Direct from Hong Kong

Cute, trendy Asian-style cafes are not easy to find in Chicago. But since July, one new addition has helped brighten up the scene in Chinatown - Saint's Alp Teahouse.

First opened in Hong Kong in 1994, Saint's Alp Teahouse now has more than 40 locations throughout the greater Hong Kong area and mainland China. The shop here in Chicago is just the chain's second American location, following one at New York University in Manhattan.

The menu features more than 70 different tea and coffee based beverages - milk tea, bubble tea, herbal tea, cafe au lait, and more, all served hot or iced. (The almond black milk tea I ordered is one of Saint's Alp's signature iteams - delicious, though a bit sweet). There is a limited selection of food too, including set meals and snacks such as thick toast covered with condensed milk or coconut butter.

The atmosphere is warm and energetic, though some people may be turned off by the relatively young crowd it attracts (with no alcohol served, Saint's Alp is a good late night spot for teenagers). The service is attentive - not since I had been in Japan have I seen servers hustle more.

What a comfortable, laid-back place to enjoy a cup of tea. I can't wait to go again!


Saint's Alp Teahouse
2131 S. Archer Ave.
Chicago, IL

Each time you finish reading a story, please click here! With just one click every day, you'll be helping my blog ranking. Thank you!!

Korean coffee

Over the weekend, we visited a Korean grocery store here in Chicago for the first time, Chicago Food Corp. Some Japanese friends had recommended this little supermarket to us. Although the Chicago suburbs have a number of Japanese stores, very few, if any, can be found in the city itself. So Chicago Food Corp is probably the best substitute. This store sells a lot of food familiar to anyone who has spent time in Japan - vegetables like daikon and shiitake, fruit like nashi, miso paste, golden curry, even Kewpie mayonnaise. What a happy place!

But I had to laugh a bit at some of the products. At first glance, they looked like items I had become used to seeing at my local market in Tokushima. But when I looked closer, I realized they were actually Korean brands! One product in particular stands out. In Japanese bakeries, I always used to buy Mt. Rainier Caffe Latte, which is made by Morinaga. Well, in Chicago Food Corp, Caffe Latte is sold too - only it turned out to be Love Caffe Latte, made by a company called Maeil. It looks almost the same!

And actually it tastes almost the same too. I'm so curious about the connection between these two products. Did Morinaga and Maeil work on them together? Perhaps these companies are owned by the same parent company and therefore share some products? Or did one company simply copy the other?

And why doesn't anyone bring these Caffe Latte products to the US - I love them!


Chicago Food Corp
3333 N. Kimball Ave.
Chicago, IL


Each time you finish reading a story, please click here! With just one click every day, you'll be helping my blog ranking. Thank you!!

Look alike

I think I saw a picture of my cat while shopping in IKEA! Don't you think so?





Each time you finish reading a story, please click here! With just one click every day, you'll be helping my blog ranking. Thank you!!

Zen and the art of brewing tea

I think I might have turned into a tea snob. Living in Japan, I learned to love tea brewed fresh from the leaves - rather than from the tea bags I had typically used in the US. The taste of the fresh tea was natural and distinct - and clearly superior to Lipton or other bagged tea I used to drink. Now that I'm living in the US again, I have a hard time drinking tea brewed from a bag.

Although I do make one exception - Tazo Zen.

Zen is Chinese green tea flavored with a hint of lemongrass, spearmint, and lemon essence. It is just one of many varieties of tea available from Tazo, which is the tea company held within Starbucks. I have tried a few of the others, and they are not bad - but I will choose Zen every time for its light, slightly sweet flavor.

And even though it is only sold in bags, Tazo Zen can hold its own against fresh tea. It fulfills its promise of providing a soothing, invigorating tea-drinking experience.

Each time you finish reading a story, please click here! With just one click every day, you'll be helping my blog ranking. Thank you!!