This place pleasantly surprised me. Located further inside the public market, this restaurant offers a fusion menu. We got the Gochujang Mac n Cheese (4/5)- very flavorful. I think this is the only right way to have Mac n Cheese now. My friends got pork belly on the side and said it was great Dolsot Bibimbap (5/5)- served in a stone pot with plenty of veggies. The tofu was done really well. The runny fried egg and seaweed added a nice flavor to it. Together with the gochujang and banchan (side dishes) it was just perfect. My friends got the japchae and sandwich (4/5) and said they were really delicious. The seasoning on the fries was 10/10. Highly recommend this place for a dash of fusion in the usual Korean dishes. read more

I always love finding a great new matcha place, so I was so excited to try them on a day trip to Santa Barbara. Matcha is everywhere, but there's a big difference between match and GOOD matcha. And their matcha is GOOD matcha. Really enjoyed their strawberry matcha. It was my first time getting matcha where it was actually in the foam, and while I stirred it a bit to get the strawberry mixed in, having the matcha foam really escalated the flavor of the drink. Husband tried one of their brownies and LOVED it. Not too much seating, but the bar seating was perfect for us. Will definitely have to stop by for another matcha next time we're at the Public Market. read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Strawberry Matcha - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Wasn't sure what to eat at the Public Market, and decided to get some Korean food :-) and wow, what a great surprise! The chicken sandwich was great, and they give you a generous amount of seasoned fries. The pesto noodles came with lots of mushroom and I added the pork belly bites. It was a little bit greasy towards the end, and a little bland if you don't add the gojujang. But it was great with gojujang, definitely get a bottle of gojujang when you pick up your food. The price of the food is very reasonable. And when I saw the matcha brownie, I just had to get it! It was $7 (a little pricey) but it was a nice treat. It was very matcha-y. I would come back! Didn't check out their drinks menu, maybe next time! read more

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Korean fast food at the Santa Barbara Public Market. Food was delicious! Luckily, we found a table for 4 right after we ordered our food as the place was busy busy. read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Iced Yuzu Honey Matcha Fizz - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Didn't try the food but I really only came here because I heard how good the matcha was. I got the blueberry matcha cloud and it did not disappoint! I will be back to try other drinks! read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Blueberry Matcha Cloud - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

In the Santa Barbara area and looking for great matcha... I highly recommend Seoulmate Kitchen -as their Strawberry Cream Matcha (see my pic) was creamy, perfect sweetness and very memorable for me. Had the Matcha blonde brownie and it had a subtle matcha flavor, good density and satisfied my sweet craving. For lunch, I tried the Seoul Fire Wings (had a sweet and spicy gochujang-based sauce) and it was crispy, overall very satisfying. A tad oily and messy, but I didn't mind it. Served with rice and banchan (side dishes -kimchee, pickled cucumbers). Line was long to order drinks at the touch screen (see my pic). Had to order food/lunch at the register (different line). Service was speedy and direct. Drinks were definitely worth the wait and price. Inside seating, very casual interior here and located within the Public Market. read more

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On a crowded Friday night, the line stretched pretty far but we were excited regardless. Heard lots of good things and their Instagram is full of silly content. I ordered the wings because I am from LA and a sucker for Korean fried chicken. However, everything about this was quite disappointing. I learned how the owners had to change the recipe to curate to the demographics of this area. Even the kimchi and pickled cucumbers tasted watered down and flavorless. Simply wet. I was imagining some mouth puckering sour and spicy. The rice to chicken ratio was off. I like to chase my spicy chicken with rice but the chicken wasn't even spicy. The menu items have potential and I hope to come back again. read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Chicken Seoul Fire Wings - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Second time visiting Seoulmate Kitchen! This time we ordered a different kind of matcha (Sesame Dal Latte) and food (Dolsot Bibimbap). Seoulmate Kitchen never fails their matcha specials! I absolutely loved the sesame dal latte. Their food however, was a bit bland. I had to add quite a bit of gochujang sauce, salt, and pepper to add some umami but it still wasn't enough. The portion, however, was massive! Service was also really good. We kept asking for more banchan and they happily served us some more :) read more

