Cafe De Mama — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Is it even fair to call Cafe de Mama a coffee shop? Because to me it's a dessert shop. I mean, you can still get an Americano or a latte if you want to, but you really don't want to miss out on those ridiculously intriguing special drinks.

I tried their mochi lattes and I'm a big fan. The cream top is extremely thick that the mochi bites can almost float on it. It's not just normal whip cream, it is blended with grinded grains or herbs to create unique texture and flavor. The Injeolmi mochi latte deserves the top spot of their special drink list. Injeolmi is a variety of Korean rice cake and is slightly sweet and sticky itself. As cream top, it goes superbly well with mochi bites and highlights the chewiness. I also had the mochi latte with Mugwort Green Herb cream, and enjoyed its combination of earthiness and sweetness.

I try not to go to Cafe de Mama often because it's a dessert shop! So I've only had one other drink, the black sesame cream latte. Unlike the mochi lattes, this drink does have double shots of espresso, so it tastes darker and more intense than their sweet cream or milk based drinks, although I would say it's still creamier and less coffee-like than similar drinks you get from other coffee shops.

In terms of the atmosphere, Cafe de Mama feels more like a boba tea place than a coffee shop. The interior is simple and even a little sterile, service is friendly and no-frills. They would give you a pick up pager for your order, even though sometimes you are the only one...

The coffee shop is not located in the center of K-town and is a bit far out. The surroundings look a bit old and run down a bit.

There is parking at the back of the building, and you can also enter from the back. The first impression of the store decoration is 6/10. It looks ok, but I was there to grab and go anyways, so let's move to the coffee part. The cashier stated that the best-sellers are Black Sesame Latter & the Injeolmi Cream Latte, Green Herb Green Latte, and Dirty Matcha Latte. They will tell you how to drink it properly after your coffee is ready.

The first time I came here with a friend, I ordered Black Sesame Latter, which I did not like much and thought was ok & my friend ordered the Injeolmi Cream Latte with an extra espresso shot (FYI, this does not include coffee, and you need to add an extra shot). She liked it.

Next time I returned and ordered the Injeolmi Cream Latte with no coffee to try myself. I liked the mochi, and how it dipped with the cream on top it was so tasty and blended well together. It was a good combination. I drank the rest of the drink with the no coffee and it was less...

Amidst all the cream top coffee trend especially in Koreatown area, cafe de mama's one is surely one of my favorites. You could tell it's good when the petite place is consistently busy, and seems to have visitors from multiple age groups including family. Not a few of them are Koreans, convincing me even more.

Being a big fan of Injeolmi and mochi, without a shadow of doubt I choose their Injeolmi Mochi Latte, which is basically their version of latte topped with sweet nutty cream, making it unique and successfully land great taste! They've done amazing job that the coffee taste can still standout and the cream isn't overpowering. The additional injeolmi mochi on top is surely my favorite part and their recommendation to enjoy it with the cream before mixing the cream with the coffee is...