Ahma (San Gabriel, CA)
Ahma Coffee
San Gabriel, CA 91775
909-284-8982
www.ahma.coffee
Sat 05/23/2026, 01:30p-04:30p
Over the past couple of years, I've begun taking on more of a serious interest in coffee, and thus have been on the lookout for any distinctive coffee-themed experiences around Los Angeles. One that appeared on my radar a few months ago was Ahma, and it really piqued my curiosity. Named after the Taiwanese word for grandma (ā mā or 阿嬤), Ahma is a coffee tasting menu concept that boasts the unique wrinkle of pairing food with each course.
It's the creation of Josh Lu, a Taiwanese-American SoCal native who's probably most known around these parts for being an alumnus of Le Comptoir in Koreatown, where he cooked under Gary Menes for roughly a decade. Ahma was established in August 2025 ("Season 0"), but officially launched on September 28th last year with its "Season 1: Beginnings" menu. That inaugural season concluded on February 15th, so we were here for "Season 2: Coming Home."
About the Chef/Barista: Joshua Lu was born in April 1993 at Garfield Hospital in Monterey Park, but spent his early years in Tustin Foothills, an unincorporated section of Orange County. He grew up surrounded by good food, and thanks to the culinary influences of his Taiwanese grandmother, mother, and uncle, soon took on a keen interest in cooking.
Lu's family eventually moved to the SGV, and he ended up graduating from Arcadia High School in 2011. His parents, naturally, denied his request to attend culinary school and instead wanted him to become a doctor. He thus started attending classes at UCLA in the fall of 2011, but lacked passion for his chosen major of biochemistry.
Conversely, Lu dove deeper and deeper into the world of food, experimenting in his apartment, attending food science classes, and even taking the reins at a campus cooking club. It was in this manner that he was able to encounter Gary Menes, whom he would soon start apprenticing under in the latter half of 2014, first at the Chef's urban farm and later at Le Comptoir, which opened at the end of December that year.
Lu quickly fell in love with the kitchen, and after switching to an easier major of biology in order to make more time for his restaurant endeavors, wound up graduating in 2015. Following, he stayed on at Le Comptoir for a while, but subsequently decided to strike out on his own (though he would continue to work at Le Comptoir on and off).
In spring 2018, Lu launched Mu Kitchen with Mei Deng (b. April 1994), his partner in both business and life, whom he'd met at UCLA (she was a psychobiology major, so they had classes together). Taking its name from the Chinese character 木 (mù, meaning "wood"), the venture focused on cookie sales (Mu Baking Co), catering/private dinners (Mu Dining Experience), and a mobile bar service. Unfortunately, Mu ended up being done in by the pandemic, and ceased operations in September 2020.
Around the same time, the couple started MRT, a Taiwanese street food takeout concept that I'm assuming was named after Taipei Mass Rapid Transit, but it quickly petered out. Lu went back to working as a sous at Le Comptoir, and by the summer of 2021, was consulting on the menu for both Rosebud Café and Car Artisan Chocolate in Pasadena. Meanwhile, MRT was relaunched in March 2022, this time to more success with its numerous pop-ups and catering events, and by the end of 2023, the business had expanded into the arenas of pastry and coffee.
However, MRT came to a close at the end of March 2024, and was quickly replaced by Kapi Cafe, which focused more squarely on that aforementioned pastry and coffee. Kapi offered catering services and held various pop-ups, often times at 626 Ice Cream in Arcadia, but shut down in the summer of 2025 to make way for Ahma.
Pictured above is the booklet we were given at the end of our time at Ahma. It's certainly one of the most ambitious "menus" I've encountered, and you can tell that they put a lot of thought and effort into it. In addition to describing the coffee and food we enjoyed, it also paints a compelling narrative, one inspired by trips to Taipei and how those visits intersect with Lu's vision of "home." I encourage you to read through it, since the story will add context to the overall experience. Do also note that we were provided a set of menu cards, so that we could follow along during the course of our tasting. Pricing was $95 per person, plus tax. Click for larger versions.