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Originally wanted to go to Secret Bao but couldn't get a reservation so came here. 2/5 - Bento box with pork belly. This was surprisingly bland. There was no flavor in the cooked pork belly and the assembled veggies also lacked flavor. The accompanying kimchi and cucumber was okay. Overall not that happy with this lunch choice. read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Bento box with Pork Belly - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Probably the best matcha I've ever tried! 10/10 It's good quality and I love that you can taste the richness of it because a lot of places don't do it right. I also like all the different flavor options they have - can't wait to try em all! The food I've tried here is pretty good but doesn't really stand out to me so I'll just be returning for the drinks :-) read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Matcha and strawberry- good. Tteokboki- good. Customer service- excellent! Seoulmate Kitchen has a corner stall inside the Santa Barbara Public Market. There's a counter to order and pickup depends on cafe items like drinks and pastries vs hot food. They also have cute merch taunting you right beside the hot food counter. I started with the Strawberry Matcha. The cashier reminded me it is typically made with whole milk, but they have multiple offerings so I went with oat milk. I was handed a buzzer and wandered PB. I may have only made it around the corner when I was buzzed for my drink. I've never seen such a pretty drink! The matcha was true to name- cloudlike, and the strawberries were sweet and fresh! I also ordered the simmered rice cake which came out shortly after. It is Tteokboki in a traditional gochujang sauce and they gave an extra side of sauce. I thought they sauced it nicely, not swimming in it but all the rice cakes were coated with the right amount of flavor. I also had a brownie which was fudgey and chocolatey, unadulterated without nuts, just the way a brownie should be. It went so well with the drink it had me craving for more! The cashier was friendly and thoughtful. I couldn't ask for a better experience. They have minimal counter seating, but there are plenty of tables at the PB. Street parking was all taken when I went during dinner hours, so I highly recommend going early or later in the evening. But the parking across the street does offer 75 min free before having to pay $3 for each additional hour after. Can't wait to work my way down the menu! read more

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It was my first time trying this place out last night and I absolutely loved the food. I ordered the BiBimBap. The food came out very flavorful. The bulgogi beef was super yummy. And all of the vegetables tasted like a perfect blend with the meal. I love the ambiance of this place. It's eatery style. But it's done in such a trendy way. Love coming here. And the drinks, phenomenal. I ordered the cloud matcha banana drink and it was absolutely tasty. Not too sweet with a very strong much of flavor.. Service was good. I'm looking forward to coming back. read more

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I had stopped by Seoulmate Kitchen for their lovely matcha in the past but hadn't tried the food until now! My mom and I are lovers of bibimbap and were excited when we saw Seoulmate Kitchen had it on the dinner menu. When the opportunity arose to try it, we went for it! You order at the counter then grab a seat whilst waiting for your food. After a few minutes, everything was ready to go. In addition to the bibimbap, my mom and I ordered some kimchi arancini (which we started with). It was very delicious - chewy, crispy. I've admittedly never tried arancini at all so this was a nice first go. The first thing about the bibimbap is that it comes in a hot stone bowl so naturally it was very...hot! Whilst proceeding with caution, my mom and I dug into the bibimbap. It was very delicious. It had lots of toppings and banchan which provided a well rounded experience with flavor and texture. We opted for chicken as our protein which was very delicious. If you get the red sauce with it, it adds a nice kick to the dish that isn't overpowering. Overall, I had a very pleasant experience at Seoulmate Kitchen and have been back since my initial visit. If you're interested in trying it, I would recommend it!! read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Kimchi arancini, Dolsot Bibimbap - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The new spot for your matcha needs and other Korean inspired food. Located in the public market, this has been a great addition to the different cuisines in the market. The service is friendly and helpful and answered questions that you may have. The strawberry matcha is a staple to have. They do make it sweet but do accommodate and can turn down the sweetness preference. They also have different flavor drops such as the hibiscus matcha which was a surprising flavor combination. Address if you have a milk preference. Their coffee drinks are strong as well. The fries are delicious. The Seoul fire wings are delicious and come with a generous amount of white rice. Every bite is a flavor punch. Will definitely go back to try other items. read more

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They're located at the back corner of the SB public market. They have a separate line for food vs. cafe which i appreciate because they can get pretty busy! I ordered a banana matcha - soo delicious! Super rich & creamy. Can't wait to come back! read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Banana Cloud matcha - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The Sesame Dal Latte was amazing! The matcha had such a nice subtle sweet bitterness and nuttyness of the black sesame was perfect! It was located in the Santa Barbara Public Market which had tons of seats and places to choose from for food. read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Sesame Dal Latte - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

After reading the review of Seoulmate Kitchen from my friend Angela who lives in the 805 area, this place was put on my bucket list to try. This place in located in Santa Barbara Public Market, it is in the rear of the market. I ordered the Seoul fire wings, the six cripsy chicken wings had the perfect crunch, they had a Korean glaze that was sweet and spicy ( this glaze is to die for) also sesame seeds top with green onion, this was served on a bed of rice, plus the K- Sprouts I have never had brussel sproute kung pao style so delicious too, lastly I had the strawberry matcha drink. The staff were very nice friendly and helpful, I also notice they had a board up with paper and a pen's that you could fill out what you are thankful for and tape to the board....so cool. This is now one of my must eat at place in the 805 read more

