Tsujiri Toronto

by Sandi - March 11, 2016

Tsujiri is a renowned green tea brand that is known throughout Asia for their matcha-based drinks and desserts. The company was first established in 1860 by Riemon Tsuji in Uji, Kyoto, who pioneered the improvement of the tea industry by using a method that enhanced the flavor of the tea. Tsuji’s method and philosophy still remain true today as the company prides themselves in offering the best quality green tea to their customers.

Tsujiri Toronto's first North American outpost opened earlier this week near Bay and Dundas amid much fanfare. This is their first foray into a market outside Asia, but they are planning on expanding to other cities in North America in the future. I had the pleasure of getting a sneak peek of some of the products that Tsujiri Toronto has to offer a day before its soft opening, and got the chance to chat with one of the managers, Tylor Shek. The first Toronto location is at 147 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON, which is right in the heart of downtown. The shop primarily serves as a take-out area, as it is small with only a few high seat tables, and a traditional tatami room in the back of the shop. The tatami was contracted and built by a Japanese company in Vancouver, and is reminiscent of the space in Kyoto.

Tsujiri Toronto's menu is extensive, as there is a great variety of matcha-oriented desserts, hot and cold beverages, and pastries. According to Tylor, Tsujiri Toronto stays true to its Kyoto outpost, as their ingredients are sourced directly from Japan. This way, they maintain the standard consistency that the Tsujiri brand is known for. The menu is definitely on a higher price point, but they do make up for it by producing higher quality products.

(menu courtesy of http://tsujiri-global.com/)

We started off with a demonstration on how the O-Matcha drink is made in-store by one of the staff members.

I started off with the O-Macha (traditional green tea), and chose the hot version. Note that there is a 3-degree (matcha) scale at Tsujiri Toronto (mild, medium, and strong) indicated by the number of leaf icons, and this drink is listed as a 3. If you're new to matcha, then I wouldn't recommend this drink as it has a very strong bitter taste to it. I would probably start light with one of the matcha lattes. Speaking of leaves, the founder discovered a way to transport tea by inventing a tea cabinet that keeps them fresh longer. This resulted in the revive of the popularity of Uji tea, and made the company what it is today.

3-degree (matcha) scale at Tsujiri

The O-Matcha Black Sesame Latte is part of their hot drinks series, and is well-crafted. The matcha and black sesame blended nicely with one another, without one being overpowering over the other. Compared to other large chains that also offer matcha lattes, the one at Tsujiri isn't too sweet.

For me, the highlight of the evening was the Tsujiri Sundae, as I loved how well the ingredients are layered with one another. The contrasting texture was most welcomed with the layering of the matcha soft serve, brown rice cracker, red bean paste, mochi, and topped off with a sakura cookie. The matcha and red bean flavors seem the most dominant of all, but the crunch of the cracker adds to the texture.

I enjoyed the sundae, but the Tsujiri Soft Serve on its own is sure to be a crowd pleaser. The soft serve comes in three flavors; matcha, vanilla or mix (cone or cup). I opted for their matcha cone, and found it to be rich, full of matcha flavor, and wasn't overly sweet. It should be noted that it had a nice thick consistency, as it wasn't watered down.

The Tsujiri Float is their variation of an ice-cream float with matcha ice blend topped off with soft serve. Perfect for a warm summer day!

The Houjicha Latte consists of a vibrant tea blend that has a nice subtle roasted flavor.

Tsujiri Latte (cold)

Tsujiri Shaved Ice

Uji Kintoki

Yuzu O-Matcha

Chiffon Cake Sundae

Additionally, they also have drinks made exclusively for the Toronto location with the infusion of matcha and maple syrup into their hot drink series (not pictured).

Tsujiri Toronto is a wonderful addition to the Yonge/Dundas area where there has been several Japanese businesses as of late. They have an extensive list of matcha items on their menu, and I truly believe there's something for everyone here (especially those who have sweet tooths). As a fan of matcha and Japanese culture, I am excited to return to Tsujiri again when I am in the area next. Thank you to the management team and staff at Tsujiri Toronto for the invitation and warm hospitality.