A MATCHA MASH-UP

TEALILY CAFE SERVES DIFFERENT SHADES OF GREEN TEA

Tealily is tucked away in Soi Phrom Mit, a sub-soi of Sukhumvit 39. Despite its elusive location, it may well be worth a visit by all the matcha lovers out there.

Panida “Bo” Laoniyomchon is the owner and main operator of this cute and homely cafe with a Japanese vibe (duh). She’s into all things Japanese — especially green tea — so much that she learned about matcha brewing from a sensei in Uji, a city famous for its green tea, before opening the cafe about three years ago. Ask her about the difference between green tea and matcha (you do know they aren’t totally interchangeable right?). Although you may be hearing about her place for the first time, word of mouth has brought customers to her cafe from far and wide, including Asian tourists.

We started our sipping sesh with Hot houjicha latte (B125). If you’re a casual drinker, allow us to tell you that houjicha is basically roasted green tea that is collected towards the end of harvest season. Being roasted explains the brownish appearance, which may not be appealing to the eyes, but this bowl of houjicha (or hojicha), with a bubbled surface gave us soothing sips that had the right amount of smokiness.

Iced matcha latte (B125) is great for combating the oven-like weather of Bangkok. It was very refreshing and light with a touch of Hokkaido milk. Those who prefer a thicker consistency may not dig it, though.

Last but not least i s Matcha brownie (B130). Bo claimed she didn’t have any formal training in baking so we’re rather impressed by how the brownie turned out. It offered a moist texture bursting with matcha while chocolate chips added some sweetness for good measure. It’s a dessert for those who don’t have a sweet tooth.

Tealily Cafe will be your kind of place if you’re super into green tea. Its warm and inviting vibe should make for a casual gathering in the afternoon. We went to the cafe on a Monday so didn’t get the chance to sample their weekend-only treats, which centre around Japanese sweet potatoes. Be warned that the place is usually packed on weekends, though.

Tealily Cafe is open every day except Wednesdays from 10.30am (9.30am on Saturdays and Sundays) to 6.30pm. Go to fb.com/tealilycafe for more info.