[FOOD] Review: Matcha Eight Premium Japanese Ice Cream @ LaLaport BBCC

It's time to fix the cravings for icy cold dessert!

Located along Gourmet Street at LaLaport BBCC, Matcha Eight has been one of the most popular ice cream parlours in town recently. In case you are wondering, this is not your ordinary ice cream brand. Matcha Eight is the first in Malaysia to serve artisanal, premium and 100% natural Japanese tea ice cream made of the finest single-origin tea powder imported from Wazuka town, Kyoto Prefecture.

The sencha, matcha and hojicha single-origin tea powder is harvested by these Japanese farmers who have been running the family-inherited tea plantations for decades. Then the Michelin-starred Master Chef Takuji Takahashi from Kyoto develops the recipe for each of the ice cream flavours to bring out the most authentic tea taste in the ice cream.

Matcha Eight is a creation of culinary art and currently it is offering sencha, matcha and hojicha series of varying tea richness / intensity to suit everyone’s palate. There are 8 types of premium Japanese tea ice cream flavours to choose from:

❤ 1. Lovesick Girl (Light Sencha)
❤ 2. Soulmate (Medium Sencha)
❤ 3. Maybe It's Love (Light Matcha)
❤ 4. Matcha Me Tonight (Medium Matcha)
❤ 5. Hocus Matcha-cus (Strong Matcha, Bitter Aftertaste)
❤ 6. Melodrama Queen (Strong Matcha, Tea Aftertaste)
❤ 7. Hojilicious (Light Roasted Sencha)
❤ 8. Ho Ho Hoji (Strong Roasted Sencha)

Another noteworthy point about Matcha Eight is that the ice creams contain zero additives and preservatives, so what you get is all-natural, authentic and premium Japanese tea ice cream.

Personally, I have tried all the 8 flavours and my preference is more inclined towards the stronger, more intense flavours. For Matcha series, my favourite is Matcha Me Tonight, a classic blend of Matcha Eight that balances creaminess with the moderate bitter-sweetness of matcha. So rich in matcha taste, yet not overly intense or sweet for my liking.

Matcha connoisseurs can go for the richest flavour of all, Melodrama Queen - natural dark emerald green, pleasantly bitter and mildly sweet with a robust matcha aroma and taste. It is a perfect blend of matcha and sencha that you just can't find anywhere else in Malaysia.

As for the Hojicha series, I'd say the Hojilicious flavour is something for the sweet tooth - rich in earthy tone, with slight fragrance of roasted coffee and a nutty taste. Delicious! Whereas Ho Ho Hoji is a double shot of Hojilicious - extremely intense hojicha aroma tastefully balanced with strong roast bitterness. Again, my favourite! Good to have this to wash down a heavy meal and relax the mind 🙂

Wanna spice up your gourmet ice cream experience? You can choose to savour the ice cream with the signature toppings here: Mochi / Red Bean / Sakura or Stars Gold Flakes. For me, I'd think you can't go wrong with the classic chewy mochi and a dollop of sweet red bean.

If you love the flavours, you can also purchase the pints from their official website and enjoy them at the comfort of home!

Verdict:

1. Amazingly crafted artisanal ice cream with the widest range of sencha, matcha and hojicha ice creams you can ever find in Malaysia.

2. An ideal option for those who prefer less sweet ice cream, with richer tea taste.

3. The price point is rather on the higher side, but you pay for the quality ice cream you get - it is worth every penny!

Come hop over to LaLaport and enjoy a delicious cooling Japanese treat without having to fly to Japan!

Matcha Eight

Lot G-68, Ground Floor,

LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre,

2, Jalan Hang Tuah,

Bukit Bintang,

55100 Kuala Lumpur.

Website: www.matchaeight.com

Facebook: fb.com/matchaeight

Instagram: @matchaeight