When seeking out a cafe, the two things that matter are menu and vibe. These days, many internet cafes in the US are fairly interchangeable, offering sugar bites and spruced up coffee or tea varieties. At times, these cafes have the benefit of a food truck nearby or some breakfast tacos ordered in bulk from a local spot, but there are few that truly offer a unique experience.
This uniqueness, of vibe and menu, often caters to smaller audiences. Which leads to an even deeper cafe experience of better food and less people. This means you’ll get more value when it comes to your time and money, plus if you happen to be working or studying, you’ll likely get more done. They’ve already given you wifi and a quiet place to sit. For the ardent studier or remote worker, one simply cannot ask a cafe for more.
Sa-Tén, a Japanese cafe opened by restaurateurs Kayo Asazu, Takehiro Asazu, and Motoyasu Utsunomiya, is one of those rare gems.
The Asazus co-own Kome and a number of other Japanese inspired restaurants, and Utsunomiya is a sushi chef at Uchi as well as an operational partner with East Side King. They are all from Kobe, Osaka and Yawaktaham, Japan, and integrate a number of back home experiences into a single cafe menu. The cuisine is backed by a low volume atmosphere, urban Japan inspired interior layouts, and a mix of lofi beats and contemporary Jazz.
The original location, off Springdale in the east side of Austin, popularized their toast options, with an array of mixed toppings such as kewpie mayo, smoked salmon, seaweed, anchovy garlic oil and mozzarella.
But after opening their second location on Airport Blvd, a larger kitchen gave way to a more extensive and creative menu. Curry bowls with fried mackerel, chicken katsu and cilantro tofu, chicken yakitori and kara-age, grilled and pickled veggies, kimchi and much more.
The Airport Blvd location will unfortunately be closing in late May, but the menu at Springdale has expanded to match the same offerings. To be honest, while the closing will mean a further trip for many patrons, the Canopy Plaza at Springdale is a far more charming and peaceful environment than Airport’s stretch.
Either way, the permanent closing of the second location is no reflection on the quality of food or service. For one, the co-owners have enough on their plate with the other restaurants. Secondly, Austin rents are skyrocketing, forcing a lot of local gems to close shop. Lastly, much of the new tech yuppie and boho chic residency doesn’t really share the same taste for matcha, curry bowls, zen and jazz.
In the end, Sa-Tén is a true rare find among the somewhat saturated market of internet cafes in economies like ours. As basic as Austin can be sometimes, the city wouldn’t be the same without them. While the Airport location may be shutting down, at least the original spot will still be around for a while.
