Matcha & Mochi, SushiSan, Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi
You know how much I love my Matcha! I was estatic to hear that SushiSan now offers a Matcha and Mochi Afternoon Tea experience to their guests.
If you’re a follower of my blog I am sure you know what Matcha is! But are you familiar with Mochi? It is a Japanese rice cake – steamed, covered in flour and often filled with amazing goodness! I’ve often enjoyed mine with a sesame paste, strawberry paste or a lotus red bean paste. If you have not yet enjoyed mochi in your life, all the more reason to head over to SushiSan for an afternoon tea Matcha and Mochi experience.
It is priced at 75 AED net for a standard package (includes tea & food) per person. If you are in the celebratory mood, opt for the bubbly package for 130 AED which includes one bottle of yummy sparkling sake. The Matcha and Mochi experience is only available Sat-Thurs 11am – 5pm.
Types of tea they offer:
- Matcha – finely ground powder of green tea leaves. This is excellent to boost memory and concentration, burn calories and detoxify the body.
- Sencha – a type of Japanese ryokucha which is prepared by infusing the processed who tea leaves in hot water. This tea is the most popular in Japan. Sencha is use to prevent many dreadful diseases such as coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis.
- Hojicha – a roasted variation of green tea called bancha This tea has the lowest caffeine level suitable to drink before bed. Studies have shown drinking this tea will lower the risk of heart disease and aide in decreasing blood pressure.
- Barley – roasted – grain based infusion from barley which is a staple across Japan, Korea and China. This tea is often used to promote weight loss, lower cholesterol and blood sugar.
Items in the Set
Paired with the tea, the following savory afternoon tea items are included in the set.
- Spicy Tuna nori tacos with spring onion and black sesame
- Oshizushi-smoked salmon with cream cheese & chives
- Okonomiyaki – Japanese pancakes
- Beef Onigiri & tonkatsu glaze
- Avocado Tomaki Roll
Last but not least the mochi of course. They came in a set of 3 different flavors (shared among 2 people). I found them to be quite large and made very well. It was super soft to the touch but not sticky. Had subtle hints of fruity flavors. I enjoyed the mochi part of the afternoon tea the most! Remember, you don’t have to wait to eat your sweets at the end! They say – desserts first 😀
I definitely have to back for some more mochi! I really enjoyed tasting new dishes I do not normally order at sushi restaurants like okonomiyaki and the beef onigiri’s were quite original and tasted fantastic. I’d really love to see some raw fish options in the future! Cannot wait to be back!
