Sweet Run 1: Kozui Green Tea

Green Tea is perhaps one of those flavors that are steadily becoming a mainstream ingredient in world famous desserts and snacks. It used to be a flavor for those with the daring palates; but now, you can almost see popular drinks, snacks and desserts with green tea as an added variation.

My first taste of green tea was back in 2002 and it was in a traditional Japanese restaurant which only caters to Japanese customers as the menu is written only in Nihongo. My father who at that time is starting to become conscious with his health started eating only Japanese cuisines whenever we go out to eat as he feels that Japanese dishes employs the least amount of oil.

As an obedient child raised in a strict environment with strict standards of eating habits, I have to eat with whatever is served in front of me. The only selection of desserts at that Japanese place were only red bean and green tea ice cream --- two flavors which I was not fond of and quite unfamiliar back then. My dad just ordered green tea and I was forever hooked. Looking back I'm grateful for being raised not to be picky with food as my taste buds became diverse and I already loved green tea even before it became a craze.

Kozui is definitely a haven for the growing minority as green tea is steadily penetrating the mainstream flavors. Not one to pass up on an opportunity to bask in a place made just for green tea lovers, I decided to go for their specialty which is the Green Tea Anmitsu instead of settling down with the usual green tea ice cream or frappe.

Visual: Colors of the Orient! No doubt, this is truly a Japanese dessert. I'm already imagining how each ingredient would taste like. Usually I am the type who is not fond of too many colors in a dessert like this because it usually translates to food coloring but the good thing about traditional oriental desserts is that most of them employ fruits, red beans, taros, jellies and sago to beautify their desserts. As opposed to Western desserts wherein we make use of food coloring, colored sugar, candies or chocolates which I also adore just to clarify but satisfying my sweet tooth with more natural flavors at times, is also a welcome change.

At a glance, there are 4 dominant flavors: the green tea ice cream, the pink taro (which I thought was strawberry at first), red bean and green tea jelly. Let's start mixing and eating, so as to discover what lies below the surface.

Taste: Not surprisingly, it is yummy and refreshing! It is your oriental version of shaved ice, only less sweet and more natural. The green tea ice cream do taste like green tea much to my relief because nowadays as green tea is becoming popular, some shops that sell green tea ice cream tastes like green tea sugar and it is just totally yuck.

The taro is surprisingly good despite my initial reservations, thinking that it might be artificial given its deviation from its usual color which is purple. It is the first time I have tried pink taro and I absolutely enjoyed it. The red bean and green tea jelly blends perfectly well with the green tea ice cream but without losing its unique flavor.

As you go deeper, you will encounter 3 more ingredients in the form of black pearls and two kinds of rice balls: one which is white and the other purplish white.The pearl is just pearl which is a bit disappointing given that I was expecting it to be the good quality type like the tapioca. The white rice balls is actually a pleasant surprise; not only is it soft and chewy, it has a tangy lemony aftertaste which is a good contrast to the taste of the dessert in general, given the treat’s lack of a fruit presence. The purplish white ball is just purple and is one of those that just fades in the background in terms of taste.

Overall, Green Tea Anmitsu is a dream come true to green tea lovers such as you and myself but it would have been better if the black pearls have used tapioca rather than using the generic ones that sticks to each other awkwardly and the ice could have been finer.

So, what are your thoughts on green tea shaved ice aka anmitsu? Feel free to share your thoughts below.