Sebastian Kakigori

203 Queen St
Melbourne, VIC 3000
https://sebastiankakigori.univer.se/

Shaved ice places are a dime a dozen these days, but Sebastian Kakigori is different. Not only are they a direct import from the fashionable Ginza district in Tokyo, their water for their ice is also directly imported from Japan (Mount Haku, to be specific). Another point of difference? Each shaved ice confection costs well over $30. But once you taste the meticulous craftsmanship that goes into each dessert, and remember the fact that each flake is made from fancy imported water, slow-frozen over 48 hours, the price becomes understandable. It may be pricey, but it is easily heads and shoulders above all other shaved ice I’ve ever had. In true Japanese fashion, Sebastian Kakigori does one thing, and does it exceedingly well.

Rating: 14.5/20 – kaki-glorious.
Must-order: the crème brûlée kakigori is the signature but honestly? try it once, then stick to the traditional ones.
Disappointments: i’m a little upset that these are so good that I would happily shell out $35 for them. my poor wallet.

You’re instructed to eat the kakigori from top to bottom, and for good reason – the desserts are layered very meticulously. For example: the Japanese Rare Cheese Kakigori ($32) was a delightful transition from the rich cream cheese sauce to the impossibly feathery shaved ice.

As you dig down, the fluffy ice flakes are interspersed with tropical pineapple chunks and drizzled with compote, before giving way to a summery mixed berry sauce. It’s is like eating three different cheesecakes in succession, except the experience is impossibly elegant, rather than stomach-ache inducing.

But the absolute signature dish – and what gives the café its cosy caramelised sugar aroma – is the Crème Brûlée Kakigori ($35). Just watching the assembly is a treat in and of itself: the way the ice lands like a flurry of snow after being shaved off the block, the drizzle of strawberry confiture, the careful spreading of the layer of the French vanilla custard, and of course, the sizzle of the brûlée torch and the accompanying smell of caramel.

When it comes to the actual eating however, call me a traditionalist. As delightful as the presentation and flavours are, this dish fails to showcase what I think is the most impressive part of the kakigori here – the texture of the shaved ice. Because the flakes are so light and delicate, just that little bit of heat is enough to start it melting. As a result, there isn’t much of a chance to savour the smooth, almost creamy way in which the ice dissolves in your mouth, because it’s already half liquid by the time you’re a few bites in. But would I recommend trying it at least once? Absolutely. It is a one-of-a-kind dessert, and still a delicious one, even if it’s not as good (in my opinion) as the straight up shaved ice.

If you’re after something a little lighter though, the Strawberry and Rose Kakigori ($28) is glorious. The flavour profile is delicately floral, and at the end of winter, serves as a reminder that warmer, longer days are coming. I especially enjoyed the elderflower jelly hidden in the centre, its subtle slipperiness adding an extra dimension to the airy rose cream and fluffy shaved ice.

The Blond Chocolate and Café au Lait Kakigori ($34) may be the least flashy looking of the lot, but I cannot overstate how good this tastes. Instead of fruit and cream, this boasts a much more mature flavour palate, balancing the sweet of chocolate with the richness bitterness of coffee, and topped with an intoxicating rum-infused cream. And once you get to the candied orange peels hidden towards the bottom, it honestly feels like you’ve just had a fancy after-dinner dessert cocktail.