Matcha is a Japanese green tea that is crushed into powder and whisked into a warm, frothy, dark green drink known for its strong, bitter taste and many health benefits.
Stonemill Matcha ~ 561 Valencia St., San Francisco
Located on Valencia Street in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco, Stonemill Matcha is an upscale, minimalist cafe which serves primarily matcha-based drinks and a selection of finely-curated Japanese inspired desserts and dishes.
The high ceilings, open windows and wood-based furniture reflect the aspects of minimal, elegant Japanese architecture, giving Stonemill Matcha a zen, unplugged atmosphere. Laptops and tablets are not welcomed here — there is no free wifi or outlets and signs on tables remind customers that large electronics should be kept away, keeping the focus on the drinks, food and whoever you might be with.
Though the presentation of the matcha lattes were very Instagram-friendly, the taste didn’t live up to my expectation. Both the ginger and rose matcha lattes were very light on their respective flavors and the matcha tasted rather diluted by the foamy milk.
The pastries were a definite plus for this cafe. Displayed in a clear case in front of the line to the register, it was hard to choose which ones to order. Some of their desserts such as the matcha croissant are in collaboration with Tartine Manufactory, a famous San Francisco-based bakery.
The dense slice of Stonemill Matcha cake was probably my favorite. Light, airy and not too sweet, the chiffon cake had a thin layer of matcha frosting. At five dollars, I thought that this item was the most worth its price.
The shokupan toast with matcha butter and anko (red bean paste) jam was something I had no idea I was missing in my life. The light sweetness of the anko jam with the salty, herby taste of the matcha butter on a thick slice of white bread was a match(a) made in heaven.
Stonemill Matcha is a perfect place for a brunch date or a solo cafe trip — just be prepared to spend some money.
Amausaan Uji Matcha ~ 1950 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
While Stonemill Matcha reflects the traditional Japanese culture of the tea ceremony, Amausaan copies the cutesy, “kawaii” atmosphere with fake cherry blossoms and red torii greeting customers as they wait in line. You can find Amausaan Matcha in the heart of Downtown Berkeley (they also recently re-opened a location in Inner Richmond in San Francisco).
Though it’s Japanese-inspired, Amausaan Matcha is an international Chinese franchise chain with locations in Indonesia and Toronto. Interestingly, for their western locations, Amausaan shifted their flavor profile, making the desserts and drinks less intense and bitter. I was not a huge fan of Amausaan’s menu items. As someone who likes the strong umami taste of matcha, the extra sweetened drinks were sickening.
Amausaan’s menu boasts over 70 drinks and desserts, making it a great place to hang out with friends to try different items. They also have attractive deals like 50% drinks when bought with a dessert.
Although the matcha tiramisu did taste good, it was disappointing as the only thing “matcha” about it was the sifted matcha powder on top. Its presentation was also not the prettiest.
The most interesting item I ordered was the Kyoto Matcha Cube Latte, where you pour over warm steamed milk over matcha ice cubes. This item was also not sweet at all, as there wasn’t any added syrup.
The other two drinks were obviously loaded with sugar which, for me, ruins the beautiful taste of matcha green tea.
