Like a yoga mat tucked into an oversized tote bag, it’s safe to say matcha has become an essential wellness accessory, with pretty much every high street coffee shop now selling a milky green drink laced with fruity syrup. But when you look beyond the trend, there are a plethora of different types of matcha, all with their own flavour profiles, from the light and floral to the more bitter and umami. Haku Haku, a specialist matcha bar in Newcastle’s Grainger Market, is dedicated to showcasing the delights and complexities of this traditional Japanese powdered green tea drink, whilst keeping the experience fun for newbies.
Owner Clementine Cang, 25, originally came to Newcastle from Malaysia to study law. She found matcha to be the perfect companion during the long hours of studying. “I can’t take coffee, but while studying a lot I found matcha was useful for me to keep awake,” she says. “I didn’t have such a strong reaction to the caffeine in the matcha.” She became fascinated by the different types of matcha and the flavour profiles they offered and ended up running a pop-up matcha stall whilst applying for jobs when she finished her degree.
Luckily for the matcha lovers of Newcastle, after she landed a job at a law firm, she quickly realised it wasn’t the dream career she imagined and really missed the pop-ups. She decided to take the plunge and began talks to lease a unit in the Grainger Market to bring her pop-up permanently to life.
Fast forward a year, and her little unit in Alley 2 is decorated with Haku Haku’s cute dinosaur mascot Matchadino, designed by Clementine’s sister. She laughs when explaining the caricature’s side-eye expression. “My friends say I confuse people because I look at them sideways. I don’t mean to do it, it’s just me, but my sister thought it was funny to make the dinosaur look like that too.”
The word haku means white in Japanese and is often associated with purity, something Clementine believes to be a big part of matcha culture. “The process is very peaceful. This is how I slow myself down, because life is so fast paced.”
The seasons in Japan have a significant effect on the flavour of the green tea leaves. The spring harvest produces floral notes, while summer brings the bolder, grassier taste, and an autumn harvest results in a nuttier profile. Clementine orders new batches of matcha every two weeks from Japan to keep maximum freshness, and all are hand whisked for a creamier texture.
Kyototo is Clementine’s favourite matcha on the menu for its strong umami profile, but she says beginners might like to start with the lighter Ujiji, or the Jiroro for a nuttier taste. Growing in popularity is Hojicha – a roasted matcha with a warmer brown colour – of which there are two varieties on offer. Tororo boasts hints of hazelnut, whereas the Akanewa promises notes of dark chocolate.
Despite wanting to introduce budding matcha enthusiasts to more complex flavours, she recognises that a lot of people do enjoy fun flavours being paired with it, and presents a cute seasonal menu alongside Asian flavours that customers may not have tried before, such as pisang, a much-loved banana flavour from Malaysia; ube, a bright purple sweet yam; and black sesame.
Clementine is excited for the future, and watching her matcha stall grow. “This is creating something new, I can feel that this is what I’m looking for in my life.” If you need a little pick-me-up without the caffeine jitters, and you happen to be near the Grainger Market, a Jiroro from Haku Haku might just be what you’re looking for in your life too.
Haku Haku is open Monday to Saturday, 09.30am-4.30pm and is located at Unit 75 Grainger Market, Nelson Street, Newcastle, NE1 5AW. Follow on Instagram @hakuhaku_ncl
