Everyone knows the matcha powerhouse that is @hvala_sg - a place that combines both the delectable Japanese tea and the arts. I've popped by the different Hvala outlets here and there but I didn't make a proper visit to try out their gorgeous desserts until recently.
One of the entremets that caught my eye was their Mont Noir. It was a tough decision to pick between the Noir and the Matcha Mont Blanc variation but I went with the Noir in the end.
Filled with chantilly cream, sesame feuilletine, sesame chestnut paste and almond frangipane. The Earthy dessert checked off all my sesame boxes, with a subtle hint of sweetness. Compared to their Matcha offerings, this was much more tamed and definitely helped to cut through the richness if you're having any of their Matcha drinks/desserts.
I still feel like I've not fully explored the menu at Hvala and I'm definitely down to head back soon.
Hojicha latte is soothing although I prefer it hotter. The Matcha latte is smooth and good. The sesame ice cream is thick "gao". I prefer eating this to their sesame cake. I chose the green tea ice cream level 2. I think I am a green tea lover. I am gonna try level 3 the next time as I prefer it stronger.
For Matcha lovers, this is the place to go. Went in a weekday night and yet the place was packed. Ordered Matcha Latte, matcha ice cream and Matcha cake. The decor was very Zen. Minimalist and peaceful. They have a time limit of 90 mins for each table so that others can enjoy the ambience.
Would strongly recommend the 𝙂𝙤𝙢𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙠𝙚 (~$8). The sponge cake was very light and had an amazing black sesame fragrance. As with most Japanese desserts, it wasn’t too sweet as well.
Had to head back into office today, so took the chance to enjoy the lunch hour a little with @hvala_sg’s yummy hand whisked Japanese tea drinks! This latte starts with some houjicha syrup, milk then topped off with matcha. Smooth and refreshing, perfect for a hot day like today. 🍵
Absolutely matcha- licious .
For those matcha crazy fans who dislike too milky or too sweet ice cream - this one is for you .
Was having a bad throat and this really did the trick to sooth my throat .
Tried hvala again but with oat milk instead this time .
Much much better . The oat milk did not overshadow the matcha unlike their brand of dairy 🥛 milk .
Pretty small cup for the price so it’s a once in a while indulgence .
Complex and aromatic taste. Loved the balance of tea and milk. This is surprisingly not sweet at all, and has a rich bitter after taste.
Matcha lovers would definitely love this. Ice cream is not sweet and it is worth every bit of your calories.
Price:$5.20
if ure a hardcore matcha fan n u can appreciate the vegetal bitterness of matcha, this is 4 u.
if ure like me n u like matcha thats sweet, this is not 4 u. abit disappointed but ig my tastebuds arent refined enough.
ig worthy: 7/10
price: -5/10
taste: 2/10
sexiness: 4/10
Got a chaffogato (Hokkaido milk gelato + Matcha shot) - matcha shot was slightly bitter for me but perhaps you might appreciate it - complemented well with the sweet milk gelato! Tiramisu cake on the other hand was slightly sweet but I guess went well with the Chaffogato
Personally think matcha alone would have been better for taste wise. The soft serve was really soft and rich which I enjoyed.
Nice layering of colours before mixing. Stir well the drink to get the unanimous flavour from the three different element! Asked for less sweet and it turns out to be the perfect sweetness for me as i can distinctively taste the well whisked matcha tea!
It was decadent but really yummy! It wasn't overly sweet and really rich! The hojicha taste could be more pronounced because it was really overshadowed by the matcha!
Finally tried @hvala_sg! There were many Japanese tea lattes, hot Japanese tea lattes and iced blended Japanese tea drinks available (such as matcha, genmaicha, hojicha) and drinks with kinako (I think some sort of soybean mochi) 🍵
Final verdict: The genmaicha latte was not terrible and it was nice to see them prepare the genmaicha latte. While it was not too thick and had sufficient genmaicha flavour to it, I did find it a little bit powdery to drink and not as sweet and creamy as I would like. I’m still a loyal fan of @6ozespressobar’s iced genmaicha latte which is the best hands down 🙌🏻
Was craving for a good cup of matcha latte and found my way to hvala .
A little disappointed with the matcha latte here - not that the grade of green tea powder wasn’t good but more so the milk 🥛 overpowered the green tea powder and it wasn’t a harmonious drink.
It could likely be the brand of milk used .
It was a pretty small cup for 5.80 and the “ value Queen “ within me wasn’t too happy too.
Most of the cakes are also not made in house - I saw them at cafes else where and the gelatos were expensive😨.
Still on my search for a good cup of matcha latte 🥺
For the uninitiated, genmaicha is actually toasted brown rice with green tea! Its a really fragrant drink, with robust notes of toasted rice which i love. Their ice blends are ideal if you don't like the "siap siap" powdery texture which might come with the usual lattes. I usually am fine with or without milk for the ice blends, but for the genmaicha I would totally recommend having it with milk, which i prefer due to the creamier and richer taste. If not, the taste is a little too thin and feels a little like just ingesting sugar water 😶
Do ask for your ice blends less sweet though, because i feel that the usual sweetness level is kind of a sugar overkill 😅
Lava cake filled with rich and authentic warm matcha complemented with hokkaido vanilla ice cream. Taste was perfect in a sense that it isnt too sweet and was simply a delight to have a mouth of both the lavacake and ice cream together.
Premium Grade Whisked Matcha. Amazingly good, but quite pricey at $5. But its alright to pamper ourselves once in a while.
