Gacha Gacha Plus opened in November 2022 as a new creative concept from Matcha-ya in Darling Square.
Its focus is on Japanese gelato flavours, gacha toys and mochi monaka (crisp rice wafers with mochi-wrapped ice cream).
Sakura ($6.00/scoop)
The sakura flavour successfully conveyed its pleasing floral characteristics, omitting the customary salty undertones. The initial flavour impression was vibrant; however, in line with typical ice cream consumption, as the cold temperature numbed the tongue, the flavour profile somewhat lost its distinctiveness. A palate cleanser would have been necessary to reinvigorate the taste. The sweetness was well-balanced, and the ice cream exhibited a velvety texture.
Hōjicha ($6.00/scoop)
The hōjicha flavour maintained the identical velvety consistency as the previous. Notably more potent than the corresponding flavour at Ice Kirin Bar, it featured a lesser degree of sweetness, accompanied by a delicate, inconspicuous granular quality attributable to the hōjicha powder. The heightened intensity of the flavour also imparted a subtle bitterness, which added to its overall appeal. It was indeed a highly pleasurable experience.
Warabi Mochi ($3.50/5 pieces)
The warabi mochi exhibited a refreshing and invigorating sensation in the mouth, reminiscent of the delightful ‘crisp’ texture experienced during our time in Kyōto. This stood in stark juxtaposition to the overly dense and excessively sugary consistency encountered in the version at Nana’s Green Tea. The sweetness in the warabi mochi was subtle and the inclusion of kuromitsu contributed a sweetness with nuanced complexity. The judicious application of dusted kinako prevented inadvertent inhalation of the powder.
2024
Gacha Gacha Plus expanded beyond its primary dessert offerings to include onigiri during lunch hours, tapping into a trend that gained significant popularity in Sydney in 2024.
Takana Salmon ($5.00).
The takana and salmon combination made this onigiri particularly enjoyable, with the savoury salmon complemented by a mild heat from the mustard and the satisfying crunch of the mustard greens.
Ume Umami Konbu ($5.00).
The combination of savoury kombu and tart umeboshi was refreshing, especially on a hot or tiring day. However, some bites with larger pieces of umeboshi were overly sour, making it a bit overwhelming.
Golden Egg Umami Konbu ($5.00)
The seasoned egg yolk combined with the kombu delivered a creamy richness and an intense umami burst. The flavour profile was reminiscent of a runny sunny-side-up egg with soy sauce, but in onigiri form, with the nori providing the crispiness. This is definitely one to return for.
Impressively, Gacha Gacha Plus is the only onigiri café in Sydney currently offering ready-made onigiri (not made-to-order) in packaging similar to that found in Japanese convenience stores, which keeps the nori crisp until the moment it’s eaten. The combination of crisp nori and their tasty fillings will keep us returning.
Gacha Gacha Plus introduced a series of sakura-themed desserts for the Cherry Blossom Festival 2024 at the Meriton Retail Precinct in August 2024. The offerings included a sakura gelato waffle cone, sakura monaka, sakura milkshake, and sakura sakura mochi. We tried the sakura sakura mochi.
Sakura Sakura Mochi ($8.80)
Visually, the mochi ice cream was strikingly pretty. The stretchy and chewy mochi sheet encasing the gelato was thick enough to provide structural integrity, allowing the pink of the ice cream to shine through, though it posed some initial difficulty when cutting with a spoon. The ice cream contained visible flecks of sakura leaf, delivering a sweet and bright sakura blossom flavour with all the floral notes but without the typical saltiness from pickled sakura. The savoury aspect of the sakura was present in the bud on top but wasn’t overly briny, adding a subtle ‘crunch’ and a contrasting texture.
The sakura mochi itself, similar to the version at their parent store Matcha-ya, was soft with just the right thickness to let the pink hue of the sakura-flavoured white bean paste shine through. The mochi was delicious, with the paste perfectly sweetened and the creamy smoothness of the white bean paste enhanced by the gentle floral notes of sakura.
Overall, the textural variety and nuanced sakura flavours, combined with the evident quality of the ingredients, made this mochi ice cream a perfect celebration of spring.
Gacha Gacha Plus is located at Shop 13, Meriton Retail Precinct, 537-551 George St, Sydney NSW 2000.