Almost immediately after I entered, I removed my shoes and donned the provided slippers (this is an Asian household after all), then took a seat on the living room sofa (Ahma occurs at a private residence). It was here where I first got a gander at Lu's brewing setup. His use of an Option-O Lagom 01 grinder (102mm blind burrs) immediately caught my eye, as I'd been considering a Lagom P80 myself (Lu also recommended that I look into a Zerno Z2).
A moistened hand towel soon appeared, which was quite welcomed given the hands-on nature of our first course.
1: Cascara Red Tea + Nougat Cracker
We began with a coffee cherry tea inspired by the iced sweet teas of Taiwan. The beverage was made from the sun-dried husks of Nicaraguan coffee fruits, house-roasted and prepared as a 16-hour cold brew before being sweetened with Taiwanese rock sugar. Taking a sip, I found the tea vibrantly fruity with an undercurrent of funk, its familiar malty, dark sugar notes even recalling the grass jellies of my childhood.
The tea was accompanied by a homemade version of Taiwan's ubiquitous nougat cracker that combined a fragrantly fruity filling with a crisp, buttery exterior.
After roughly half-an-hour, we were led to a four-seater shared table where we'd spend the bulk of our remaining time (note: only four people are served per session).
2: Cold Brew + Osmanthus Konjac Jelly
Our first course at the kitchen table took inspiration from the tea that Lu enjoys in the morning, when Taipei's just coming to life. And thus, for this cold brew, he opted for a Gesha bean with more floral, tea-like aromatics. To fully capture that fragrance, he utilized a vacuum extraction process in which water and coffee grounds are placed in a vacuum chamber, and the pressure lowered to a specific level for five minutes. The cycle is then repeated two more times, with the goal of avoiding the oxidation that can occur during a normal hours-long cold brew, which can result in the loss and muddying of both aroma and taste. Lu also noted that his cold brew tends to be wine-like in that it evolves markedly with time, temperature, and aeration, so we were encouraged to play with those variables.
I found a nose rife with white flowers and stone fruits, with a hint of nuttiness. On the palate, think more of those floral, fruity nuances, but with pronounced elements of roast and brown sugar, all supported by a palpable layer of acidity. I can certainly see where he's coming from with regard to what the coffee has in common with tea.
The cold brew was paired with a konnyaku jelly that originated as a marriage of the dim sum osmanthus cakes of Deng's childhood and the various jellied treats of Taiwan (àiyùbīng, konjac, mizu shingen mochi), which can serve as a counter to the country's oft-suffocating heat. The dessert was spot-on texturally, and really showcased the sweet, floral, stone fruity qualities of the guì huā, with a touch of citrus to boot. This complemented the similar flavor profiles we found in the coffee, so it was nice to go back and forth between the two.
With the cold brew dispensed with, it was now time to get into the pour-over portion of our "coffee omakase." Lu utilizes a NextLevel Pulsar, reportedly developed in collaboration with astrophysicist-slash-coffee nerd Jonathan Gagné. The zero-bypass brewer makes use of a flow valve that allows for a sort of hybrid method that starts with full immersion brewing and ends with percolation, with the idea being that the two processes will capture a fuller spectrum of flavors from the coffee. Lu's also a fan of the Pulsar's dispersion cap, which makes for more even water distribution over the grounds, reducing the chance of unequal extraction.
Water-wise, he uses a custom mineral formulation and heats to 95°C with a Fellow Stagg EKG electric kettle (also what I have at home). The water decreases in temperature as the brew progresses, and Lu finds that this slight decline makes for a sweeter cup overall. Meanwhile, his standard dosage ratio is 1:17, so 30 grams coffee for 510 grams water. Note also the double-walled Kruve carafe, which apparently does help with heat retention.
3: Pourover + Biscuit w/ Pineapple Wintermelon Jam
It was now time to taste the pour-over. Aromas leaned nutty and savory, with hints of tropical fruit. Taking a sip, I found stone fruits and golden kiwi, with florals appearing on the mid-palate, along with a backing of roasty, toasty nuances. Just lovely.
