“Discover your home away from home” at Basho Cafe on E Hastings and Victoria. hippoCHAN and I were in the neighbourhood so we decided to check out this cozy, family-run Japanese cafe.
All of their baked goodies looked so good in the display case, with matcha being a prominent theme.
The Matcha Chocolate Coconut Cookie had textbook-perfect soft and slightly chewy texture. It was a breeze for us to share and pull off chunks of cookies. The matcha was justly balanced with the chocolate and coconut. We also liked the addition of chewy coconut strips.
For her lunch, hippoCHAN ordered the Tuna Tataki Salad ($9.5). The tuna itself was very well done. It was topped with some green onion and ginger that added a whole new level of freshness and spice. On the other hand, the salad was seriously dampened with dressing. We both agreed that having the tuna tataki as a rice bowl would have been a better choice.
I went for a meatier dish – the Teri Pulled Pork Rice Bowl ($8). It was served with a variety of vegetables around the rim. I wished that they were hot, or at least warm, though.
The meat wasn’t spectacular either. It was dry and salty. I couldn’t really taste much of the sweet teriyaki flavour; it was only salty.
Overall, I would come back for their hot drinks and baked goods, but pass on the entrees.
Final Bytes
- Closed Monday and Tuesday
- Afternoon set (Matcha latte & Sweets) for $5 after 2PM
- Matcha galore!
Foodobyte’s Rating
