Uji Time ice cream impresses in a fish-shaped cone.
Although downtown San Mateo has plenty of options when it comes to ice cream, the Uji Time pop up shop does a great job keeping customers coming with its creative flavors and inviting interior. The fusion shop is simple, with framed ice cream pictures hanging on the walls. The eye is immediately drawn from warm wood flooring to a refreshing “aloha” painting which adds tropical vibes to the plain walls
The popular taiyaki cone, or “sea bream” as it is in Japanese, is a fluffy, cake-like cone baked in a cast iron fish mold. The cones are then coated with either nutella or red bean paste and then filled with soft serve ice cream. The menu is rather limited, only offering matcha, sesame, tofu, and a seasonal flavor (this time, lavender) along with a variety of mochi.
From the aromatic lavender to the powerful and creamy matcha, the flavor blends are quite well perfected.
My favorite, the tasteful sesame, appeals to all the senses from the crunch of the ground seeds to the rich, and powerful flavor lingering after each lick. The heavenly lavender, coming in second to the sesame has just the right touch of smooth lavender without becoming overpowering. The ice cream, while a little starchy, is very flavorful and the decorative taiyaki cone is quite tasty when fresh.
At the end of the day, however, the cones become very hard and dry, cracking upon the first bite. The store and desserts are quite appealing, but after a couple minutes, the soft serve begins to melt and seep out off the cone, making it a big sticky mess.
In comparison to the many other competing ice cream shops, Uji Time will not have the smoothest road to success, as CREAM, Baskin Robbins and Icicles have returning and steady customers keeping them in business. For these ice cream shops, the quality is good, lines are short and the prices are affordable. However, spending $5.59 on a taiyaki cone and $3.25 for soft serve multiple times a week is just not practical. Despite the higher prices, the small shop is typically busy. Attracting new customers with its Instagram fame and artsy desserts, Uji Time is close to living up to its high expected standards. Uji Time continues to serve new visitors, but its high prices and somewhat limited menu make it a one time trip for many.
