Brunch at new Matchaya Concept Store @ Cathay (Outlet Closed)

Matchaya is a popular Japanese tea and dessert shop known for its beverages and soft serves featuring matcha, Japanese shaded green tea. The small kiosk like cafe in The Cathay has been revamped to a concept store, and has extended its space and its menu. The new Matchaya Concept Store @ The Cathay still serves a wide range of cakes and desserts but its extended menu now offers brunch and all day mains.

Matchaya Concept Store

The new Matchaya Concept Store @ The Cathay is located on level 1. It is open and airy and has the aesthetics of an industrial chic cafe with Japanese minimalist influence. There are bench seating and a few regular tables. There are also few small tables and low stools, which look cool but do not seem to be particularly comfortable. Retail merchandise, such as tins of matcha powder, milk jam and ceremonial tea sets, are on display on a simple shelve.

Matchaya Menu

Matchaya Concept Store @ The Cathay still has a long list of beverages and desserts and a wide selection of good looking cakes and tarts, including Koicha Azuki Roll Cake, Purple Sweet Potato Tart, Matcha Yuzu Tart, Matcha Tiramisu and Mille Crepe Cakes. They are on display to tempt those who are weak in spirit, which is almost all of us.

Brunch food and main meals are now on Matchaya Menu. Interesting items include Prawn Sando, Dashi Chicken Stew and Spicy Prawn Aglio Olio. Below are pictures of the Brunch/All Day Mains Menu and a section of the menu board on the wall.

Beverages at Matchaya

We ordered a Kyoto Drip Coffee ($5) and an Iced Matcha Milk ($5.50). The drinks are prepared with meticulous care using an array of impressive apparatus.

The iced matcha milk looked very soothing. The taste was intense, with a combination of sweet and bitter notes. It was a very enjoyable delicious creamy beverage. Matchaya may be known for their tea but their coffee was good too.

Brunch at Matchaya

We opted for the Toriniku Katsu Sando ($8.90) because it was affordable and the Osaka Fluffy Pancakes ($14.90) because it was good looking.

The Toriniku Katsu Sando was really a plain Jane. However, the toroniku (pork cheek) sandwich was surprisingly delectable. Plain and simple food can often mean good food.

The Osaka Fluffy Pancakes was a stack of fluffy pancakes served with berries, composte, matcha granola and drizzled with Okinawa Kuromitsu syrup. A matcha sauce was provided separately. The pancakes had nice flavours and textures – slightly sweet and soft and fluffy. The toppings had a mix of tartness and sweetness and everything combined well. We thought the matcha sauce was kind of redundant. Add it if you really like the taste of matcha. For us the matcha sauce did not make us enjoy the pancakes more.

Tranquil Haven

Matchaya Concept Store @ The Cathay is a tranquil haven for matcha lovers who want to enjoy the refined custom of tea drinking and contemplate the Way of Tea or the meaning of the moment. For the less cultured folks like us, Matchaya at The Cathay is a very nice place for brunch. It has a calm space that does not feel crowded or congested. It serves excellent matcha and its coffee is good too. There is a good variety of food and a delightful range of hot and cold beverages and desserts to please the palates of all ages. So if you want to avoid the usual crowded and noisy brunch spots, Matchaya can be a great alternative. If you are going there with kids, just try to stop them from disturbing those serious people trying to practice mindfulness or concentrating on feeling their breath and experiencing their essential nature.

Ratings:
Food: 4
Service: 3
Value: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Overall Rating: 4 TOPs 

Matchaya Concept Store
The Cathay #01-08
2 Handy Road
Singapore 229233

​Tel: +65 9837 3187

Opening Hours:
Sun – Thu 11 am – 10 pm
Fri & Sat 11 am – 10.30 pm

Nearby MRT Stations: Dhoby Ghaut, Bras Basah

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The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog