Minimalist chic Japanese cookie brand Press Butter Sand is arriving at Takashimaya’s Food Hall on Friday (Dec 8). Specialising in artfully crafted butter cookies sandwiched with buttercream and caramel, the brand was established at Tokyo Station in 2017 by Bake Inc, the same team behind Japanese cheese tart brand Bake Cheese Tart (the once-hyped dessert exited the Singapore market in 2019).
Press Butter Sand, so named for its special pressed cookie baking technique, now boasts over 30 outlets in Japan, Korea and Hong Kong.
The Takashimaya outlet marks PBS’s first shop in Singapore.
BETWEEN S$4 TO S$4.80 A PIECE, ALMOST DOUBLE THAT IN JAPAN
While there are about seven flavours available in Japan (including the more exciting pistachio, chestnut, lemon and choc hazelnut), the Singapore outlet will carry only three basic flavours for a start: The original (from S$22.50 for five pieces to S$60 for 15 pcs), uji matcha (from S$24 for five pieces to S$40.50 for nine pieces) and chocolate (from S$24 for five pieces to S$40.50 for nine pieces).
It’s not cheap at roughly S$4 to S$4.80 per cookie. Probably because you’re paying for freight: Each box is shipped frozen from Japan and has a relatively short shelf life of around two weeks after being defrosted as they don’t contain preservatives.
But if you’re going to Tokyo over the holiday season (where the whole world seems to be right now thanks to the weak yen), it’ll be kinder on your wallet to just buy some there. A set of five costs from ¥1107 (S$10.08) for the original cookie to ¥1296 (S$11.80) for the flavoured ones on PBS’s online store.
CHOCOLATE
The chocolate number is nearly as good, too. It features the same butter cookie, but this time much darker as it’s blended with cocoa powder, giving it a sultry bittersweet edge. Tucked within: chocolate-infused caramel and buttercream. It’s like a luxe, elevated Oreo for adults. Yum.
UJI MATCHA
While we had high hopes for the uji matcha option (pictured, on top), we found the green tea-flavoured buttercream a touch too bitter and tannic. We hope they introduce the other more interesting flavours to Singapore soon.
HOW TO SNAG NOT-FOR-SALE FLAVOURS FOR FREE
The first 500 customers to spend S$60 or more will bag a complimentary Christmas Gift Ornament Press Butter Sand Box containing three cookies: Strawberry and pistachio (both not available in Singapore yet), plus an original cookie.
Press Butter Sand opens on Dec 8 at B2 Takashimaya Department Store, 391 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238873. Open daily 10am – 9.30pm. More info via their website and Instagram.
This story was originally published in 8Days.
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