Umami Matcha Café with gluten free options

Today I tell you about Umami, the first Matcha café in Paris with gluten free options on the menu.

I have to confess you one thing, I am literally  in love with matcha since the first time I tasted it not so long ago: this little green powder, well-known for its anti-oxydant properties, has actually a great power on me! I love sipping it slowly to appreciate it and feeling its taste to the fullest.

Imagine my joy when I discovered that in Paris, where I currently live, a matcha café had just opened!

Umami is niched in the beautiful Marais, a few blocks away from Place de la République.

I enjoyed a great matcha capuccino but suprises are not over yet. I was double happy when I found out that there are gluten free options that welcome in also us celiac or intolerant to gluten.

One day I went to Umani for lunch and tasted its “donburi”: Japanese rice, red labelled chicken from the Landes region, algae, leek, red cabbage, carrots and tamarin sauce. It was really delicious.

All dishes are prepared fresh everyday, they are made with selected top quality ingredients and they are also available to take away if you don’t have time to stay.

And then came dessert! The gluten free one rhymes with a 75% dark chocolate from Tanzania “fondant” with yuzu flavoured whipped cream. The “fondant” was soft, its texture was creamy and I loved the intense taste of the chocolate. I am not a bit fan of whipped cream on the other side but this one flavoured with yuzu had me totally ! Light and tasty.

Another thing that I always notice when I visit a new place is the atmosphere that is created by the design but also by the people who work there: at Umami the team is smiling and warm. I felt at east immediately.

Besides it’s such a quite place. It is pleasant to spend time there. I sometimes go there with my laptop and do some work. And of course seep one of the best matcha ever that happens to be also organic.

Umami is also an “épicerie fine” specialised in artisanal products coming straight from Japan.

Actually it is like this that the adventure started: a team of young French people who got passionate by Japan culture and decided to import the best products they could find to France and most of all, show chefs and people in general how to integrate them in the French cuisine.

These French and young are Jean and Laure Béguin – brother and sister – who along with Yoko Gambe and Raphaël Berrhoun are continuing this journey in Paris. 

From shiitaké mushrooms to extra yuzu jam, from selected Japanese rice and green teas, to noodles and rice vinegars, everything is selected with the greatest care.

And if you are not in Paris right now, the good news is that you can shop these products also on line. The rendez-vous is on www.umamiparis.com