The coffee was joined by a biscuit preparation inspiration by the iconic Taiwanese pineapple cake. Lu's been working on his biscuits since the summer of 2019, and has gotten to the point where he's milling his own flour in an effort to preserve as much grain character as he can. He's currently using a blend of Sonora wheat (for its creamy, buttery, nutty qualities) and Tuxpeño corn (for its maize-y sweetness). The biscuit was as light and flaky as I was hoping for, and was tasty just by itself, but also served as an stand-in for the fènglísū's buttery shortcake exterior.
It was paired with a delightfully salty-smooth house-cultured butter as well as a lychee blossom honey from Taiwan that's designed to go along with the coffee's floral finish. We also had a robust pineapple jam mellowed by the incorporation of winter melon, which seemed to draw attention to the roastier elements of the coffee while also complementing its tropical notes. Last up were shavings of salted egg yolk, which lent a subdued salinity and umami. Overall, it was great to be able to witness the interplay between coffee and biscuit, to see how each component on the plate seemingly accentuated various facets of the brew.
And now we come to a bit of an intermission, with this next libation meant to function as a tart, tangy, refreshing reset of the palate. One of Lu's favorite drinks is suānméitāng, which his mom would make as a summertime treat, and today it was mashed up with jamaica and re-interpreted through the lens of a light-bodied, chillable red wine. Thus, what we had here was verjus, hibiscus, sour plum, a bit of agave syrup for sweetness, and a tea extract called L-theanine that was supposed to help mitigate the effects of all the caffeine we'd been consuming.
While we were still sipping on the beverage above, Lu got to work on his espresso. Interestingly, we noted while he was grinding that he doesn't make use of RDT (Ross Droplet Technique) for fear of gumming up his burrs, and believes that the larger surface area of those 102mm burrs results in less friction and thus less static and retention. Machine-wise, Lu appears to be using a Decent Espresso DE1XL, a high-end unit that allows him to keep track of flow rate, pressure, and other variables in the extraction process. The thought is that, as long as his shots are hitting certain parameters, they should be consistent.
4: Espresso Boba Latte + Popcorn Chicken Sandwich
Here we had a riff on the quintessential night market duo of boba milk tea and popcorn chicken. For the bubble tea, black tea was swapped out for the espresso above, which was brewed from a tea-like Gesha blend. In place of the usual tapioca balls were shards of agar-based gel, which boasted a much lighter, coffee jelly-esque mouthfeel. Finally, the milk was an extra-creamy, freeze-concentrated organic whole milk (Lactaid was provided--a considerate touch). The end result was something quite special and delicious, a concoction that really highlighted the roasty/bitter/cacao/dark fruit character of the espresso while also delivering all of the sweet, milky goodness you'd expect.
For the xiánsūjī part of the equation, Lu harkened back to a comically large fried chicken cutlet he ate at Taipei's Shilin night market ten years ago. Today's bird showed off a properly light, crispy exterior along with juicy insides, and I appreciated the restraint shown in its spicing and seasoning. Also hiding out in that housemade milk bread roll was a vegan mayonnaise (egg was replaced with dòufǔrǔ), as well as a wonderfully pungent pesto composed of Thai basil, parsley, perilla, and, crucially, peanuts for their nutty crunch.
With our virtual visit to Taiwan coming to a close, Lu wanted to end with a non-alcoholic cocktail, one inspired by the libations at Bar Pine 松, a Taipei bar that heavily features both native ingredients and clarification. The drink was loosely based on a piña colada, which makes sense given that the pineapple is essentially Taiwan's national fruit. Our mocktail was basically an espresso clarified with milk, but one that actually made use of decaf, as Lu was wary of us getting overcaffeinated. He noted that today's decafs are much better than those of yesteryear, and this particular example utilized the Swiss Water process, which does a superior job of retaining the desirable qualities of coffee. Note the hand-cut ice cubes, directionally frozen in-house with vacuum chamber-degassed water.