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Located in a food hall with a pretty decent matcha The service was quick and there was a decent amount of seating as well. There are two different lines. One looked like it was strictly for the cafe but we were also able to order drinks at the food line along with our food. read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Pork belly bento box Fried chicken sandwich (special) with fries - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Very delicious matcha. I was super excited to try it out. Service is fast! I love love love the matcha they use, Nami matcha, and the balanced earthy flavors with the raspberry and sesame for all the matchas we got! read more

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Came here for burger week and had this alongside 2 other burgers. The bulgogi burger was ok. Reminded me of bibim bap, but with a burger bun instead of rice. If I was given more veggies, I probably would have bumped my rating. But the bulgogi was good and I appreciate them putting the gochu jang sauce on the side, but the burger was not my favorite. But I will say I would come back bc I've been curious about their Korean food, since we have limited Korean food in SB. read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Burger week burger - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Cute stall in the Santa Barbara Public Market, a food hall right off the main road running through DTSB. I was excited to try the Chewy Rice Cake Carbonara (tteokboki carbonara), but unfortunately the dish was quite bland. The whole thing could've used more salt and seasoning; even the pork belly and cheese sauce seemed not to have a lick of salt. Fortunately the banchan/pickled sides saved the fish a bit. And all that said, the tteokboki were perfectly chewy and not too mushy or firm. read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Chewy Rice Cake Carbonara - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Oh my Seoul... how can I possibly go back to Orange County knowing you are miles away from me. I had been following Seoulmate kitchen on IG and every post left my mouth watering and craving this spot. We finally made it to SB for the weekend and yes.. the hype is very very real. Do they have the best strawberry matcha cloud I've ever had in my life? I think so.. the matcha cloud literally tastes pillowy.. is that possible? I don't know how they do it, but keep slaying I also really loved the mango matcha cloud and I loved that the drinks are not too sweet, it's subtle yet oh so satisfying. We went on a Saturday night so it was BUSY.. and it's tucked in the corner to your left when you walk in. My biggest regret was not ordering more food.. my husband has to always try their wings and it was delish, not salty at all and super savory with the gochujang- sauce they used. The kimchi arancinis was kimchi fried rice stuffed with mozzarella, dipped with with a scallion lime aioli. Now to breakfast... the next day we came back because how could you not? Breakfast is served from 8:30 am-12pm, we settle for the egg drop sandwich.. are you kidding me? Fluffy egg, bacon, cheddar, drizzled with egg drop sauce.. holy smokes.. how to recreate this at home?! Now back in Orange County thinking I've left my seoulmate in Santa Barbara and I can't wait until I come back in January.. read more

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One of the BEST matchas I've had (and lately I've been having one almost every day!!). Came up to SB from the IE for a bday/weekend getaway and I wanna cry at the thought that this spot isn't close by so I may have one every day - but considering a day trip for this item (and a few others) is worth it!! read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Strawberry Matcha Cloud (+ hubby's coffee from a shop next door) - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I came to Seoulmate kitchen and tried their strawberry matcha and banana cloud latte. The matcha was very tasty and delicious I loved it. It was not overly sweet and the foam was delicious. The banana latte is definitely for the espresso lovers it was quite strong but tasty as well. I also tried their cloud cake and it was a large portion and tasted very similar to tres leches and arroz con leche. I would pass on their nutella brownie because there was not much of a hint of nutella and tasted like regular brownies. They were also pretty large in portion. They also have a self kiosk to order just for drinks which is nice. It was very busy when we went so there was not a lot of seating. read more

