Allison Ma
Barista Adrian Abastilla takes an order from a family of customers at Ryokucha Cafe on El Camino Real. According to Abastilla, their store won't be heavily affected by the recent matcha shortage. "A lot of the companies that are within these prefectures actually stagger their rotations, and there's way too many suppliers for us to actually not have one," Abastilla said. "Yes, we are behind on shipments, but we are making everything last, and we are rationing very well."
The earthy, herbal scent of freshly brewed tea fills the air at the newest matcha and boba spot in town.
Ryokucha Cafe at 4131 El Camino Real is almost ready for its official opening after its soft launch earlier this summer in Palo Alto.
The cafe has a modern, tranquil atmosphere: Wooden tables are neatly arranged along a glass wall, allowing bright, natural light to flood the room. Above, circular glass lights dangle from a blue- and white-checkered ceiling, adding a soft glow. A faux pink cherry blossom tree rises from a bed of faux bushes, adding a charming decorative touch.
According to Adrian Abastilla, a barista at Ryokucha Cafe, the cafe is finalizing preparations for its grand opening.
“We were really dependent on some of our supplementary services such as the soft serve, which is actually proprietary by another company, as well as the poke, which is sourced from San Francisco,” Abastilla said. “Now that everything is actually in motion, we’re trying to just work on branding, and then we’ll be hard set on actually opening.”
Abastilla said that what sets Ryokucha Cafe apart from other similar cafes is its quality and authenticity
“In terms of the poke, that all comes from Hayward, the best supplier for fish as of now, more so than San Francisco,” Abastilla said. “And then the soft serve, all of it is Strauss. We get all of our matcha from Honyama. We focus on quality, and we focus on actually producing enough revenue here so that we can reimburse it back again or reinvest it.”
According to Abastilla, the new cafe is based on previous businesses at the location, including the bubble tea store Tea Amo.
“Everything here is actually just an amalgamation of whatever the previous owners have actually had experience with,” Abastilla said. “It’s all three businesses that have been supplanted into one.”
Abastilla said that a specialty at Ryokucha is giving customers the option to add extra matcha shots without additional cost.
“We are getting a lot of mixed signals regarding the volume of matcha,” Abastilla said. “Some people want three. We can’t split the difference and go with 2.5 because some people are very content with just two. That’s why we’re giving people the signal to tell us if you want an extra shot.”
We went to the cafe around noon on Sunday and received quick service, getting our order in less than five minutes. Here is what we found:
Mango Matcha Latte ($7) — 7/10
This beverage offers a robust flavor profile. We ordered it with 50% sweetness, which highlighted the bitterness of the matcha but made it less sweet than expected. The mango puree at the bottom added a sweet and tart contrast, balancing the slightly bland matcha flavor with its syrupy brightness. We would opt for a higher sugar level next time; however, the drink was still light, refreshing and enjoyable overall.
Hojicha Bubble Latte ($7) — 8/10
This drink had a deep, roasted flavor that tea lovers would appreciate. At 50% sweetness, the drink was less sweet than we expected, but the syrupy sweetness of the boba paired nicely with the tea’s natural bitterness. The pearls were chewy and infused with caramelized brown sugar, adding both texture and a hint of sweetness. While we admired the quality of the tea and boba, the mismatched sweetness levels left us slightly underwhelmed.
Matcha Soft Serve ($6.50) — 8/10
The soft serve features a delightful balance of flavors, with the mild and creamy sweetness of the ice cream complementing the earthy and slightly bitter notes of matcha. The crisp waffle cone adds a satisfying sweet crunch to each bite. This frozen treat is the perfect way to cool off on a hot day, offering a refreshing alternative to traditional ice cream flavors.
We enjoyed the quality and care put into the flavor of each drink, and the thoughtful pairings were a success. Overall, Ryokucha Cafe is a cozy shop that offers a wide range of drinks and food, making it a welcoming spot for everyone.