Portions of Pi #1: Matcha
Hi, I’m Hayley - and I’m a huge foodie.
Coming to London, I was initially really sad to be losing the abundance of the cheap-yet-tasty food that was available along literally every corner in Singapore, so I’ve made it my mission to find good food spots that don’t break the bank here! In this food review, I’ll be exploring the various matcha spots around London. I’m quite particular about my matcha: I need it to have a proper earthy base note, be smooth and creamy in texture, and be sweet enough at the same time.
Blank Street
First on the list is Blank Street. I’ve heard many polarising reviews of their matcha: for some it’s sweet and perfect for first-timers, while for others it’s a Western bastardisation of the hand-whisked original, squirted directly from a bottle. Still, since it’s arguably the most popular joint in London, I had to give it a shot.
A perk of this chain is the fact that there are outlets practically everywhere in Zone 1, making it a really accessible option for matcha-curious metropolitans. I visited the outlet near school along New Oxford Street, and ordered the large White Chocolate matcha for £4.40 (the small one goes for £3.90), and a large Blondie matcha for the same price.
I was pleasantly surprised by the White Chocolate - it lacked a typical matcha taste, but the chocolatey sweetness made it a really enjoyable drink. If you treat it like a fun sugary treat instead of a proper matcha, you’ll enjoy it; if you want the familiar nutty matcha taste, you’d be better off looking elsewhere.
The Blondie matcha, on the other hand, was a disappointment all around. While the White Chocolate’s sweetness was just pleasant enough, the Blondie’s was… overwhelming. As someone with a wicked sweet tooth, I tried really hard to like it, but it was too much even for me - I think I actually cringed away from the cup. Additionally, the paper straw made it very hard to stir in the Biscoff slathered on the side of the cup, which made for a poorly-mixed drink.
I’d rate the White Chocolate a solid 6.5/10 and the Blondie a dismal 3/10.
Happy Sky Japanese Bakery
For a better matcha in the same area, I’d recommend Happy Sky Japanese Bakery on Hanway Street - just a quick 5-minute walk from the TCR Blank Street. I ordered their Kyoto matcha latte for £5.40, which is definitely on the pricier end for matcha in London. Still, it was bigger than Blank Street’s large by a decent bit.
The matcha had a solid rich and umami flavour that lingered long after I’d drained my £5 cup. However, one thing to note about this joint is that though it appears deceptively large on Google Maps, in reality it’s more of a kiosk, and there isn’t a seating area.
As a whole, I’d rate it a strong 7.5/10 - definitely worth a try if you’re in the area!
Also - contrary to the glowing Google reviews, I’d say to save your money and skip the Honey Toast! It was £4.60 down the drain for me for a stale-ish cube that was simply difficult to eat.
Final thoughts
With all that being said, my matcha taste definitely isn’t the most “refined” and my opinion’s certainly not bible - if you like a sweet matcha, be free and go enjoy your Blank Street. If anything, I hope that my review helps you pick which matcha is more your style, so you can save money on trial and error.
Check back in next week for more food reviews!