A more traditional sweets option at Starbucks

Matcha bean paste butter sandwich

Brand: Starbucks

Price: 335 yen

Place of purchase: Starbucks

Rating:

If you prefer your desserts with a more traditional spin than some of the Western offerings at Starbucks Japan, this matcha bean paste butter sandwich is a nice option to try out. The bright green matcha flavored bread outer is filled with matcha flavored bean paste, regular bean paste, and a chunk of butter, which might sound a bit weird but actually works really well in the dessert overall. You get a good balance of lightly sweet, salty, and earthy flavors, for a treat that doesn't feel cloyingly sugary. The portion size feels pretty decent for the price, and is big enough to split with someone IMO -- the whole thing would've been too much for me.

I know that some of the more earthy Japanese flavors like matcha and bean paste can be polarizing -- not everyone likes them in their desserts. This is clearly a matcha-based dessert (if you can't tell from the extremely vivid green!) so I don't think anyone would be purchasing this if they didn't like matcha-based treats. Overall, a fun option if you prefer more traditional flavors, and I love seeing Starbucks here incorporate some of those local tastes onto their desserts menu. Keep an eye out for it at your nearest store if it sounds appealing to you -- happy eating! :)