Matcha Eight LaLaport BBCC Bukit Bintang – the first premium Japanese tea ice cream artisan in Malaysia that is set to entice your taste buds with ice cream in 8 different flavours, made with finest single-origin tea powder imported from Kyoto.
We believe that some of you have already heard about Matcha Eight. The brand first launched their online store back in April 2021. Earlier this year, we are glad to we know that their physical shop is finally opened to public at the latest KL shopping mall – LaLaport BBCC Bukit Bintang! Well ready to welcome ice cream lovers!
Apart from being Malaysia’s first Japanese tea ice cream shop that serves artisanal ice cream in sencha, matcha and hojicha series of varying tea richness, what makes Matcha Eight more special is, their ice cream creation is an exclusive partnership with Michelin-starred Master Chef Takuji Takahashi from Kyoto.
Master Chef Takuji is the third-generation owner of Kyoto’s Kinobu, a renowned Japanese restaurant famous for traditional kaiseki cuisines. Each flavour is passionately developed, through months of painstaking experiments and fine-tuning in order to create the best taste possible, bringing out the unique flavour profile of sencha, matcha and hojicha. Authentic, 100% natural ice cream without additives and preservative. Muslim-friendly too.
Single-origin tea powder is used, carefully selected and sourced directly from farmers in Wazuka town in Kyoto Prefecture. A great initiative, as this helps to support farmers who have been running family-inherited tea plantations for decades.
Matcha Eight opens from 10am onwards, daily. Suggest to go earlier to avoid disappointment. We were lucky that that wasn’t many customers when we arrived at around 10.30am, on a Saturday. And yay, we got our ice cream within 5 minutes. But queue began to build up as the clock strike 11AM. We were told that the ice cream will usually sold out by 8PM. So, plan your visit time.
There are a total of 8 flavours on Matcha Eight menu, namely:
1. Lovesick Girl – Light sencha
2. Soulmate – Medium sencha
3. Maybe It’s Love – Mild matcha
4. Matcha Me Tonight – Medium matcha
5. Hocus Matcha-cus – Intense matcha, bitter Aftertaste
6. Melodrama Queen – Rich blend of sencha and matcha, Tea Aftertaste
7. Hojilicious – Light hojicha
8. Ho Ho Hoji – Intense hojicha
For purchase:
Step 1: DISCOVER – Sample few of the flavours (*up to 4 flavours)
Step 2: BASE – Choose to have your ice cream in cup or in cone (+RM2.00)
Step 3: SIZE – This will determine the ice cream price. Each scoop is priced from RM13- RM16. Additional scoop will be at lower price as stated on the menu (*e.g. -RM2 for additional scoop).
Step 4: TOPPING – Mochi (+RM2.00, for cup only), Red Bean Paste (+RM2.00, for cup only), Gold Flakes (+RM5.00)
Tried Matcha Me Tonight ( Flavour No.4) and Hocus Match-cus (Flavour No.5). Went for No.5 – Hocus Matcha-cus in beautiful dark emerald green. Love that it is has slightly thicker texture with more intense matcha taste. Smooth, rich, creamy, pairing well with crunchy ice cream cone for texture contrast.
Add-on Sakura topping for a merrier matcha ice cream indulgence.
We also ordered a No.7 Hojilicious in cup, topped with mochi and red bean bean. This is Summerkid’s favourite. Lighter consistency but still smooth and creamy, with subtle hints of houjicha, nutty taste. Extra bites from chewy mochi, sweetness from red bean that is on the right level. Not too sweet, just nice. We like.
Overall, Matcha Eight is worth our trip to LaLaPort BBCC just for its ice cream. A nice concept, with effort to spread happiness and positivity around people with their authentic Japanese tea ice cream. Just like the brand’s tagline – life isn’t that bitter.
Matcha Eight
Address:
Lot G-68, LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre,
Jalan Hang Tuah, Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Operation Hours: 10am – 10pm daily.
Website: https://matchaeight.com/
*In case you wonder where Matcha Eight is located, look for “Gourmet Street” – the opened-air food street designed for al-fresco dining experience. You will be able to spot the store in sleek black, high ceiling modern design.
