www.montereycountynow.com SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 35 CHILL A lot of people would say 2020, during the pandemic lockdown, was a terrible time to buy a food business. But for Ryan Zen Lama, who was already running a small Nepali import shop next door, the opportunity to acquire East Village Cafe was a gift. The cafe had been a meeting point for him over years, the place where friendships were made or solidified. Even though he took over on the day of a new shutdown order and was limited to to-go only in his early months, he know that it would again become a gathering place. “The name says it: It’s a village,” Lama says. “I’m like: I can bring a little bit of real East into it.” That flavor from the East comes from a chai tea blend Lama makes, based on what he grew up drinking in Nepal. The black tea (with caffeine, but a subtler buzz than coffee) is organic Assam. The spice blend is cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, star anise and a little bit of nutmeg, ground and blended in-house. It’s served frothy and warm, particularly smooth with oatmilk, and a generous dusting of the spice blend as garnish. It’s sweetened with just a touch with brown sugar— not overpowering, but enough to mellow the heat of the spices, making it warm but not punchy. “I use nutmeg since we are a cold area, and it warms you up,” Lama adds. Lattes with espresso remain the best-seller. “We sell a lot of lattes,” he says, “but oatmilk chai is up there.” East Village Cafe, 498 Washington St., Monterey. Open 7am-5pm daily. (831) 2960886. Sugar, Spice The housemade chai tea blend puts the ‘east’ in East Village Cafe. By Sara Rubin SEND IDEAS TO: chill@montereycountynow.com DANIEL DREIFUSS Carmel Tasting Room San Carlos & 7th • 831.626.WINE (9463) Estate Winery & Tasting Room 1972 Hobson Ave, Greenfield SCHEIDVINEYARDS.COM Enjoyfriends. sips. Pouring daily from 12pm OCEAN AVE 7TH AVE 8TH AVE MISSION ST Carmel Plaza Sunset Community & Cultural Center SAN CARLOS ST DOLORES ST James Michael Dorsey, naturalist and author of The Lagoon, has spent many seasons as a naturalist at the gray whale nursery at San Ignacio lagoon in Baja California Sur, Mexico. James will talk about gray whale resilience from near extinction and coastal whaling from Monterey that lasted until 1968. His book will be available. FREE TALK • OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Wednesday, Sept. 18 Doors open 6:30pm • Presentation 7:00pm Hopkins Marine Station, Boatworks Auditorium, 120 Oceanview Blvd, Pacific Grove www.acsmb.org • 831-214-1016 GRAY WHALE MIRACLES SEASIDE’S FINEST THIN CRUST PIZZA SOURDOUGH PIZZA SALADS &CALZONES • • DRAFT BEER • • DINE-IN, TAKE-OUT 720 BROADWAY AVE. SEASIDE 831-899-1762 DELIVERY AVAILABLE
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