As a lover of Japanese food and culture, I’m always looking to explore the extensive range of dining offerings in Singapore for a taste of Japan. From ramen to sushi, robatayaki grills to izakaya dining, there is no shortage of options to get my Japanese cuisine fix. But apart from the usual savoury favorites, I enjoy indulging my sweet tooth with Japanese-inspired dessert creations as well. This brings me to Nana’s Green Tea, an ever-popular dessert café chain originating from Japan, with its first overseas expansion right here in Singapore. In this post I share my Japanese Dessert at Nana’s Green Tea.
Venturing into Nana’s Green Tea at Plaza Singapura on a weekday evening, I’m instantly captivated by its minimalist zen décor and display fridge showcasing an eye-catching array of desserts. Uplifting Japanese background music and gentle chatter of dining patrons creates a relaxed vibe. My friend and I easily secure a table near the full length windows looking out to the mall walkways. As we settle into our wooden chairs, the friendly server hands us the menu filled with full-colour images of their Instagram-worthy dessert creations before taking our drink orders.
As we browse the menu, it is clearly divided into quite a few categories based on the main components like matcha, warabimochi, shaved ice and cakes. Drink options range from hot matcha latte to Japanese soda floats. Seeing it all photographed is helpful yet makes deciding much harder! After much deliberation between the two of us self-professed dessert lovers, we finally decide on ordering the matcha mini parfait, warabimochi set and houjicha tiramisu cake to share.
Soon enough, our drinks and dessert parade arrive, almost filling up our table. We start with sipping our hojicha milk tea with its nutty roasted green tea notes and the refreshing lychee ramune soda. But our eyes are drawn instantly to the perfectly crafted treats before us. The matcha mini parfait features smooth layers of matcha pudding, cream, cornflakes and azuki beans crowned with cotton soft ice cream. We dive our spoons in, getting a bit of each layer in one mouthful. It’s a veritable matcha explosion – the intensity balanced out by the sweet cream and pops of texture from the crunch elements.
The warabimochi plate comes with six pieces of jiggly jelly cubes dusted with kinako soybean powder and drizzled with kuromitsu brown sugar syrup. Skewering the cubes and plopping them whole into our mouths release an avalanche of sweet flavours and delightfully bouncy texture. It’s fun and comforting, reminiscent of Japanese street fair treats.
For our last act, we slice up the houjicha tiramisu cake. Smooth and creamy mascarpone cream is layered in between soaked ladyfinger biscuits, infused with distinct roasted houjicha tea fragrance. It is dusted with matcha powder on top adding vibrant green flair. We alternate forkfuls of the cake and parfait, noticing how the bold matcha notes tie together both sweet creations. Before we know it, we’ve polished everything off – clearly reflecting just how much we enjoyed Nana’s Green Tea’s beguiling desserts!
As we indulge in this Japanese dessert feast, I observe groups of students and office workers alike whiling the evening away with their fancy desserts and colorful beverages. Many like us seem to be sharing dessert sets while chatting, pointing out Instagram-worthy shots. Even with steady streams of diners coming in and out, service remains prompt. Our server swiftly clears empty cups and platters while seeing if we need anything else. The chilled out music makes lingering here effortless.
Soon enough I find myself gazing out the window overlooking Orchard Road, the glittering city lights beckoning. But I’m in no rush to leave this minimalist urban oasis yet. Nana’s Green Tea offers respite from the outside world with its zen library-café ambience – encouraging simple pleasures like enjoying desserts and good company.
As someone enamoured by Japanese cuisine and culture, an evening spent enjoying Nana’s Green Tea’s sublime dessert creations and immersive setting checks all the right boxes. It feels like a value-for-money experience steeped in Japanese hospitality from start to finish, without breaking the bank. I leave with a full belly and intentions of bringing other matcha-loving friends back to discover sweet decadence with an Japanese twist. This is one of those versatile dining spots well-suited for me-time moments with a book or to catch up with pals over the city lights. I hope you like reading this Eating in Singapore – Japanese Dessert @ Nana’s Green Tea post.