Katsute 100 - a tranquil Japanese teahouse

London

Katsute100

Situated in an unassuming building on Islington's Camden Passage, Katsute 100 transports you thousands of miles from the bustle outside, into a tranquil Japanese teahouse.

Decorated with varnished dark wood, it's soothing atmosphere is perfect for savouring a delicate sencha or sipping one of the many types of sake available. My girlfriend is Japanese and I brought her along to try a selection of what was on offer. We started with a matcha affogato and a matcha parfait – the affogato consisted of soft-serve matcha ice cream topped with chilled matcha (the type of tea traditionally served at Japanese tea ceremonies). The ice cream wasn't overly-sweet, which allowed the mellow, vegetal flavours of the matcha to come through. The matcha parfait was just that – perfection! A sort of Japanese Knickerbocker Glory, with chilled matcha, puffed rice, matcha brownie and cream, topped with matcha sift-serve. After demolishing those, we tried the tea selection. My girlfriend opted for the Uji Gyokuro, the most celebrated Japanese whole-leaf tea, from the town of Uji, near Kyoto. It came with a timer to ensure that each infusion lasts the optimal three minutes. The flavours changed each time, with initial spinach notes giving way to a more structured, mineral flavour. After we had finished, we asked the staff to provide us with some ponzu sauce, to eat the leaves with – an exquisite treat! I chose the Futsumushi Sencha Okumidori – a lightly roasted tea with sweet, aromatic, faintly floral notes. Soothing and less intense than the Gyokuro or the matcha, this was the perfect drink to round off the afternoon with. Although we were still full from the parfait, my girlfriend persuaded me to share the matcha crepe cake with her – a favourite from Japan. Thin layers of matcha flavoured crepe were interspersed with matcha cream, lending it a silky smooth texture. In addition to the beautifully decorated rooms inside, Katsute also has a beautiful garden, in which you can relax and enjoy your tea (although you will have to forego their beautiful ceramic teapots for plastic cups, if you decide to do so). I can't wait to return!