Hvala Cafe Owners Open New Kyoto-Style Teahouse, $12.80 Corkage Fee To Bring Your Own Tea Leaves
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.
It’s opened by Hvala's owners
Ingen Kyoto is owned by the same folks behind Japanese-style cafe chain Hvala, which also sells Japan-imported matcha powder. The sparse, Zen teahouse is aptly named after Zen Buddhist monk Ingen Ryuki.
Corkage fee & water menu
Interestingly, the teahouse also charges a ‘corkage fee’. For $12.80, you can bring your own tea leaves to brew there. This fee includes refillable filtered tap water, though if you are feeling extra fancy, you can order from a menu of bottled spring, sparkling and still water, like the Hokkaido Taisetsuzan spring water ($2) that’s good for three rounds of brewing, or a litre of Aqua Panna ($6).
There’s an additional charge of $5.80 to make your own cuppa (presumably ’cos the teahouse will have to supply you with your own set of tea-brewing paraphernalia).
Or you can simply order from around 45 types of tea-based beverages on the menu. There is a vast selection of single cultivar matcha and blends (from $12.80 for a cup of Kyoto Shogyoku matcha to a whopping $126.80 for a cup of Asahi single cultivar limited edition competition grade heritage matcha from Kyoto’s famous green tea-producing city, Uji).
For those who are not matcha fans, there are also house teas like Wazuka White Tea ($15.80), caffeine-free tisanes like Mugicha ($12.80) and Hokkaido milk-based beverages such as Single Cultivar Ceremonial Matcha Latte ($14.80).
Plated desserts
There are also some TikTok-worthy plated desserts to go with tea, like gateaux, parfaits, and a pretty Kabocha (pictured, $19.80), half a steamed pumpkin topped with kombu honey jelly, pumpkin coulis and crunchy hazelnuts and chia seeds.
The parfaits are served in wine glasses here, like the Yuki Parfait ($19.80), which is layered with bitter-sweet morsels like matcha mousse, dango, matcha ice cream, sencha honey jelly and adzuki paste.
Ingen Kyoto is at #B3-15/16 Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, S238801. Open daily 10am-10pm. www.ingenkyoto.com.
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.
8days.sg is now on #tiktok! Follow us on www.tiktok.com/@8dayseat
Related Stories
Shopping