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Bumping up my review to another star after my recent visit. I finally tried the food and was blown away by the presentation and serving size! I ordered the Dolsot Bibimbap with bulgogi and Seoul Fire Wings. The bibimbap was still sizzling upon serving and piping hot. Quite the show! The veggies were fresh, the egg fried perfectly, and the bulgogi was tender and flavorful. I appreciate the serving size and they didn't skimp on the meat like some places tend to do. You also get a generous amount of rice. I really enjoyed this meal! The wings were coated in a Korean glaze and perfectly crisp and also served over a bed of rice. I recommend asking for just wings and no rice if you don't want it. I also appreciate that they give you the sauce on the side. Sometimes it can be too much, too little or you just don't care for the sauce. So, at least you can control how much you add. My friend ordered the Kimchi Arancini's and Gochujang Mac n Cheese. I was able to taste both and loved the Kimchi Arancini's! Especially with the scallion lime aioli. I love a good dipping sauce and Omg! The aioli was so good. I'm definitely ordering the kimchi arancini's next time! The Mac n Cheese was creamy, cheesy and had an interesting taste. It's hard to describe, but it was enjoyable. I need to revisit it again since it wasn't my order and I only had a tasting. I love trying new foods and I am so glad we have a Korean restaurant that serves up some great dishes. I'm no expert on Korean food, but Seoulmate Kitchen has won me over. Customer service is friendly and efficient. I also tried the strawberry matcha and it was delicious! I love the creamy cloud of Matcha that sits on top of the drink. Such a beautiful presentation! I can't wait to try the coffee drinks. Overall, Seoul Mate is the perfect name because it is now one of my favorite spots at the Public Market. read more

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Best. Matcha. Ever. I stopped by here on my first day of my weekend trip in SB and came back everyday. It was absolutely amazing, the cafe speciality drinks are really something special. read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Food and drinks are good. Order in person, and not online as they're terribly inefficient and have no idea how to pace correctly between online or in person orders. If it says 20 mins even for a coffee, expect 35-40 mins. read more

My partner heard about a new spot for matcha so we had to come through and give it a try! Their self-order kiosk made ordering incredibly easy and grabbing our drinks! Their strawberry matcha cloud was so cool! I had been waiting for spot like this to come through for a long time and I was blown away! We also tried their rice cakes and they were absolutely incredible! I'll have to try their carbonara next time. read more

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One of the worst customer service I've experienced. The staff was rude, the owner offered no apology - instead became defensive and hostile. After waiting 45 minutes, I asked for an update and was met with a curt, rude response that it was "coming," with no real acknowledgment or apology. While the matcha was good, the food was just so-so and doesn't make up for the bad experience. They've let the popularity of their drinks go to their head, acting as if they're irreplaceable and that customer service doesn't matter. There are plenty of other places to get good matcha without this kind of experience. read more

I personally would only go here for their drinks. Staff is kind but it's so crowded and they're overworked but getting through it best they can. They have a somewhat unfortunate spot in SBPM, as they're all the way in the back and in a corner. It's a bit overwhelming with the fact that there's multiple lines, one for ordering/picking up food, and the other specifically only for drink pick-up. As someone that was born and raised in Santa Barbara and is Asian-American, I do very much care about our town and love to see when Asian-owned businesses thrive. Being here for almost 20 years, you rarely see a business like this last longer than 5 or so years. It requires intense community support to uplift and keep things running. The drinks are great, I love that they have such a wide variety available! I didn't even see that they had drink specials until after I ordered, so I was a bit bummed out by that. It's not super visible when you're ordering, but I'll probably come back to try them in the future :) The food, however... I'm just a little disappointed in. It seems as if they have commodified and put TOO much of a twist on a lot of classic foods to appeal to Santa Barbarians, and thus honestly it feels lackluster. The food just isn't good. It pains me to say this as I love a good bowl of pork belly, and would eat truckloads of bibimbap. It just doesn't even have a leg to stand on against other Korean restaurants in southern california. It breaks my heart as I know one of the owners is half-korean and was inspired by places in K-town, but it doesn't really bear any resemblance one bit. Everything seems underseasoned, not incredibly tasty, and unfortunately overpriced for the quality. I got a $12 box of dry pork belly bites, and questioned why I had even bought it as I could've gotten a bowl of marinated pork belly with rice down the street for the exact same price. Again, I hope that Seoulmate still flourishes and stays here in the long run. However, I don't see myself coming back for the food alone and hope that within time they can improve :) read more

I got the kimchi toki soup and a strawberry matcha. The soup was super sour. Both my friend and I love kimchi but couldn't eat it. The strawberry matcha was okay. The strawberry flavor was good, but it really lacked the matcha taste. I also don't recommend the carbonara tteok as it's bland. For the price point, I was pretty disappointed. read more

The food is extraordinary here. My son, my wife, and I love how delicious and tasty the dishes are and how hot and fresh they are as well. If you like good food, don't hesitate to eat here. You'll probably love it as much as I do. read more