5: Milk Punch + Shaved Ice
For his milk punch, Lu wanted to replicate the flavors of aged Jamaican rum--its caramel elements, its fruity funk, its top notes of banana. He thus chose a medium roast for its more caramelized sugar tones, while the funk was handled by honey processed beans (so there's some fermentation going on) and the banana by a housemade banana syrup. Also involved were pineapple juice, coconut water, coconut milk, toasted coconut, pandan, and aloe vera juice. It all came together beautifully. I found a bouquet brimming with rich, dark, sugary aromas, while taste-wise, the bittersweet, chocolatey, nutty nature of the espresso was complemented by this impressive multifaceted fruitiness. I didn't miss the booze.
Along with the drink came a dessert that melded American and Taiwanese culinary traditions: a bàobīng with the flavors of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Taking the place of "PB" were stewed peanuts, thickened by a peanut water broth reduced with coconut milk, and taking the place of "J" were macerated strawberries. The bread's crumb was replaced by a condensed milk syrup boosted with jiǔniàng, lending a fruity, creamy, yeasty quality to the milk. The bread's crust was replaced by toasted soybean flour, which proffered plenty of grain-y, nutty characteristics. Overall, I have to say that Lu did a pretty good job conveying the essence of a classic PB&J.
On our way out, we were handed gift boxes containing nougat crackers and cascara tea--a thoughtful gesture to be sure.
I feel pretty confident deeming Ahma my favorite overall coffee experience. Lu's almost fanatical commitment to the finer details of the craft was clearly evident, but also his sense of intent, earnestness, and curiosity. In addition, he served as an affable, hospitable host, with his storytelling working to further enhance our time here. And if that wasn't enough, food-wise, the various bites we enjoyed certainly stood on their own merits, but, more importantly, really allowed the coffee to sing. As for next steps, Lu and Deng are hoping to have a proper, permanent location for Ahma in the future, so I'll be looking forward to that. In the meantime, if you're any sort of coffee aficionado, I'd consider giving this place a whirl before the current season comes to an end around the September time frame.
San Gabriel, CA 91775
909-284-8982
www.ahma.coffee
Sat 05/23/2026, 01:30p-04:30p
Over the past couple of years, I've begun taking on more of a serious interest in coffee, and thus have been on the lookout for any distinctive coffee-themed experiences around Los Angeles. One that appeared on my radar a few months ago was Ahma, and it really piqued my curiosity. Named after the Taiwanese word for grandma (ā mā or 阿嬤), Ahma is a coffee tasting menu concept that boasts the unique wrinkle of pairing food with each course.
It's the creation of Josh Lu, a Taiwanese-American SoCal native who's probably most known around these parts for being an alumnus of Le Comptoir in Koreatown, where he cooked under Gary Menes for roughly a decade. Ahma was established in August 2025 ("Season 0"), but officially launched on September 28th last year with its "Season 1: Beginnings" menu. That inaugural season concluded on February 15th, so we were here for "Season 2: Coming Home."
About the Chef/Barista: Joshua Lu was born in April 1993 at Garfield Hospital in Monterey Park, but spent his early years in Tustin Foothills, an unincorporated section of Orange County. He grew up surrounded by good food, and thanks to the culinary influences of his Taiwanese grandmother, mother, and uncle, soon took on a keen interest in cooking.
Lu's family eventually moved to the SGV, and he ended up graduating from Arcadia High School in 2011. His parents, naturally, denied his request to attend culinary school and instead wanted him to become a doctor. He thus started attending classes at UCLA in the fall of 2011, but lacked passion for his chosen major of biochemistry.
Conversely, Lu dove deeper and deeper into the world of food, experimenting in his apartment, attending food science classes, and even taking the reins at a campus cooking club. It was in this manner that he was able to encounter Gary Menes, whom he would soon start apprenticing under in the latter half of 2014, first at the Chef's urban farm and later at Le Comptoir, which opened at the end of December that year.
