Los Angeles is going green, and, no, we’re not talking about the new bag legislation in California. Matcha, a finely ground green tea, has been taking the city by storm. Several Los Angeles eateries are innovating new food and drink items concocted with matcha, making permanent homes for them on their menus. From matcha ice cream to matcha-infused cocktails, the tea’s distinct flavor creates endless and unexpectedly satisfying variations of traditional American cuisine. Who doesn’t like a sprinkle of green caffeine in their donut, anyway? Every Angeleno appreciates a good long-lasting trend, and luckily this one doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon. Here are the five most creative matcha concoctions in L.A. right now.
1. The matcha sundae at Shuhari Matcha Café (Venice Beach): Since its opening a few months ago, it’s been the ultimate destination for all things matcha because of its extensive selection of authentic green tea drinks and Japanese fusion fare. The reason for Shuhari’s success? It reinterprets classic traditions with a modern twist. One of the café’s best sellers is its matcha sundae. Served in a tall flute, the sundae is layered with homemade “fudge” made of flavorful soybeans. The ice cream is piled high with dried raspberries and a giant heap of whipped cream. For an added touch, matcha is lightly sprinkled on the sky-high whipped cream. Over the top? Of course it is, but it makes for an incredibly delicious Insta-worthy photo.
2. Sweet Nuns at Matcha Box (West Hollywood): What’s better than a fluffy, melt-in-your mouth cream puff? One that has a creamy matcha filling, of course. The puffy, glazed pastry is rich and delicately infused with matcha tea cream down to its core—its matcha sponge cake core, that is. The puff’s crust top adds the perfect texture variation, while the smoothness and crunch blend to create a delectable bite. A miniature cream puff is added to the top of the pastry to fully embody the “nun,” which makes for an even cuter and aesthetically pleasing dessert. The matcha “nun” may look too adorable to eat, but that won’t stop you from taking a bite the moment one gets in your hands. You won’t regret it.
3. Cha-Sen Cocktail at Hamasaku (Westwood): The powerful flavor of matcha is so strong and unique that it far exceeds just being included in funky desserts. At Hamasaku, one of the restaurant’s most popular cocktails is laced with the green caffeine we know and love. Matcha is combined with oak barrel-aged shochu, cream, egg white and lemon for a vigorously satisfying drink. The potent concoction quenches your thirst with its earthy kick that the matcha delivers in every sip. Careful, don’t sip too quick; you’ll start to feel it.
4. Matcha donut at Matcha Matcha (Arcadia): What makes this matcha donut so delectable? That it’s actually baked and not fried. And that makes it healthier…right? The perfect sweetness and fluffiness of a donut combined with the Japanese green tea makes for a pleasant twist on the traditional middle-less pastry. An added dusting of sesame seeds is generously added on top for an unexpected nutty taste. There are lots of textures here, and it makes the conventional donut that much more interesting.
5. Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill (West Hollywood): Blue Ribbon’s matcha tea martini is flavorful and bright enough to make the classic martini green with envy. Matcha mixed with a splash of dry vermouth, vodka and honey syrup is the simple, yet intriguingly potent, twist concocted to tingle your tastebuds. The eccentric mixture of savory and sweet is what makes this libation so stimulating, not to mention its gorgeous lime green hue. It’s a cocktail formulated with serious flavor thanks to the rich, incomparable character of matcha.
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