Tsujiri is a dessert parlour that was founded during the Edo Period in Kyoto Japan. It has a long history of serving delicious desserts using its high quality matcha from its tea plantations in Kyoto. It not only has shops in its home country Japan, but also has a global presence with outlets in countries such as Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
There are 3 outlets in Singapore; Clarke Quay, White Sands at Pasir Ris, and its newest at Sengkang Grand Mall. I paid a visit to the newest one and waited for a while since there was a crowd. I was struck by how different it is compared to its original outlet at Clarke Quay. The most notable difference being that the menus were displayed on a TV making it easier to order. In addition, it also had a cake display and an ice cream box, contrast to the one in Clark Quay which didn’t. What I found most interesting is the outlet’s use of a QR code for patrons to order their food and drinks. This makes it much more convenient for patrons as they do not need to wait in a queue to order.
I also noticed that the new outlet had a wider variety of desserts and drinks to choose from. It had Japanese bubble tea. While the Bubble tea was just limited to one flavour – milk tea, there were numerous flavours of Gelato to choose from. Normal flavours include Houjicha, Black Sesame and Matcha while the special flavours offered were Wasabi White Chocolate, O Matcha Cheese and O Matcha Soy Milk.
After seeing the menu, I ordered a Sakura Matcha Parfait and a Black Sesame Matcha cake. The Sakura Matcha Parfait came with 2 waffle sticks and the ice cream was on top of a mixture of cream, cornflakes and red beans. The matcha was smooth and had a rich bittersweet flavour. However, the Sakura flavour was a little too sweet and tasted artificial. Despite this, it paired well with the matcha as the sweetness of the sakura cut through the bitter taste of the matcha. The cornflakes were crunchy and sweet which worked well with the ice cream. The red beans were sweet and soft which also complimented the bitterness from the matcha ice cream. I loved eating the Black Sesame Matcha cake which had a strong black sesame taste. Surprisingly it was fragrant as well. The matcha cream was smooth and bittersweet and the cake was a whole was fluffy and tasty.
The drinks that I ordered were a hot Hojicha Tea and their new limited item – the Sakura Matcha Latte. The Houjicha tea had a strong roasted nutty flavour. It was also thick which I appreciated. However, I didn’t like the Sakura Matcha Latte as much since it had a weird taste. The sakura did not blend well with the matcha and I almost didn’t want to continue drinking after my first sip. Maybe it’s just me, but I wouldn’t recommend ordering this drink.
The ambience of the outlet was lively as there were many patrons dining in and ordering take-away. However, the outlet felt cramped as the tables and chairs were placed close to each other. If you’re a claustrophobic person I would recommend going to Tsujiri’s original outlet at Clarke Quay as it’s more spacious there. I was impressed by the various decorations adorning the outlet, most notably that of the matcha whisks lined up in a rectangle. In addition, there was a quote by Tsujiri’s founder which was inspiring to me.
Overall it was a pleasant experience at Tsujiri’s newest shop at Sengkang Grand Mall. I will visit the outlet again at a less crowded timing to try their special Gelato flavours and perhaps their Bubble Tea!
Tsujiri Sengkang Grand Mall
70 Compassvale Bow, #01-57 Sengkang Grand Mall, Singapore 544692
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 11am-10pm; Friday to Sunday 11am – 11.30pm