Lu quickly fell in love with the kitchen, and after switching to an easier major of biology in order to make more time for his restaurant endeavors, wound up graduating in 2015. Following, he stayed on at Le Comptoir for a while, but subsequently decided to strike out on his own (though he would continue to work at Le Comptoir on and off).
In spring 2018, Lu launched Mu Kitchen with Mei Deng (b. April 1994), his partner in both business and life, whom he'd met at UCLA (she was a psychobiology major, so they had classes together). Taking its name from the Chinese character 木 (mù, meaning "wood"), the venture focused on cookie sales (Mu Baking Co), catering/private dinners (Mu Dining Experience), and a mobile bar service. Unfortunately, Mu ended up being done in by the pandemic, and ceased operations in September 2020.
Around the same time, the couple started MRT, a Taiwanese street food takeout concept that I'm assuming was named after Taipei Mass Rapid Transit, but it quickly petered out. Lu went back to working as a sous at Le Comptoir, and by the summer of 2021, was consulting on the menu for both Rosebud Café and Car Artisan Chocolate in Pasadena. Meanwhile, MRT was relaunched in March 2022, this time to more success with its numerous pop-ups and catering events, and by the end of 2023, the business had expanded into the arenas of pastry and coffee.
However, MRT came to a close at the end of March 2024, and was quickly replaced by Kapi Cafe, which focused more squarely on that aforementioned pastry and coffee. Kapi offered catering services and held various pop-ups, often times at 626 Ice Cream in Arcadia, but shut down in the summer of 2025 to make way for Ahma.
Pictured above is the booklet we were given at the end of our time at Ahma. It's certainly one of the most ambitious "menus" I've encountered, and you can tell that they put a lot of thought and effort into it. In addition to describing the coffee and food we enjoyed, it also paints a compelling narrative, one inspired by trips to Taipei and how those visits intersect with Lu's vision of "home." I encourage you to read through it, since the story will add context to the overall experience. Do also note that we were provided a set of menu cards, so that we could follow along during the course of our tasting. Pricing was $95 per person, plus tax. Click for larger versions.
Almost immediately after I entered, I removed my shoes and donned the provided slippers (this is an Asian household after all), then took a seat on the living room sofa (Ahma occurs at a private residence). It was here where I first got a gander at Lu's brewing setup. His use of an Option-O Lagom 01 grinder (102mm blind burrs) immediately caught my eye, as I'd been considering a Lagom P80 myself (Lu also recommended that I look into a Zerno Z2).
A moistened hand towel soon appeared, which was quite welcomed given the hands-on nature of our first course.
1: Cascara Red Tea + Nougat Cracker
We began with a coffee cherry tea inspired by the iced sweet teas of Taiwan. The beverage was made from the sun-dried husks of Nicaraguan coffee fruits, house-roasted and prepared as a 16-hour cold brew before being sweetened with Taiwanese rock sugar. Taking a sip, I found the tea vibrantly fruity with an undercurrent of funk, its familiar malty, dark sugar notes even recalling the grass jellies of my childhood.
The tea was accompanied by a homemade version of Taiwan's ubiquitous nougat cracker that combined a fragrantly fruity filling with a crisp, buttery exterior.
After roughly half-an-hour, we were led to a four-seater shared table where we'd spend the bulk of our remaining time (note: only four people are served per session).
2: Cold Brew + Osmanthus Konjac Jelly
Our first course at the kitchen table took inspiration from the tea that Lu enjoys in the morning, when Taipei's just coming to life. And thus, for this cold brew, he opted for a Gesha bean with more floral, tea-like aromatics. To fully capture that fragrance, he utilized a vacuum extraction process in which water and coffee grounds are placed in a vacuum chamber, and the pressure lowered to a specific level for five minutes. The cycle is then repeated two more times, with the goal of avoiding the oxidation that can occur during a normal hours-long cold brew, which can result in the loss and muddying of both aroma and taste. Lu also noted that his cold brew tends to be wine-like in that it evolves markedly with time, temperature, and aeration, so we were encouraged to play with those variables.
