Aloft KL Sentral recently teamed up with matcha lifestyle brand Niko Neko to present their afternoon tea collection, Matcha Me Up! Making full use of matcha in their desserts and drinks, this tea set promises a matcha made in heaven for all you matcha lovers.
Matcha has taken the flavour world by storm, and it isn’t hard to see why. The mellow, earthy taste that introduces a hint of bitterness with a savoury aftertaste can be very addicting. So, we decided to check out Aloft KL Sentral’s Matcha Me Up afternoon tea to find out if they managed to “put their matcha where their mouth is”!
At first glance, the Matcha Me Up afternoon tea looked (and smelled) amazing. Green was the theme for this tea set, with matcha incorporated into some of the desserts while others had been powdered with it. We simply couldn’t get enough of the matcha smell! A wide range of desserts was presented, but the most memorable ones were the matcha tiramisu in white chocolate cups and the matcha cheesecakes with mango and matcha espresso syrup.
The matcha tiramisu impressed us with its light but heavily matcha-flavoured cream. The chocolate toppings added a different dimension to the taste while offsetting the matcha. As for the matcha cheesecake, the matcha cream cheese left a heavy but satisfying sensation on the tongue. Still, the artful chocolate piece and cubes of mango decorating the top helped ease the heavy aftertaste.
On the other hand, the matcha cream puffs with tangerine compote and the matcha fingers with raspberry did not have a very strong matcha taste to them, but, the fruits did cut sharply through the flavour making the two desserts easy on the tongue. The matcha scones paired well with the offered cream, jam and lemon curd while the matcha popcake skewers left a dense and heavy taste in our mouths, thanks to the mix of matcha and chocolate.
The savoury offerings were a good counterbalance to the matcha-rich food. Most were fairly meaty, such as the Kaffir lime chicken slider in charcoal bun, the teriyaki skewers with cured vegetables and the smoked salmon on fried ‘mantou’ with wasabi mayo. But, each one was bursting with flavour and did not leave a heavy aftertaste. We also recommend washing everything down with the bowl of cold soba noodles with leek and bonito flakes to reset your palate.
Of course, the drinks were matching the matcha theme too! Coffee and matcha lovers would delight in the hot matcha latte or if they’re craving something cold, the ice dalgona green jack (cold milk with matcha foam and jackfruit flavour). The jackfruit pairs surprisingly well with the matcha! For those who want a little more kick with their matcha, you can try their Highball Hijau, a cocktail consisting of Irish whiskey with honey, soda water and a matcha shot.
Guests also have the chance to enjoy a traditional matcha tea brewing workshop hosted by Niko Neko Matcha. Bundled with the Matcha Me Up afternoon tea set at RM328+, the workshop will equip participants with insights into the history of matcha, its brewing techniques and its health benefits.
Well, matcha lovers, we have to admit, the Matcha Me Up afternoon tea was a bit too matcha for us. But there is no denying that we got our fill of matcha, and more, from this curated tea set!