Yum!!! We love this Korean resto/fastfood inside the SB Public Market. Their bento lun ch boxes and their egg drop sandwich is good plus pair it with their stawberry matcha drink---perfection! One of our faves in the SB Public Market. read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Five Stars for Seoulmate! Seoulmate at the Santa Barbara Public Market has quickly become one of my absolute favorite spots. Their Korean-inspired dishes are packed with flavor, creativity, and freshness--every bite tastes like comfort food with a modern twist. You can tell there's real passion behind everything they serve. I've tried several items and each one has blown me away, but the real surprise was their Matcha. It's honestly some of the best I've had anywhere--smooth, earthy, and perfectly balanced. A must-try whether you're a Matcha fan or not. The team is friendly, the vibes are great, and the food is consistently excellent. If you're anywhere near the Public Market, do yourself a favor and stop by Seoulmate. You won't be disappointed! read more

Seoulmate Kitchen - Huge fan of their weekly specials, this one features their seoulwich and brussels sprouts. - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Inside of the Santa Barbara Public market at the very end of the hall on the left left-hand side. I came in right when they opened on a Wednesday and they had quite a few people waiting, which just shows how great it was. I got the mango Matcha cloud. It was a perfect combination of sweet mango with the Matcha. No flavors were overpowering. I also got the Matcha Blondie brownie I have to say most places don't do Matcha desserts well but I still try them anyway, and this place hit it spot on it is fantastic.!! read more

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We may have found our go to spot in Santa Barbara. We tried the bibimbap with pork belly and then with bulgogi. They were both excellent. The pork belly was crispy, tender and tasty. The bulgogi was also very good. I don't usually notice the vegetables in bibimbap, but this time I have to mention it. They were so fresh and tasty, I could even enjoy this bibimbap without meat. What blew me away was the chewy rice cake carbonara. I've never had tteok poki prepared that way, but it was delicious. The pieces of pork belly were tender and tasty. I can't describe the sauce, but it was really good. As much as I love bibimbap, I'm going to go with the rice cake carbonara from now on. My son recently tried a matcha here and he said the drinks here are really good as well. read more

Really impressed with this new addition to public market. Friendly service and fairly quick on a Saturday afternoon. The vibe is really cute and I love the decor. One of the best lattes I've had recently and the peach fizz was perfect not too sweet. The meatballs were super flavorful and moist, all of the kimchi sides were also sooo good. Looking forward to coming back and trying some more yummy dishes. read more

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Yup. Seoulmate is a Korean fusion joint that is a welcome addition to the Santa Barbara food scene. We are severely lacking in Korean restaurants so I'm very happy that we now have this is an option. This place is in the Public Market at the back. There's a kiosk to order from or you can go to the register. You get a number that will buzz when your food is ready so you can pick it up at the counter. I tried the pork belly lunch bento, the yuzu matcha drink, the yuzu cheesecake, and the kimchi arancini Pork belly is delicious, flavorful with an ample portion size. The bento comes with banchan that tasted fresh but only comes with two options. I'd love to see three or four like you would see at other Korean restaurants. It feels like this would be a great opportunity to do a seasonal selection. They also provide a bottle of fermented hot sauce that is a nice flavor add -- definitely not spicy though. Kimchi arancini was perfectly fried but light on the kimchi flavor. I think this can be solved by serving it with a side of kimchi. The green onion aioli was absolutely delicious, I practically licked the bowl clean. I added some of the hot sauce to this dish to help punch up the flavor. The yuzu cheesecake is delicious, light and creamy with a hint of the citrusy flavorful. I think that it would be great to serve it with a candied piece of yuzu on top to really elevate it. And finally, the yuzu matcha drink was nicely tart and earthy. Refreshing on a hot day. I'm looking forward to coming back for dinner. I hope to see more banchan and more specials, especially on the lunch menu. I would also love to see soondubu on the menu as that is my favorite Korean dish! read more

I've been for dinner. But, the lunch menu? Oh my goodness. We had seoul wings, bulgogi melt and pork belly bites and we loved everything we cleaned our plates! The pork belly comes with a sweet sauce with an undertone of wasabi that is not too strong but still lets you know it's there. The wings are fully covered in a delicious sauce with a big heap of rice underneath and the bulgogi melt is so good with the meat and the cheese and house mayo. We came for lunch so it was not too busy at the market. Staff was really friendly. You HAVE to come try these items. It's a must. I will be coming back here again. read more

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I ordered the Bibimbap. It was a good portion for the price, and I was really full afterwards. The veggies were fresh and tasteful. I got the chicken as the protein. My friend got the korean meatballs which were great as well. The sauce on the meatballs made them a little spicy! The milky cloud cake had housemade whipped cream which is super awesome! I'd love to come back for lunch as the menu looks great! This is a new place at the market definitely worth a try! read more

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