Chef Nouel Catis and The Matcha Tokyo Prove Dubai Chocolate + Green Tea Are a Match Made in Heaven

(SPOT.ph) Chef Nouel Catis' name is everywhere as he seems to be in a collaboration spree—from dessert specials at Steak & Frice, Ramen Ron, and a mano; to the SNA’AP chocolate bar with Auro Café; to the limited-time lineup of desserts he whipped up with Chef Sonny Mariano for Khaiba at The Balmori Suites. The latest in the Dubai chocolate creator's growing list of projects? A new collaboration with The Matcha Tokyo.

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After Chef Nouel Catis and Chef Sonny Mariano's debut as an unstoppable duo to watch out for during Khaiba at The Balmori Suites, the two chefs return for another collaboration, this time for The Matcha Tokyo Philippines (just in case you didn't know, Chef Sonny is the executive chef of The Matcha Tokyo). The pair unveiled a lineup of earthy green and warm brown-hued drinks and desserts that blend The Matcha Tokyo's expertise with matcha and Chef Nouel's unorthodox pastry techniques, while sprinkling his signature crunchy kataifi, crushed pistachio, and sweet chocolate (the holy trinity that makes the Dubai chocolate) here, there, and everywhere.

The new items under this collaboration include two drinks, and we're starting off strong with the Iced Matcha Dubai Chocolate Latte (P395). By no means your ordinary layered, micro-foamed matcha latte, this dessert-leaning drink has a lightly nutty pistachio foam hat's sprinkled with crisp, golden-brown kataifi bits. Its glass rim comes dripping with liquid gold (chocolate), too, as a luxe touch. The best way to drink this drink? Savor the pistachio foam, the sweetness of chocolate, and the crunchy kataifi before mixing everything together.

The other drink is the Hojichai with Langue de Chat (P295). Please, read it again, and more carefully. It's not just simple hojicha, it's hoji-chai.

This drink is another classic tea latte that's reimagined, specifically with the warmth of Indian spices: cardamom and cinnamon. While, yes, you can still taste the nutty, roasty profile of the hojicha, the sweet and spicy spices are more prominent. This comes with a buttery piece of kataifi-lined Langue De Chat, which you can dip into the warm drink before taking a bite.

Within the Matcha Tokyo x Nouel Catis collaboration's pastry department, there's the Matcha Butter Mochi (P290). Don’t expect the chewy, stretchy kind of mochi here; this version is stickier, firmer, and denser, akin to kakanin (specifically cassava cake) but with the distinct grassy, lightly umami profile of matcha. This is a treat bound to become the go-to for those who prefer their desserts less sweet (all together now: "hindi masyadong matamis")—even if there is a nutty chocolate coating sprinkled with kataifi.

The Dubai Chocolate Cookie with Matcha Soft Serve (P550), my favorite from the entire collaboration, is more than just a simple cookie and soft serve or a cookie a la mode. The dark chocolate cookie has the perfect balance of texture: a satisfying crunchy exterior, soft and chewy on the inside, and with melted Dubai Chocolate oozing from the center; and it is then finished off with a matcha soft serve on top, slowly melting in the warmth of the cookie. There is no sugarcoating (pun intended) that this dessert is sweet, but it's also the kind we're willing to go on a sugar high for more than once.

Coming from the Khaiba collaboration, the Habibi Cake makes a comeback at The Matcha Tokyo—but given a greener, earthier, umami makeover. It's now the Habibi Matcha Cake (P420/slice, P1,200/whole), a petite treat with a thick layer (almost half an inch thick!) of silky chocolate ganache; a moist chocolate sponge cake beneath the chocolate coating; and at its heart, a hidden layer of matcha sponge cake, adding a mild earthy taste to each forkful of chocolate.

On its own, the Habibi Matcha Cake already delivers: silky, fudgy, and just a touch crunchy from the crushed pistachios scattered on top. But it also comes with a pour-over chocolate sauce that gives this dessert some main character energy.

The collaboration between The Matcha Tokyo and Chef Nouel Catis runs until the end of the year—but this doesn't mean that this is the last you'll see Chef Nouel's name in headlines. Chef Nouel has more up his sleeve, and there's definitely more Dubai chocolate to come around—all before the year ends. So, yes, keep your eyes peeled and buckle up for more sugar highs.

The Matcha Tokyo's chef-exclusive collaboration with Chef Nouel Catis is available just until December 31, 2025. These are available at the following participating branches of The Matcha Tokyo Philippines: Mitsukoshi BGC, Gateway Mall 2, Opus Mall, Ayala Malls Vertis North, Robinsons Magnolia, Lucky Chinatown Mall, Parqal, SM Mall of Asia, SM Fairview, SM City Clark, SM City Bacolod (drinks only), and SM Iloilo (drinks only).

For more information, check out The Matcha Tokyo Philippines' Facebook page.