New matcha cafes open, despite an ongoing shortage
Labubus, boba, Korean skin care products and matcha – all things popular in Asia that recently have been all the hype here too.
I remember visiting Tokyo matcha cafe Saryo Tsujiri in 2017 and being in awe of the aesthetic matcha parfaits and bowls of matcha udon. At the time, no matcha cafes existed along the Peninsula, and I wished for years that the concept would eventually come. And it did.
Now, there’s what seems to be a surplus of matcha cafes in the area: Matsu Matcha, Ryokucha Cafe and Matcha Ren all opened recently, and BonBon Matcha and Izumi Matcha are on the way. At the same time, there’s also been a matcha shortage since last fall. So how are all these businesses able to keep up with demand? Writer Edwina Dueñas talked with local matcha cafe owners for the story.
Stay tasty,
Adrienne
How new Peninsula cafes are handling the matcha shortage to meet customer demand
Matcha has reached a fever pitch in today’s culinary world, and more matcha-focused cafes are cropping up on the Peninsula — even with an ongoing shortage of the green-hued tea powder.
Detroit-style pizza come to Palo Alto, a local cookie shop expands and a pub crawl that teaches about censorship
- Square Pie Guys expands its Peninsula footprint with the opening of its Cal Ave. outpost.
- Redwood City’s “fancy Starbucks” permanently closed on Sunday. It’s one of hundreds of Starbucks nationwide that recently shuttered.
- The Cantina, a Los Gatos restaurant serving tacos, smashburgers and cocktails, is hosting its grand opening Saturday from 2-10 p.m.
- Antoine’s Cookie Shop is now in soft opening in Los Gatos and will host its grand opening Friday.
- Korean grocery store Mega Mart opened Sept. 24 in East Palo Alto.
- Learn how to make Khao Soi coconut curry noodle soup Oct. 8 at local cookbook author VC Tang’s upcoming cooking class in Redwood City. Her cooking classes are listed here.
- The Redwood City Library Foundation is hosting its fourth annual Upscale Pub Crawl Oct. 8. The ticketed event includes libations from 16 establishments, with each location featuring a banned book and offering information about censorship.
- Doppio Zero is offering $10 Margherita pizzas every Monday night in October in celebration of National Pizza Month.
- The Yard in Redwood City will be closed Oct. 6-26 for renovations, according to a recent Instagram post.
- Treehouse Hotel Silicon Valley in Sunnyvale is hosting a ticketed Oktoberfest event Oct. 4-5 with local craft and seasonal beers, live music and games. More Peninsula Oktoberfest events can be found here.
- Cupertino is celebrating its 70th anniversary Oct. 6-12 with restaurant deals from 22 participating businesses.
- Belmont-based Dom’s Nom’s will be closed through Oct. 13, according to a recent Instagram post.
- Daly City is hosting its 10th annual Kasayahan Sa Daly City event at Marchbank Park Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Expect live performances, a beer garden, food and merchandise vendors and children’ s activities.
Brunch at Twelvemonth
From personal experience, it’s nearly impossible to brunch with a vegan (or vegetarian who doesn’t eat eggs). Most (and sometimes all) dishes on brunch menus are egg-based or feature some form of meat. But at Twelvemonth, every dish is vegan.
Like most vegan restaurants I’ve been to, Twelvemonth’s portions are small for the price ($25-$32 for entrees). However, the food is tasty and the ambiance is gorgeous. Located in a former fire station, the ceilings are very high and there’s ample natural light and abundant greenery. It’s modern, classy and most importantly, a place where vegans and non-vegans alike can enjoy a meal together.
I tried eight dishes, and my top two favorites were the Korean fried chicken sliders ($20) and the dumplings ($18).
The chicken sliders were a flavor bomb, with a sweet and spicy gochujang glaze, a pop of acidity from the pickles and a creamy kimchi aioli. The house buns were perfectly pillowy, and the shaved cabbage added freshness and crunch.
The dumplings were stuffed with shiitake mushrooms and carrots and sat in a wonderfully tangy and slightly spicy sauce of black vinegar and chili oil. The peanuts on top added extra crunch, and a smattering of green onion and cilantro added freshness.
The most disappointing dish was the barbecue artichoke. For $22, the portion size is laughable – the amount of artichoke would easily fit in the palm of my hand. I’d recommend skipping this one.
Overall, Twelvemonth is not a must-try for meat eaters, but I think it’s a very good option for those who are vegan or vegetarian.
Twelvemonth, 330 Lorton Ave., Burlingame; 650-443-7111, Instagram: @twelvemonthburlingame. Open Tuesday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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