Uji Time Dessert

Visited the iconic Uji Time! My go-to was always their unique tofu ice cream, but it's sadly no longer on the regular menu, replaced by ube. Fortunately, during our visit, tofu was the seasonal flavor! Ube turned out to be surprisingly delightful. Ordering is done outside the store on a tablet. You choose your cone type (Taiyaki or waffle) or a cup, indicating Taiyaki if chosen, soft serve flavor, and two toppings. Pints are also available. Apart from soft serve, they offer mochi ice cream and pudding desserts. After ordering, an employee delivers your order, and you pick it up at the door. Seating is limited, with a few benches around, so it's best to be fortunate on crowded days or while waiting for your order. Compared to other taiyaki places, Uji Time's ice cream tends to be on the frostier side, which I appreciate for its durability. If you're in SF Japantown during the summer, Uji Time is a must for the warm weather. Although it's not summer anymore, a few days ago, we still felt the need for a sweet, cool treat! Located on the East side of the Japanese Peace Plaza shopping area near Daiso on the lower level, Uji Time may have lines, but they are usually quick at getting orders out, minimizing wait times.

I was quite disappointed with the Japanese-branded ice cream that was recommended to me locally. The texture suggested it might have been melted and refrozen several times, which significantly detracted from its quality. Instead of the creamy consistency one expects from soft serve, it had the unpleasant taste and texture of poorly blended ice and milk. Overall, it was an unsatisfactory experience.

Ordering was easy is done electronically through their tablet located just to the left of the front door. User Interface was fairly intuitive. Payment is processed using swipe or tap via square. You are provided a receipt. Very little interaction with the worker but I’m sure if you had questions you can just ring the bell. There is no indoor seating. I ordered the black sesame and it was fairly good I think but my wife was not into it so it may be an acquired taste. Not sure though if it’s a go out of my way stand in line good. I’d go back to have a go with the other selection.