−１

1130-1900 (takeout ok)

http://umezono-kyoto.com/nishijin/

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京都祇園 あのん Gion Anon : Japan's first bean paste specialty cafe

Do you like anko (bean paste) that is commonly found in traditional Japanese sweets? 

Most people I know do not because it tends to be too sweet and cloying. However, I think A-non will most likely change how we look at anko. Opened in Gion early this year, Anon serves Okashi that revolves around the theme of "An" but in a non-traditionalist way. At least it did change my perspective of "an" because I realized how versatile it could be used in desserts. I found myself liking bean paste even more after my visit. 

For instance, the An Tart was caramelized custard tart with bean paste at the base. It was like a Creme Brûlée tart but the bean paste itself wasn't outrageously sweet and the sharp bitterness from the caramel bite off any excess richness. Not to forget the excellent tart shell that produced such a brilliant crunch sound which sent me to ecstasy. Seriously, how can a Wagashi shop produce such a genius angmoh-pastry? 

The tart was definitely tastier than the Matcha Eclair which I thought needed more matcha components instead of just the bare coating of matcha chocolate.

The signature An-Pone was an uncommon pairing of red bean and mascarpone cheese which one has to assemble using the delicate Monaka shells made of Shiga rice flour.  I managed to try the seasonal matcha an-paste as well which was so yummy that I scraped the plate clean. Red bean monaka is actually a very common type of wagashi but it isn't as well know to foreigners compared to dorayaki or dangos. Many department stores do sell them but one can also get the omiyage version at Anon. The monaka shells are beautifully packed in a box with either original, lemon or matcha an-paste. 

The weakest link that day was the "Matcha" Mont Blanc that was desperate for a green veil because it was too naked white and boringly sweet. But I didn't give up or should I say, I needed something as a remedy to the unsatisfactory Mont Blanc and thus I decided to stake my bets on the An Macaron, macaron shells sandwiched with an paste. Macaron with anko? Wouldn't that be double or triple times the sweetness?

On the contrary, the answer is no. I was amazed that the macaron was actually less sweeter than the Mont Blanc. Or maybe this was because I chose the safest option of Salted Caramel out of the 5 options. It turned out to be wonderfully tasty. Instead of ganache or buttercream, the crisp macaron shells are sandwiched with bean paste, which has been blessed by the magical touch of salt.

Looking at the number of items I've had in a single visit, I was surprised that I didn't crave for savoury food or get sick of sweet stuff or bean paste after that as that will happen usually if I have a lot of pastries or chocolates in a single seating. And for ¥300 per item, the pricing is very, very reasonable and I couldn't see why I won't return again if they have new items.

I'll keep a look out to see if they do sell a jar of salted caramel an paste one day. 

Kyoto Gion Anon 京都祇園 あのん

〒605-0084 京都府京都市東山区清本町368-2

Kyoto 605-0084, Higashiyama-ku Seihonmachi 368-2

Mon-Fri 12pm-8pm
Sat 10am-8pm

Sun/PH 10am-6pm            

Closed on Tues

http://www.a-n.kyoto.jp/

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Bel Amer Kyoto: 京都高级抹茶巧克力舒芙蕾 Matcha Chocolate Souffle

Bel Amer is a renowned premium chocolate brand in Japan with retail shops in major department stores, It opened its first and only chocolate cafe in Kyoto where chocolate lovers can indulge in all kinds of "atas" chocolate desserts. Plated desserts are always more expensive than cakes in patisseries and the average price of a dessert here costs around 1080 yen (SGD 14-15) which is on par with desserts in Singapore or even cheaper.

Occupying a 2-storey mansion house unit within walking distance from Nishiki market, the 1st floor of the unit is a retail space where chocolates are displayed like expensive diamonds while the 2nd floor is a dimly-lit dining space that gave me an impression of a fine-dining restaurant rather than a casual cafe.

The menu is divided into hot and cold desserts. Rather than picking a straightforward chocolate dessert, I decided to go for the Kyo-matcha souffle on the hot menu since it was rare to find it elsewhere. For a good wait of 10min, this souffle served didn't rise as high as its classic French counterpart and neither was it just an airy pomp.
The interior revealed a moist and rather dense cakey layer that boasted an alluring dark green hue. The taste was neither too sweet nor too muted on the matcha; evidently a harmonious balance of quality white chocolate and Kyoto-originated matcha powder. Even the addition of rich chocolat sauce did not drown out the taste. This was deeply satisfying but my only gripe was that the happiness from a souffle was short-lived.

