Last week Steve and I stopped by Asano, a new cafe concept that has quietly been gaining traction in New York. We had been invited by founder Kate Kaneko to come by and check it out. Kate unfortunately was not there that morning, but we chatted with some of the staff and ended up spending a really nice, relaxed morning at the cafe.
We visited the Asano cafe inside The Noortwyck on Bleecker Street, and even from a distance we spotted the bright orange noren hanging outside. A noren is the traditional fabric curtain you often see at the entrance to restaurants and shops in Japan, so it was a small hint of the Japanese inspiration behind Asano.
I ordered the Strawberry Matcha while Steve went for the Banoffee Latte. Both were excellent. You could immediately taste that they are using high quality matcha. It had that clean, smooth flavor good matcha should have, without any bitterness.
Asano has recently started serving onigiri, triangular Japanese rice balls. One of the versions that day was with umeboshi, a Japanese pickled plum with a very sour and salty flavor. It is definitely a bold taste and probably not for everyone, but I love umeboshi and thought it was delicious.
Steve had the Orange Olive Oil muffin, which was also really good. It had a lightly crisp crust on the top and a soft, moist crumb inside with plenty of bright orange flavor.
The pastries and sweets at Asano come from small artisan bakeries they collaborate with, and the items are made specifically for them. The selection is not large, but it feels thoughtfully curated and different from what you usually find at a coffee shop.
After our visit I spoke with Kate on the phone about the concept. Kate is half Japanese, and you can clearly feel the Japanese influence in the cafe, from the orange noren outside to the pastries and the selection of hot and cold drinks.
Kate told me that the idea for Asano came from a simple observation. Many restaurants have beautiful dining rooms that sit empty for most of the morning and early afternoon. With Asano those same spaces turn into cafes for a few hours each day. The concept is simple but quite brilliant. Instead of opening their own cafe spaces, Asano moves into restaurants that otherwise only open in the evening. It is a win for the restaurants, which get life in the space during the quiet hours, and it is also great for the cafe guests who get to enjoy their coffee in much nicer surroundings than the typical grab and go coffee shop.
Kate told me that there is even a practical benefit when it comes to the coffee. The espresso machine belongs to the restaurant, and espresso machines perform best when they are used regularly. Pulling shots all morning helps keep the machine in top condition, which results in better coffee for guests both in the cafe and later in the restaurant.
Asano is already expanding, and more cafes are on the way. It is a really strong concept, and I would love to see those orange noren popping up in more places around the city. So if you are walking down Bleecker Street, keep an eye out for the orange noren outside The Noortwyck. If you have time, step inside. Really good coffee, excellent matcha, and a wonderful selection of pastries are waiting.
Asano at The Noortwyck, 289 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014, United States
