Perhaps the surest sign of growing up is my sweet tooth becoming less tolerant to large amounts of sugar. I still enjoy sweets immensely, but I find my palate begging for relief either by way of something salty or acidic. This time the relief came with this “Yuzu” Matcha Soda ($8.50 in March 2022) from Matcha-ya.
The drink was a translucent yellow colour from the yuzu juice and soda, with opaque green matcha jellies at the bottom. Consumed chilled, the yuzu shines bright with prominent acidity and zestiness that’s immensely refreshing and enough to (pleasantly) shock anyone out of the deepest of food comas. The sweetness is restrained and came through chiefly in the lightly sweetened matcha jellies that add a touch of vegetal bitterness and textural interest.
Ordering the drink again in September 2022 ($8.90), the matcha jelly component had been swapped for matcha syrup. While we miss the bouncy texture of the jellies, after stirring, the syrup avoids the bitterness of the jellies and adds more pronounced grassy and sweet notes throughout that complement the floral notes of the tart yuzu. The revised version of the drink remains refreshing and remains one of the best yuzu drinks available in Sydney cafes because there is no reliance on yuzu marmalade.
This Yuzu Matcha Soda was purchased from Matcha-ya located at NW.05 10 Steam Mill Lane, Haymarket NSW 2000.