Tsujiri: Matcha desserts in Richmond
Tsujiri is a Japanese matcha (green tea) dessert shop in Richmond. They also have a location in Metrotown food court but it’s more of a pick-up and go type of place. They have actual locations in Japan so it is an authentic Japanese chain.
They serve mostly desserts but they also have some savoury dishes such as ramen and rice dishes. They are most well known for their parfaits. These were all sold out when we went so this review is based solely on all their cakes.
Interior
The shop is small but the interior is so welcoming. The overall vibe is very warm and traditional modern Japanese architecture with a lot of wooden features.
They have a small in-dining area, which is closed for covid.
Desserts
We order one of every kind of their cakes, except for their assorted mochi.
Matcha daifuki ($6)
A daifuku is basically mochi. It is a traditional Japanese dessert you usually eat with tea. Mochi has a stretchy and soft texture but Tsujiri’s daifuku is more soft than it is chewy. When my fork pressed into it, it exploded into the cream filling.
Their filling is made of their original matcha cream. Even though on the outside, it looks like a normal frosted daifuku, it is so soft you almost have to scoop it with a spoon.
O-matcha rare cheese cake ($7)
This is a classic matcha cheese cake. Ingredients include fluten free nuts, cream, cream cheese, milk, egg, butter, sugar, matcha, brandy, white chocolate, corn starch and gelatin.
Like most western cheesecakes, this one is not fluffy so it has a more dense texture. I like that the cheese tastes refreshing and not too “cheesy”. The matcha is also at a great balance as it does not overpower the cheese flavour.
The bottom of the cheesecake stays nicely and does not crumble apart when you cut it with your fork. Overall, it is a decent green tea cheesecake.
Yuzu rare cheese cake ($7)
This is the only cake we get that doesn’t actually include any matcha. Yuzu means a lemon or citron flavour. The white part of the cake comes from the cream cheese.
Because of the yuzu, this slice of cake is more sour than the rest. This gives it a nice tangy flavour alongside the cream cheese. For one slice, it is enough sourness so if you are looking for a sweet dessert, I would avoid this one.
I also feel like since Tsujiri is known to be a matcha shop, you shouldn’t get this dessert anyways lol. It is still tasty, just not as special as the green tea cakes.
Double fromage ($8)
Based on appearances, I was most interested in tasting the double fromage cake. Fromage is french for cheese so yes, it is a double cheesecake.
The first layer is the same matcha cheesecake as the original o-matcha cheesecake. The bottom white layer is the normal cream cheese layer from the yuzu cake.
I liked this cake the most and thought it was the most unique. It has more of a cheesy flavour than just the o-matcha cake. I also really like the crumbly parts they add to the top – it gives the cake a bit more texture than the softness of the cheesecake underneath.
O-matcha cake ($7)
This one is the prettiest because it has a lot of different layers. This is Tsujiri’s signature sponge short cake with a red bean filling in between the cream.
I’m not the biggest fan of sponge cakes but if you like sponge cakes then you will definitely like this one. It is fluffy and light and red bean is a classic duo to green tea.
Koicha opera cake ($8)
Opera cakes are originally from France and they are one of the more difficult cakes to make due to all the thin and intricate layers. This scrumptious Japanese style opera cake recipe is composed of 7 layers of cake – matcha almond sponge, ganache,yuzu chiboust and matcha flavored butter cream.
This cake tastes completely different from all the other ones. It has less of a matcha flavour and more of a chocolate boozy flavour. It’s not as light or soft but the flavour is much stronger with all the different layers.
Final thoughts
As a fellow matcha lover, I really enjoyed all the cakes we got at Tsujiri. My favourite two were the double fromage and the opera cake, but I would also highly recommend their o-matcha cheese cake.
The cakes themselves are beautiful and look so neat and pristine. The packaging is also really quite.
As for the price point, around $7 is relative average for a fancy bakery in Vancouver. Since they are an actual Japanese franchise, I also feel their prices are reasonable assuming the matcha is also imported from Japan. However compared to all cake shops in the lower mainland, it is a big pricy given the size.
Tsujiri specializes in green tea and I think this is true. Come here for a small treat-your-self or a gift for someone else. They also sell whole cakes if you order in advance.
Sincerely, Loewe