I’ve noticed it a couple of times now whilst scrolling through Instagram. A couple of my colleagues have tried it out and raved about it too.
But by not being a huge fan of desserts—shaved ice treats like kakigori in particular—I’ve never desired to give it a go….
…until recently.
Kakigori launched its latest store in Pavilion and introduced a new menu along with it. We dropped by to taste test some of their bestsellers to date and a dish of its new menu.
Chestnut Milk (RM18)
We totally judged the Chestnut Milk by its appearance and this ain’t a bad thing at all because we were pretty impressed when the off-white kakigori was placed on our table.
“It looks like it’s wearing a beret!” was one of our initial responses.
Parisian chic appearances aside, we tucked into a mountain of shaved ice, being particularly careful not to waste any (a tall order as the mountain of ice was pretty high). My first try of the kakigori was met with a milky, nutty surprise. The milk was from the shaved ice and the nutty, from the crushed bits of walnut.
As for the chestnut, it’s worth mentioning that it’s fresh and not preserved.
Watermelon with Rose Espuma (RM17)
Rose is often times worked into desserts and arguably, it’s also a hit and miss.
What we liked about the rose was that it has a delicate fragrance to it, much like the actual flower itself. The rose-flavoured cream wasn’t too rich and the watermelon balls, lovingly crafted with a fruit carver, are like bursts of refreshment.
Overall, it has a lighter consistency as compared to the Chestnut Milk.
Matcha Dessert Set (RM23)
The matcha dessert set has a little bit of everything.
For first timers, this would be the ideal combo because you get to try bits and pieces of what makes Kakigori awesome in the first place.
There’s the Matcha Pan which reminded us of the roti aiskrim we’d chase down the ice cream man for. But that’s just based on its appearance. The pan itself has a crunchy exterior and a huge serving of rich matcha ice cream is sandwiched in between. While having this, opt not to soak the bread in the green tea as it would get rather soggy.
The Mochi balls are meant to be savoured with brown sugar—on its own, it tastes like classic tong yuen but without the signature filling. The Red Bean it comes with was slightly too smokey for my liking and Kok Aun of Kakigori mentioned that it’s because a smoke gun was used to smoke it.
As for the final element in this dessert, it happened to be one of the clear favourites of the evening—the Matcha Swiss Roll. The moist cake has a creamy centre and the green tea mixed in isn’t too bitter. This further proves that the 1g of matcha used goes a long way. The moist texture of the roll is attributed to the fact that it’s made predominantly of egg.
Omugi Soup with Matcha Ice Cream (RM18)
This dish is a part of Kakigori’s new menu and Kok Aun noted that it was introduced due to the recent gloomy weather in Malaysia. Most guests would prefer something warm, hearty and comforting and that’s precisely what the Japanese barley broth is.
It’s also suitable for the older folks who might prefer something warm to enjoy alongside their kakigori.
It’s served with a side of red bean and the green tea kanten, which is slightly softer in consistency when compared to agar agar. Served with a side of fragrant honey, you can opt to have it with the kanten or without if you want to taste the flavour of the kanten itself.
Sparkling Honey & Rose (RM12)
“Oh my gosh, this tastes so good.”
“This one’s my favourite.”
Right off the bat, the Sparkling Honey & Rose had high praises and when I took a sip, I could see why. The drink has a carbonated kick to it from the sparkling water.
The taste of honey is fragrant and strong. With that being said, it overpowers the taste of the rose and I wished that the taste of the rose was a little more potent. Other than that, this drink is refreshing and my personal favourite of the evening.
Earl Grey Milk Tea (RM12)
Not being much of a fan of Earl Grey, I found the drink a little too rich and a tad bit too bitter for my liking.
One thing’s for sure though, the taste of Earl Grey is pretty strong and that could be attributed to the process of making it in the first place.
Kok Aun noted that a stone grind is used to make the Earl Grey, which was imported from a farm in Japan.
Overall, we enjoyed how the desserts were flavourful and whether you prefer sharing with a friend or dabao-ing it all on your own, there’d be something for you to try at the new Kakigori outlet in Pavilion.
Kakigori Pavilion
Hours: 10am-10pm, daily
Address: Lot P4.17.00, Level 4, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, No. 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-7865 8999