I found a nose rife with white flowers and stone fruits, with a hint of nuttiness. On the palate, think more of those floral, fruity nuances, but with pronounced elements of roast and brown sugar, all supported by a palpable layer of acidity. I can certainly see where he's coming from with regard to what the coffee has in common with tea.
The cold brew was paired with a konnyaku jelly that originated as a marriage of the dim sum osmanthus cakes of Deng's childhood and the various jellied treats of Taiwan (àiyùbīng, konjac, mizu shingen mochi), which can serve as a counter to the country's oft-suffocating heat. The dessert was spot-on texturally, and really showcased the sweet, floral, stone fruity qualities of the guì huā, with a touch of citrus to boot. This complemented the similar flavor profiles we found in the coffee, so it was nice to go back and forth between the two.
With the cold brew dispensed with, it was now time to get into the pour-over portion of our "coffee omakase." Lu utilizes a NextLevel Pulsar, reportedly developed in collaboration with astrophysicist-slash-coffee nerd Jonathan Gagné. The zero-bypass brewer makes use of a flow valve that allows for a sort of hybrid method that starts with full immersion brewing and ends with percolation, with the idea being that the two processes will capture a fuller spectrum of flavors from the coffee. Lu's also a fan of the Pulsar's dispersion cap, which makes for more even water distribution over the grounds, reducing the chance of unequal extraction.
Water-wise, he uses a custom mineral formulation and heats to 95°C with a Fellow Stagg EKG electric kettle (also what I have at home). The water decreases in temperature as the brew progresses, and Lu finds that this slight decline makes for a sweeter cup overall. Meanwhile, his standard dosage ratio is 1:17, so 30 grams coffee for 510 grams water. Note also the double-walled Kruve carafe, which apparently does help with heat retention.
3: Pourover + Biscuit w/ Pineapple Wintermelon Jam
It was now time to taste the pour-over. Aromas leaned nutty and savory, with hints of tropical fruit. Taking a sip, I found stone fruits and golden kiwi, with florals appearing on the mid-palate, along with a backing of roasty, toasty nuances. Just lovely.
The coffee was joined by a biscuit preparation inspiration by the iconic Taiwanese pineapple cake. Lu's been working on his biscuits since the summer of 2019, and has gotten to the point where he's milling his own flour in an effort to preserve as much grain character as he can. He's currently using a blend of Sonora wheat (for its creamy, buttery, nutty qualities) and Tuxpeño corn (for its maize-y sweetness). The biscuit was as light and flaky as I was hoping for, and was tasty just by itself, but also served as an stand-in for the fènglísū's buttery shortcake exterior.
It was paired with a delightfully salty-smooth house-cultured butter as well as a lychee blossom honey from Taiwan that's designed to go along with the coffee's floral finish. We also had a robust pineapple jam mellowed by the incorporation of winter melon, which seemed to draw attention to the roastier elements of the coffee while also complementing its tropical notes. Last up were shavings of salted egg yolk, which lent a subdued salinity and umami. Overall, it was great to be able to witness the interplay between coffee and biscuit, to see how each component on the plate seemingly accentuated various facets of the brew.
And now we come to a bit of an intermission, with this next libation meant to function as a tart, tangy, refreshing reset of the palate. One of Lu's favorite drinks is suānméitāng, which his mom would make as a summertime treat, and today it was mashed up with jamaica and re-interpreted through the lens of a light-bodied, chillable red wine. Thus, what we had here was verjus, hibiscus, sour plum, a bit of agave syrup for sweetness, and a tea extract called L-theanine that was supposed to help mitigate the effects of all the caffeine we'd been consuming.
While we were still sipping on the beverage above, Lu got to work on his espresso. Interestingly, we noted while he was grinding that he doesn't make use of RDT (Ross Droplet Technique) for fear of gumming up his burrs, and believes that the larger surface area of those 102mm burrs results in less friction and thus less static and retention. Machine-wise, Lu appears to be using a Decent Espresso DE1XL, a high-end unit that allows him to keep track of flow rate, pressure, and other variables in the extraction process. The thought is that, as long as his shots are hitting certain parameters, they should be consistent.
