Location: 3276 Midland Avenue, Scarborough
Website: http://goldenbubbles.ca/

I don’t particularly like matcha.  It has a vaguely bitter, swampy flavour that I find unappealing.

So obviously, when I went to Golden Bubbles, I ordered the Matcha Red Bean Waffle despite the fact that they have many non-matcha options that look perfectly delicious.  Because I’m a stupid person?

In my defense, I’ve been craving a red bean dessert (probably because I’ve been watching Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman on Netflix, a delightfully quirky Japanese show about a dessert-obsessed businessman).  Plus, it’s been a few years since I’ve tried a matcha dessert, so my general mindset was “prove me wrong, Golden Bubbles.  Prove me wrong.”

Yeah, I still don’t like matcha.  But if you do, I’m sure you’ll find this quite tasty.  It consists of a matcha poppy seed waffle, green tea ice cream, and a sweet red bean topping.

The fresh Hong Kong style waffle was great, with a delicately crisp exterior and custardy interior.  And, flavour notwithstanding, the quality of the ice cream was very good.  It was rich and creamy.  The beans were tasty as well.

But no, sorry matcha fans.  It’s beloved, and I just don’t get it.  I won’t say it’s flat-out gross, but its popularity baffles me.

I guess I’ll wait another few years and try it again.