They are as good as it seems, we attest.
Why should you approach the novitiate street ? the answer knows a delicious matcha latte and dorayakis with red fruits and gives off a pleasant aroma of freshly baked pastries. SweetStudio it is a dedicated temple to both Asian and French pastry , one of those places that conquer you as soon as you enter. It may be that this excess of good energy is the result of feng shui or, perhaps, of the aura that surrounds Yihua Zhao, its owner.
Here is your new Madrid meeting point
This pastry shop pastel colors (allow the redundancy), which opened at the end of august last year, has two rooms: one as soon as you enter, where you will find the counter and a long table where the sun warms the wood on the sunniest mornings ; and another at the back, after a long corridor, a little more intimate.
“Try the best matcha cake in Madrid” , reads an attractive poster. And so I do (and corroborate), while the melancholy 'Brothers in Arms' plays by Dire Straits. Between bite and sip - each one better than the last - I wonder what has led to yihua zhao to give life to this business:
"I am from China and I've been in Spain for a long time, I got here in 2005. before creating SweetStudio He worked for a telecommunications company. I was there for many years and later I decided to change sectors”, he tells Traveler.es.
“My dream has always been to set up a small cake shop , that's why I studied at the French cooking school Le Cordon Bleu, in Madrid. And he still proudly wears the uniform.
“It has always been my passion. I have a great experience in French haute pastry. Whom Madrid I was working on Santa Eulalia, the famous pastry shop of Ópera” , explains Yihua Zhao.
Sweet Studio's coffee is from Kenya
It was from that moment on that he decided to give wings to what he had learned about the sweeter side of french gastronomy and merge it with its roots.
Sourdough bread, organic flour, quality products and sugar in the right measure. Those are the pillars of Yihua Zhao's cuisine.
In the letter we find iconic Japanese dorayakis (€3.8), made with rice flour and accompanied by homemade jam and cream; toast with different ingredients; salads;** bowls such as overnight oats, chia and fruit (€3.5);** and brunch menus.
The star combo: dorayakis and matcha latte
“The house specialty is dorayakis, which I make with Japanese rice flour, despite the fact that its price is higher than that of wheat. I came across her by chance. I went to a presentation of Japanese products and we made dorayakis with this flour. I loved the taste and, without hesitation, I introduced it in my recipes”, comments the confectioner.
In addition to Hindu teas such as chai latte (€2.8) to Japanese like hojicha or sencha (€3.5) , going through, of course, chinese teas such as oolong tea (€3) or green jasmine (€2.8). Without forgetting the protagonist: the matcha.
“I tried, both in the drinks and in the biscuits. many kinds of matcha until I find the one I consider to be of higher quality. Even now I cook with one better than some friends brought me when they traveled to Japan”, he explains to Traveler.es.
For those who have never heard of the Matcha is a ground Japanese green tea. Yihua sprinkles these addictive green powders on both lattes and batter. the crepe mille-feuille –which she also makes with peach oolong tea– or in the swiss roll.
matcha tea cake
“There are many lovers of matcha, it is very fashionable, as is the case with chai. The chai latte or matcha latte are the drinks that customers ask for the most”, points.
“As I know many varieties of tea, I have decided that this month I am going to prepare a menu dedicated exclusively to infusions,” reveals Yihua.
Other of the exquisite drinks with which you can accompany the wonderful delicacies of Sweet Studio are the milkshakes (€4), whose recipes offer healthier options –the one with spinach, celery, apple, kale and banana is a real shot of energy– to sweeter flavors, see forest fruit and banana.
And of course, your coffe . Blessed dose of caffeine from the toaster Ineffable Coffee Roasters, imported from Kenya (Nyeri Kirinyaga) and Ethiopia (Shakisso). Apart from offering this drink in its most classic versions, they also have filter coffee, cold brew and a barista who masters latte art to perfection. Your camera won't be able to resist the charms of its sparkling swans or his **adorable teddy bears. **
Latte art, always.
“In Madrid there is a lot of specialty coffee but it is almost always from Brazil or Colombia, but here we use Kenyan coffee. The one we have chosen tastes so good that you do not need sweeteners. On the other hand, a good coffee must be accompanied by quality milk, and the one we use is fresh” , points out the owner of Sweet Studio.
**ADDITIONAL FEATURES **
In SweetStudio you will always find Gluten-free or vegan cakes and biscuits:
“I often make a very rich cake that is sugar free, gluten free and egg free. Its ingredients: walnuts, cashews, coconut milk, dates and fruits”, Yihua tells Traveler.es.
Perfection
In turn, they offer breakfast (toast or croissant with coffee) until 12 noon and brunch, regardless of the time of day. What does this lunch consist of? One of their delicious toasts accompanied by a side dish and a drink (€11.5).
On the other hand, if you want to learn how to make one of their succulent cakes, Yihua will be happy to teach you, you just have to specify the date in advance.
WHY GO
Because in SweetStudio you enter with a smile and leave with another, added to an infinite desire to share the discovery of this pastry shop with the whole city. In addition, Yihua and her barista take care of every detail.
Yihua, the owner of Sweet Studio
"I made you some dorayakis with soy milk because I remembered you were lactose intolerant," she surprised me a week after my first visit.
"For me it is essential that the product is of quality and that the offer, as far as possible, be healthy", she concludes it.
We enter?
Address: Calle del Noviciado, 16, Madrid See map
Telephone: 919 20 49 67
Schedule: From 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Additional schedule information: closed on mondays
Half price: €3-8