Chris P.
Yelp
In an era of over-commercialized matcha, what does a cafe need to do to stand out from the rest?
Nestled between Thai Town and Hollywood, Kettl first caught my attention from all the hype online and my direct social circle. At first, I was a bit unsure because while it had a lot of hype, its three-star rating on Yelp made me cautious. But when I arrived, I found the place to be cute and welcoming, with a minimalistic and relaxing ambiance making it a great place to slow down and appreciate quality teas and company.
One of the best parts of visiting Kettl was the staff, who were very knowledgeable about different types of matcha. They explained how matcha and different types of teas are prepared and the place even offer tea tasting sessions, which I'd love to try in the future. We ordered the Shirakawa and the Suiteki matcha. The Suiteki was creamy and floral, while the Shirakawa, which is the highest grade, had a rich umami flavor.
We tried these two matchas as cortados and they were impressive. Drinking it as a cortado allowed us to fully enjoy the earthy and slightly bitter flavors of matcha without it being too sweet and commercialized. If you prefer bold, umami-rich matcha over sweet, trendy versions (insert matcha einspanners) this place is worth checking out.
Since we usually make our own high-grade ceremonial matcha at home, we're pretty picky about our matcha. Many matcha places in Koreatown and Los Angeles focus on sweet, creamy, commercialized matcha drinks, which are palatable and accessible to the general crowd but don't highlight the true taste of matcha and the experience that comes with it. Kettl, however, does a great job of keeping the matcha pure, without added sweeteners or unnecessary ingredients.
Overall, we would definitely go back. If you're looking for a matcha experience without all the extra sweetness, Kettl is a must-visit.