Japan’s most famous green tea – matcha - has well and truly earned its status as a superfood. Whether enjoyed as a fresh latte or a flavourful glaze to your favourite fish dish, there are big health benefits of matcha.
As we celebrate all things Japanese this week, here are five of our favourite places to enjoy a little matcha in your day:
Ultimate Seaside Restaurant
Nestled just metres from the Gold Coast shoreline, find the ultimate seaside restaurant and bar at La Playa Beach and Eats on Cavill Avenue in Surfers Paradise. Meaning ‘the beach’ in Spanish, La Playa embodies the feeling of a salty Summer vacation all year round with a relaxed atmosphere that comes alive as the sun goes down…get ready to play.
Inspired by a fusion of Modern Australian and Mediterranean influences, delve into breaky plates such as matcha hotcakes with white chocolate mascarpone, yuzu poached pear, fig, custard and seasonal berries.
Omakase Menu Delights
Bringing harmony, unity and binding people together through food is the aim of Komeyui Japanese restaurant on Wharf Street in Brisbane. Hailing from a fishing village in Hokkaido, Executive Chef and owner Motomu Kumano brought with him discipline and perfection for authentic, handmade Japanese cuisine.
Gather friends and family around the table in sleek and trendy minimalist monochrome surrounds of stools, high and intimate table settings; after feasting on sushi and sashimi, finish your meal with matcha monaka, a dessert that bridges the past and the present.
Crafted Japanese Cuisine
Artisanal coffee and crafted Japanese cuisine are what you’ll find on the menu at Kaede: Japanese Café on Johnston Street in Abbotsford. This cosy café always provides a warm welcome to local foodies with a rustic vibe of polished concrete, salvaged timber, trailing greenery and exposed brick walls.
Stop in early to pair a chai latte with matcha chia pudding, layered with almond milk, coconut yoghurt, blueberry compote, housemade granola with matcha, oat, almond, chia, sesame and sunflower seeds, maple syrup and coconut sugar.
Stylish Dining Destination
Making love grow with all things creative, find an aesthetic studio café and flower shop at Just, Loved Creative Studio & Café on Hunter Drive in Blackburn South. This stylish dining destination offers a diverse range of options to appeal to everyone from freshly baked cakes for any celebration to hosting your next event from birthdays to bridal showers and anniversaries.
Team a citrus matcha drink, topped with a velvety swirl of matcha-infused cream for extra indulgence, with plates such as a Thai fusion bagel, with fluffy scrambled egg, tom yum mayo and lime-infused smoked salmon.
Health-conscious Asian Fare
High-quality, imaginative, health-conscious modern Asian cuisine is what you’ll find at L.Law Hyde Park on King William Road in Hyde Park. A stylish vibe awaits at this dining destination with a marble bar, orange leather chairs and shelves groaning with wine and spirits sure to tempt all tastes; settle into a cosy table under fun and funky Art Deco artwork to peruse a menu of creative brunch and lunch options.
Start your day the right way with the matcha Mont Blanc – a waffle wonderland with a hidden crème brûlée magic, crowned with matcha chestnut cream and jazzed up with a cumquat surprise; best washed down with an iced jamaicha.
