Marie David was experimenting with flavors when she decided to mix matcha with strawberries.
“My parents went strawberry picking and they had kilos of strawberries, so we made everything taste good,” he said.
He filmed his process of mixing matcha and strawberries, posted it on TikTok, and watched it blow up overnight.
“I was the first strawberry matcha in Brisbane,” he claims.
Fast-forward three years, and strawberry match it is a staple for many restaurants across the city.
The 27-year-old started Lola’s Coffee Bar out of nowhere. Having never been a barista, he jumped headfirst into Brisbane’s restaurant scene four years ago. Now he is one of the most recognized people in the country in the industry.
“I felt like I needed to work harder because I had no experience,” he said.
Lola’s started as a traditional coffee shop but has since expanded into a destination for viral and aesthetic drinks. The constant queues at the Tarragindi and Kelvin Grove stores are testament to their popularity.
What remained throughout his journey was David’s strong Filipino influence, with ube (purple yamyu), pandan and mango flavors in his cakes and drinks.
The name of the cafe is also a direct tribute to his grandmothers.
“Lola means tomato in Tagalog,” David explains. “We’re very close, and we have the same taste in food, so I said, ‘this is yours’.”
After being convinced by a matcha-loving friend, David included the green tea drink in his menu.
At first, it was slow to sell, and only a few locals knew the Japanese drink. Now, it is can be found in many Brisbane restaurants – but not all are created equal.
David claims he’s even spied on contestants who show up to see what all the fuss is about.
“They’re going to sit here all day just watching,” he said. “I take it as a compliment, but it’s funny.”
David sources his festival-grade matcha powder from Uji, south of Kyoto. Last year, he traveled to Japan to visit his supplier.
“We want to respect the culture that it comes from. Matcha is Japanese, and they really value tradition, and so do we,” he said.
Strawberry matcha isn’t the only drink that David has helped Brisbane foodies get to grips with; he was also an early adopter of the now famous Mont Blanc – a dessert-like coffee drink – following a research trip to Melbourne three years ago.
“I had to sell it because people were like ‘cold beer? … orange?’. It’s just now, it’s crazy.”
So, what’s the secret to good matcha? According to David, it’s simple.
“Don’t skimp on the matcha (flour), and know how to make it locally.”
What? What is the Brisbane Social Area?
The Brisbane Times features Brisbane people and businesses with followers on social media – from online videos of a local butcher to a popular free Pilates class.
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