Chakura Tea Cafe

Now after a filling and delicious brunch at The Wooden Spoon, Jackie and I made our way down the street to a cute lil' Japanese spot going by the name of Chakura Tea Cafe.  In addition to hot and cold beverages, they feature some cakes and treats as well as a selection of hot items.  For all of the Japanese restaurants we have in the GVRD, we don't have many that serve the things that Chakura offer, let alone one in South Surrey/White Rock.

Getting right to it, we were first served the Pork Katsu Bowl.  This was a healthy portion of perfectly cooked rice that was chewy but not dry topped with a salad and a thick pork cutlet.  It was coated with panko and fried just enough that it was crunchy on the outside while still moist and juicy on the inside.  Don't be alarmed with the modest drizzle of tonkatsu sauce on the top because there was a side of it to make it more saucy to your heart's content!

Next, we had the Spicy Chicken Karaage Bowl with the same chewy short grain rice.  Yep, we had the same fresh salad with greens, tomatoes and edamame.  The dressing was typical Japanese being sweet, tangy and slightly salty.  Onto the chicken, they were in large chunks of dark meat with a crispy coating.  Like the pork katsu, the chicken was juicy and dressed with a sweet and tangy sauce that did have a noticeable kick.

Staying with the same protein, we had the Curry Chicken Karaage.  Unlike the other 2 items, this was served on a plate (so that the curry didn't drench everything).  Of course the chicken karaage was the same as the previous dish, but with the curry, this ate very differently.  The curry softened up the outside of the chicken more so and provided an aromatic and subtle flavour.  In typical Japanese fashion, the curry was not spicy and trended towards the sweeter side.  However, I found this one to be not as sweet.  Nice viscosity where it sauced the rice without making it soggy.

For those who aren't into the fried meats, the next bowl might be your fancy.  We had the Shrimp & Avocado Poké Bowl that was significantly lighter than the previous dishes.  In addition to the same rice and salad, we found fresh avocado, wakame salad and of course sautéed shrimp.  They were cooked just right where they had a buttery snap.  The seasoning was sufficient to seasoned the shrimp but more sauce was need for the rice.

Another use of the pork katsu was for the Pork Katsu Sando that featured a substantial amount of cabbage.  I do believe that there was a bit too much of it and it obscured the pork.  I would've also liked the bread to be toasted a bit less as it become a bit hard.  However, the pork was just as good as the first bowl we had where it was juicy with a crunchy exterior.  I believe with a few tweaks, this sando would be really good.

Same could be said about the Egg Salad Croissant.  It was quite good and would've been perfect except for one detail.  They used processed cheese in it that made the entire thing salty.  However, I did mention that to them and I believe that will be changed.  As for the croissant, it was crispy and buttery.  The egg salad was creamy with enough seasoning.  Fresh greens completed this sandwich.

Of course we had to also try all of their Roll Cakes including the blueberry, chocolate, mango and strawberry.  These were super light and airy where eating one wouldn't be very hard to do.  However, I thought they were a little on the dry side, but the fresh cream did help alleviate that problem.  I found the sweetness to be on point where it was just right.

Lastly, we also tried some of their drinks including the Hojicha Pearl Milk Tea.  This was good with balanced sweetness while being a bit smoky and aromatic.  Nice creaminess too while the pearls were perfectly textured being chewy, yet soft.  Overall, the food at Chakura was pretty solid and in significant portions.  I think the roll cakes could use a bit of work, otherwise, definitely a great place to grab some lunch and a drink.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Unique for the area

- Good portions

- Well-prepared hot food

The Bad:

- Roll cakes could be more moist