Parnika N.
Yelp
Typically, I wait for the buzz to die down before visiting popular cafes and restaurants, but for La La Land, I decided to skip the wait.
Vibe- I love the location of the cafe. At 12th South, you have multiple dining and parking options. La La Land Kind Cafe is a visually stunning place with a yellow and white color scheme. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and the cafe is pet-friendly.
Crowd - I'm always excited to explore new cafes, but personally, waiting in line (sometimes up to 45 minutes) even for a good one, isn't for me. So I decided to arrive at 7 am, and trust me, it was an unusual sight- there were barely any people.
Sips - I got a Lavender Bloom Matcha and a Strawberry Field coffee.
I can drink matcha, but it isn't something I feel strongly about.
At La La Land, they source " The highest grade of Matcha that is also used for traditional Japanese tea ceremonies", hence the name - Ceremonial Matcha. Moreover, I love lavender, so I had to give this a try.
It did not disappoint me; the matcha wasn't bitter, it was refreshing, and the lavender added floral notes that only complemented it. Unlike most lavender Matcha lattes that I have had earlier, this one wasn't overly sweet at all!
The Strawberry Field Coffee was an out-of-the-box choice for me, but I decided to trust La La Land, here. The coffee was good in terms of the flavor and proportion. The fruit was quite prominent in the drink, but contrary to my expectations, it tasted good together. I'd say it was dessert-like, although not excessively sweet or artificially flavored.
They also had fresh-baked croissants and biscuits, but those were decent, nothing unique or memorable.
Was it worth the wait? Well, I understand why this place is so popular; their menu and quality of ingredients set them apart. The beverages are genuinely good. While one could argue that they are priced a little higher, I feel it is justified because they use premium ingredients, which come with a cost.
Again, I wouldn't wait in line, and if you don't wish to, then you can either visit the cafe before 7:30 - 8 am or perhaps order online (early) and schedule a pick-up time.
Soooo, did it live up to the hype? I guess, yes!