Edwardsville welcomes a delightful blend of Hawaiian and Korean culinary treats with the opening of Spoonful Korean Dessert Café on January 12. Nestled at 1063 Illinois Route 157 in the University Pointe 1 Shopping Center, Spoonful shares its space with Hawaiian eatery, Poke Munch, which first opened its doors.
The collaboration between Spoonful and Poke Munch stems from their existing connection as neighbors on Olive Boulevard in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Monica Lee, the founder of Spoonful, shared insights into the collaborative venture, stating, “Sharing space with somebody is kind of like having a roommate. The owners of Poke Munch have a lot of values that are the same as ours, and when we realized we could share a space together, that’s when we started thinking more seriously about it.”
Strategic Expansion and Synergies
Monica Lee initially opened Spoonful in February 2022, inspired by Korean coffee culture. The fusion dessert café offers an array of treats, including bingsu (Korean snow cone), bubble tea, milk tea, fruit tea, and taiyaki (Japanese fish-shaped waffle). The Edwardsville location triples the seating capacity compared to the original Creve Coeur site, providing an inviting space for patrons.
The collaboration complements both establishments, with Spoonful focusing on Korean desserts and drinks, while Poke Munch specializes in Hawaiian cuisine, particularly poke – cubed raw fish seasoned to individual preferences.
Lee expressed her enthusiasm for the Edwardsville area, stating, “The Edwardsville area is awesome. I had already been thinking about Edwardsville, but I was thinking more for year five. I’m year two now, so my expansion timetable moved up.”
Diverse Dessert Menu and Cultural Integration
Spoonful’s menu showcases an array of desserts, with bingsu offerings ranging from traditional flavors like Matcha-Matic and Injeolmi to inventive choices like Cereal Killer, Cookies n’ Dreams, and Tira-Miss You. The café also features taiyaki with various fillings such as sweet red bean, Nutella, and apple cinnamon.
Emphasizing inclusivity, Lee noted, “There are so many times you walk into an Asian restaurant and you have no idea how to order. We want to take away that intimidation factor because this is for everybody.”
The café provides an extensive selection of milk teas with boba (tapioca), including unique flavors like taro, strawberry, Tiger Sugar (with brown sugar), and matcha. Fruit teas with lychee jelly or chia, frozen drinks, coffees, lattes, and hot chocolate add to the diverse beverage offerings.
Community Engagement and Collaborative Success
Spoonful operates in tandem with Poke Munch, sharing the same operational hours from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The partnership is characterized by synergy, with both establishments benefiting from their collaboration. Lee describes the experience as a “win-win situation for everybody.”
Ausaja Kazmi, an owner and partner at Poke Munch, highlighted the success of their Edwardsville venture, stating, “We love Edwardsville, and it’s a great community, and we want to stay here as long as we can.”
The collaborative spirit between Spoonful and Poke Munch not only enhances the culinary offerings available to Edwardsville residents but also fosters a sense of community engagement and mutual success.