4: Espresso Boba Latte + Popcorn Chicken Sandwich
Here we had a riff on the quintessential night market duo of boba milk tea and popcorn chicken. For the bubble tea, black tea was swapped out for the espresso above, which was brewed from a tea-like Gesha blend. In place of the usual tapioca balls were shards of agar-based gel, which boasted a much lighter, coffee jelly-esque mouthfeel. Finally, the milk was an extra-creamy, freeze-concentrated organic whole milk (Lactaid was provided--a considerate touch). The end result was something quite special and delicious, a concoction that really highlighted the roasty/bitter/cacao/dark fruit character of the espresso while also delivering all of the sweet, milky goodness you'd expect.
For the xiánsūjī part of the equation, Lu harkened back to a comically large fried chicken cutlet he ate at Taipei's Shilin night market ten years ago. Today's bird showed off a properly light, crispy exterior along with juicy insides, and I appreciated the restraint shown in its spicing and seasoning. Also hiding out in that housemade milk bread roll was a vegan mayonnaise (egg was replaced with dòufǔrǔ), as well as a wonderfully pungent pesto composed of Thai basil, parsley, perilla, and, crucially, peanuts for their nutty crunch.
With our virtual visit to Taiwan coming to a close, Lu wanted to end with a non-alcoholic cocktail, one inspired by the libations at Bar Pine 松, a Taipei bar that heavily features both native ingredients and clarification. The drink was loosely based on a piña colada, which makes sense given that the pineapple is essentially Taiwan's national fruit. Our mocktail was basically an espresso clarified with milk, but one that actually made use of decaf, as Lu was wary of us getting overcaffeinated. He noted that today's decafs are much better than those of yesteryear, and this particular example utilized the Swiss Water process, which does a superior job of retaining the desirable qualities of coffee. Note the hand-cut ice cubes, directionally frozen in-house with vacuum chamber-degassed water.
5: Milk Punch + Shaved Ice
For his milk punch, Lu wanted to replicate the flavors of aged Jamaican rum--its caramel elements, its fruity funk, its top notes of banana. He thus chose a medium roast for its more caramelized sugar tones, while the funk was handled by honey processed beans (so there's some fermentation going on) and the banana by a housemade banana syrup. Also involved were pineapple juice, coconut water, coconut milk, toasted coconut, pandan, and aloe vera juice. It all came together beautifully. I found a bouquet brimming with rich, dark, sugary aromas, while taste-wise, the bittersweet, chocolatey, nutty nature of the espresso was complemented by this impressive multifaceted fruitiness. I didn't miss the booze.
Along with the drink came a dessert that melded American and Taiwanese culinary traditions: a bàobīng with the flavors of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Taking the place of "PB" were stewed peanuts, thickened by a peanut water broth reduced with coconut milk, and taking the place of "J" were macerated strawberries. The bread's crumb was replaced by a condensed milk syrup boosted with jiǔniàng, lending a fruity, creamy, yeasty quality to the milk. The bread's crust was replaced by toasted soybean flour, which proffered plenty of grain-y, nutty characteristics. Overall, I have to say that Lu did a pretty good job conveying the essence of a classic PB&J.
On our way out, we were handed gift boxes containing nougat crackers and cascara tea--a thoughtful gesture to be sure.
I feel pretty confident deeming Ahma my favorite overall coffee experience. Lu's almost fanatical commitment to the finer details of the craft was clearly evident, but also his sense of intent, earnestness, and curiosity. In addition, he served as an affable, hospitable host, with his storytelling working to further enhance our time here. And if that wasn't enough, food-wise, the various bites we enjoyed certainly stood on their own merits, but, more importantly, really allowed the coffee to sing. As for next steps, Lu and Deng are hoping to have a proper, permanent location for Ahma in the future, so I'll be looking forward to that. In the meantime, if you're any sort of coffee aficionado, I'd consider giving this place a whirl before the current season comes to an end around the September time frame.
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