The best places for Japanese desserts in KL

From green tea dessert central Kitayama-dori in Kyoto to KL, tea dessert institution Tsujiri has arrived on Malaysian shores. Known for their matcha-based treats, the 155-year-old tea brand Tsujiri uses high quality gyokuro leaves – a type of green tea grown in the shade – for its range of teas and desserts. Take a seat in the tatami room and pick from the extensive matcha-oriented menu which includes chiffon cake parfaits and matcha milk floats; we recommend a calming cup of uji matcha, a cone of hojicha soft serve, and a cup of shaved ice topped with shiratama dango dumplings.

There may be no seats here, but nothing’s stopping us from joining the queue and stocking up on Japanese pastries from Châteraisé Patisserie such as fresh strawberry cream cakes, honey mille crêpes, horaku, lemon cakes, matcha pound cakes and more for a Japanese-themed tea party. The reason is simple: these guys use some of the best ingredients available. Also, we really like those light-as-air cream cakes.

Spend a chill afternoon taste-testing mountains of gourmet Japanese ices at Kakigōri, a shaved ice dessert bar at Taman Paramount. For now, they’re churning out ten varieties of kakigōri, all made with specially produced ice (with a higher density for finer shavings), up to three layers of homemade syrups and purées as well as unique additions such as rose espuma, Marukyu-Koyamaen matcha from Kyoto, ginger syrup made with Bentong ginger and more. 

Digging into the honey toast at Haraju-Cube is just like searching for buried treasure with a sweet surprise at the end. Your first obstacle is to cut through the thick bread crust that’s piled with toppings of ice cream, fruits and whipped cream. Once you’ve cracked that open, you’ll see the gold – eight mini bread blocks coated with butter that’s toasted to golden brown, leaving a crunch with every bite. For more sweetness, drizzle Haraju’s honey blend and enjoy your reward.

Green tea-inspired desserts abound at Nana’s but the parfaits soar as solo acts. There’s a variety of parfaits available but the building blocks are almost similar: Green tea kanten jelly, matcha syrup, vanilla ice cream and corn flakes form the base; while a selection of sweets – rice flour dumplings, warabimochi, agar or matcha pudding – makes up the topping. If you prefer an unconventional spin on classic flavours, there are also hojicha (roasted green tea) and black sesame parfaits.

Come to this specialty Japanese tea house for well-made Japanese desserts prepared from seasonal ingredients. While the ichigo daifuku (strawberries and adzuki bean paste wrapped in mildly sweet rice cakes) and sakura mochi are excellent, try the warabimochi (water jelly served with roasted soy bean powder and brown sugar syrup) for a different take on Japanese desserts.

Tucked away in the Fan Japan shop at Mitsui Outlet Park is a café which showcases Japanese desserts and the tea ceremony in a hushed setting. Avoid the weekend crowds and come here on a weekday, where the café takes on a calm atmosphere and one can enjoy freshly brewed matcha with a side of wagashi in peace. Japanese confectioner Igarashi-san will be on hand to explain the intricacies of the desserts.