There's also a pretty cool-sounding -196 degrees chocolate marron ice cream with hot chocolate tart. Probably when I feel richer to splurge, I will come back for not only one but two or more desserts. Hopefully the Pumpkin Cream & Nuts Chocolate Affogato will still be available then.

Bel Amer Kyoto  ショコラ ベルアメール 京都別邸
京都市中京区三条通堺町東入ル北側　桝屋町66
66, Masuyacho, Nakagyo-ku Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 604-8111
1F　Chocolat Shop ／ 2F　Chocolat Bar
Daily 10am～8pm ( no fixed holiday)
http://belamer-kyoto.jp

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Patisserie Rakkansha 洛甘舎 @ Kyoto: Excellent Shoyu Cake & 和風 Japanese Sweets

While most people usually head to Shijou district for Nishiki market, I prefer to wander and get myself lost in the back alleys outside the market. There are plenty of hidden gems such as new-age designer boutiques, bakeries, cafes and even artisanal craft shops that are waiting to be discovered.

As I was exploring the area by foot, I chanced upon a few patisseries that were not on my list or even featured anywhere before. One of them is Rakkansha, a young patisserie that opened in Aug 2015 and sells western cakes with a Japanese twist.

While similar concepts have been adopted elsewhere in shops like Jouvencelle or Kissho Karyo, the gateaus here exhibited a higher level of aesthetic finesse and technical sophistication. I decided to give it a try and boy, these cakes were mind-blowingly impressive. I was instantly attracted to their chouxs because they were displayed right at the entrance.

洛甘シュー (人気の洛甘シューがリニューアルしました。外の皮はさくさく、中のクリームはとろっと・・・)

Of the Black sesame, kinako, custard and matcha, I stuck to the old-fashioned matcha (250 yen) which tasted like matcha fondue when I reheated it using a hotel microwave according to the staff's advice. The choux pastry was soft but the interior was crazily delicious; warm, smooth and creamy. I did a similar thing once with beard papa's cream puff but the oil and cream split badly. It didn't happen this time round, luckily.

和心 (柚子ムースにガナッシュにと小豆を加え、日本酒でアクセントをつけたショコラタルト)
The prettiest item to me was Yuzu Chocolat Tart (500 yen) with its dainty floral adornment on the glossy yuzu mousse. If they could do away with the sugary candied azuki beans around the chocolate rim or replace the beans with some bitter cacao nibs, this would be a perfect tart that would meet the eye. The Japanese sake hidden in the chocolate ganache also contributed to a punchy aroma which I liked a lot.

洛甘ロール

もち粉を使用したモチモチの生地で白あんを巻いた、しっとりとしたロールケーキです。

The signature Rakkan roll cake (280 yen) had a plushy mouthfeel because it was made with mochi flour. Unless you are used to those sweet bean paste often found in Wagashi, the sweetness of the core (not the cream) might scare the soul out of you.

雅 (上質な抹茶で仕上げたムースの中に、求肥と餡をしのばせています。)
The Miyabi (500 yen) boasted a smooth and distinct taste of green tea both in the mousse and sponge but they could really do a lighter hand with the sweetened red beans.

My favourite was the Komachi (古町) 480yen, a shoyu Chocolate Chestnut Mousse simply because the chefs had cleverly hedged on the umami taste of the shoyu chocolate ganache to counterbalance the chestnut mousse. Savoury yet sweet at the same time. This cake also resonated with its name, which means an old town, because the taste of shoyu evoked nostalgic sentiments of the early times when life was much simpler.

This place is not as famous as Patisserie Tendresse but the style and taste of the entremets suit my palates more. With so many creative combinations yet to be explored here, I'll be right back.

Patisserie Rakkansha パティスリー洛甘舎

227-1 Sanmonjicho (Higashinotoindori), Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 604-8135

〒604-8135京都市中京区三文字町227-1藤六ビル1F（東洞院六角西北角）

Weekdays & Sundays 11am-8pm, 

Fri & Sat 11am-8.30pm

Closed on Wed

http://rakkansha.jp

Access: 3-min walk from Karasuma Oike station Exit 5

*Eat in space available*

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