Belgian waffles! Mo.ni Coffee & Tea opens in Walnut Creek
Here’s a new reason to circle for parking at the Sprouts shopping center in Walnut Creek.
Mo.ni Coffee & Tea, a cafe serving Liège-style waffles and egg sandwiches, has opened in the former Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf space at North Main Street and Geary Boulevard. The space has been vacant since Coffee Bean closed in 2018.
Mo.ni is family-owned and operated, and is already making a splash as a full espresso bar with hot and cold coffee drinks (and some very good-looking iced teas).
The cafe also offers a sizable menu, with savory toasts, English muffin egg sandwiches and build-your-own Liège waffles. Toasts feature combinations like tomato ricotta and basil, and beet hummus and avocado. There are more than 15 items to top your waffle, from fresh fruit and jam to nut butters, egg or pesto.
Opening hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Mo.ni Coffee & Tea is located at 1522 Geary Blvd., Walnut Creek. For more information, go to the Facebook page.
Five more restaurants for Santa Clara Square
The mixed retail marketplace known as Santa Clara Square is in expansion mode again.
In the coming months, five more restaurants will join the center that is already home to Fleming’s, Il Fornaio, Specialty’s, Puesto, Chipotle, Gong Cha, Lula Chocolates, Opa! and a Whole Foods.
According to the website, here are the additions:
SILVERLAKE RAMEN >> As we reported before, this popular Los Angeles ramen house has already made its way north to The Veranda in Concord. Santa Clara will be the first South Bay location. (March opening)
TENDER GREENS >> This fast-casual eatery features creative salads and daily chef-driven specials. (March opening)
HALAL GUYS >> This will be the first Santa Clara eatery for the cult favorite from New York. (May opening)
PACIFIC CATCH >> The Bay Areabased fish and seafood specialist opened its most recent restaurant in Palo Alto. (June opening)
KUMAR’S AUTHENTIC SOUTH INDIAN VILLAGE CUISINE >> This chain boasts dishes made to order from organic ingredients. (August opening)
Bonchon’s Korean fried chicken now in Pleasanton
The global KFC king is finally frying chicken in Pleasanton.
Bonchon has opened its long-awaited restaurant in the Tri-valley’s Pacific Pearl Center.
The company, launched in South Korea in 2002, double-fries its chicken to get that signature crunch, then glazes it with one of three sauces, soy-garlic or spicy, with Korean peppers, or the newest, sweet crunch. Traditional Korean dishes include bulgogi, bibimbap and japchae; the Asian fusion side of the menu features chicken katsu, pot stickers, shrimp shumai, udon noodle soup and takoyaki, fried octopus appetizers.
It’s the 12th Bay Area location for Bonchon, which has 347 restaurants worldwide.
DETAILS » 2725 Stoneridge Drive, Pleasanton; www.bonchon.com
Chicken Vindaloo on a Subway sandwich?
Move over, ham and cheese.
The Bay Area’s Subway sandwich shops have added a “Taste of India” menu featuring such restaurant favorites as chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka, chicken mango curry and vegetarian paneer tikka — on a roll.
Sandwiches come with a cilantro chutney spread and layers of onion, tomato and cucumber. There’s a new beverage too, a mango agua fresca.
Credit restaurateur and Subway franchisee Akki Patel of the Letap Group for the inspiration. He was born in India and moved to the United States when he was 15.
“Our goal with Taste of India was to create a delicious menu that showcases regional Indian food and culture, and that celebrates the diversity in the Bay Area as well,” Patel said in a statement. “It was essential for us to create an offering that is healthy, affordable and that everybody can enjoy.”
The sandwiches are available for a limited time only at 125 Bay Area and Northern California Subway shops. www.subwaynortherncal.com.
Pinkberry skips across Stevens Creek Boulevard
More than a year after closing at San Jose’s Santana Row, Pinkberry has opened just across Stevens Creek Boulevard.
The popular frozen yogurt spot, under new management, has found a home at Valley Fair. The kiosk is located on the second floor of the central section of the mall, near Talbot’s.
The opening is good news for local froyo fans, who also lost the Blossom Hill Road shop in South San Jose.
Pinkberry shops remain open in Sunnyvale (on El Camino Real) and in Palo Alto (at Stanford Shopping Center).
New at all locations is the Pinkbees Cookies and Cream, a reduced-fat, milkbased ice cream treat.
DETAILS » The Valley Fair Pinkberry is open mall hours, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, at 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara. 408234-1502, www.pinkberry.com
Closing leaves Bay Area with 3 Mimi’s locations
The Mimi’s Bistro & Bakery at El Paseo de Saratoga in San Jose has shut down, leaving the Bay Area with just three locations — Gilroy, Fairfield and Antioch.
The restaurant with the New Orleans-style decor was known for years as Mimi’s Cafe until a concept relaunch in 2019. That initiative sought to reestablish the menu’s French-inspired menu.
The bistro’s offerings include croquemonsieur, French creole pasta, French pot roast, salad nicoise, pain perdu with mixed berries, along with other Frenchstyle and American comfort food dishes — and the popular carrot raisin nut muffins and other baked goods.
Founded in 1978, the chain is owned by the North American subsidiary of a France-based cafe company called Groupe Le Duff. According to the website, there are 77 locations in 16 states.
DETAILS » The Bay Area’s Mimi’s are at 6935 Camino Arroyo, Gilroy; 1650 Gateway Blvd., Fairfield; and 5705 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. All open daily at 7 a.m. The Gilroy restaurant serves until 9 p.m. Sunday-thursday and 10 p.m. Friday-saturday; the Antioch and Fairfield ones serve until 10 p.m. Sunday-thursday and 11 p.m. Friday-saturday. www.mimiscafe.com