By Carlineissa Jean Francois
I don’t like matcha; it tastes like grass. For as long as I can remember, I haven’t enjoyed matcha. I’ve tried matcha lemonade and a few types of lattes, but none of them appealed to me. I never understood the sentiment and appreciation that others felt towards matcha. However, my recent trip to Claremont Village gave me a new perspective.
I recently visited Claremont Village with one of my closest friends and tried a new café. I love exploring the village and discovering hidden gems. After walking around for a few minutes, trying to decide on the perfect spot for brunch, I suggested Le Pain Quotidien.
Le Pain Quotidien is a small cafe near the movie theater. I had been there before with another friend and tried their tarts, knowing they were also a bakery. However, I had never had the chance to sit down for a full meal, and my curiosity had grown.
As soon as we stepped inside, the staff greeted us warmly, and we were immediately seated outside.
I was thrilled to get an outdoor seat since it was such a beautiful day. The sky was a clear blue, and it felt like a perfect sunny day. As soon as we sat down, we started chatting and catching up.
We talked for a bit and decided to order pan-skillet eggs with bacon. I wasn’t too sure what I wanted to drink, but I knew I wanted some type of latte. My first thought was to order a vanilla latte, and my friend wanted a matcha latte. Lately, I’ve been discussing my dislike for matcha with my coworkers, and they’ve encouraged me to give it another shot. Taking their advice, I decided to give matcha a second chance. They suggested ordering it extra sweet, so I decided to order a vanilla matcha extra sweetener and an almond croissant for dessert. After a little while, our food and drinks arrived. I hesitated for a moment, but then I took a sip.
As soon as my lips touched the glass, the matcha flavor lingered on my tongue. I was confused, but not because I disliked it. I was shocked that it tasted amazing. My friend noticed my surprise and asked what was wrong.
I explained that I had never enjoyed matcha before. I always assumed it would all taste the same. He then spent the next ten minutes explaining that I had probably been drinking low-quality matcha, and that authentic, high-grade matcha tastes more like tea.. I was also a little annoyed—had all the cafes I had visited before ruined matcha for me?
After our lunch, I decided I wanted another matcha. Weird, right? I now had an intense craving for a drink I had only just realized I liked. We ended up going to Iron and Kin, a local coffee shop nearby, to try their matcha, and I loved it.
In an hour, a drink I had spent years hating became one of my favorites. Now I’m eager to experiment with different flavors and cafes. Next stop: a strawberry matcha latte.