Matters of Taste: Sono Kitchen & Boba serves up scratch-made meals and memories

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section, March 2024

Written by Gail G. Collins

Street food is a happy way of life in Asia. Each country has its favorite flavors and dishes, which double as comfort food and takeaway. It is fresh and homemade, delivering instant gratification. The history of street food is long and diverse, originating in ancient Greece and traveling to China, where, as charity, it was offered to the poor, but over time, street food emerged as a culture all of its own.

Although food is often available in rural roadside locations throughout Asia, it was within urban settings that markets first blossomed, and then, thrived as food centers with little overhead. Guests may be served in makeshift restaurant stalls, where cramped seating and a sense of community abounds, or eaten on the go. Whether it is nasi goreng in Indonesia or popcorn chicken and boba in Taiwan, one has heaven in hand.

And so it was for Jerry Tseng, who grew up in Taiwan with popcorn chicken in one hand and boba tea in the other. Partnering with Chuan Lu and Frank Yang, they recreated those youthful memories through Sono Kitchen & Boba with two locations in Sedona and Flagstaff.

The partners met at Northern Arizona University, studying for their masters in business. They went their separate ways to some extent, though Tseng and Lu both worked for Panda Express as an area manager over 15 stores and vice president of operations, respectively. After more than 15 years, they circled back to Flagstaff in 2018 to consider entrepreneurship. It was meant to be a reunion, but the meeting netted more, as they yearned for a more relaxed lifestyle and the camaraderie they once knew.

Tseng’s father, Jason Tseng, was an executive chef, and the family owned China Gardens for decades. He gave sage advice to the trio on products, recipes and local business savvy.

 “We are good friends, who share the same dream, same knowledge and decided to do business together. We were cautious, but after thoughtful research, we said, ‘Let’s do this,’” said Lu. “The idea was to create a fast, casual concept, combining Japanese and Taiwanese cultures, serving great drinks and great food.”

Read more: Matters of Taste: Sono Kitchen & Boba serves up scratch-made meals and memories

The partners hold vast corporate experience between them, but still, their timing was tricky. While looking to locate in Flagstaff, they found space in uptown Sedona, launching in June 2020 during the pandemic. Early success spurred efforts to make Flagstaff a reality, and as Tseng’s parents retired, the partners secured the inside track to their second location on Milton Road in October 2022.

The associates are active operators of Sono Kitchen, which borrowed its name from Tseng’s wife. “Sono is Japanese—it is short, clean sounding, easy to pronounce, and keeps it family-oriented,” Lu said.

Sono’s boba teas focus on quality with ingredients imported from Taiwan. Real fruits, not syrups, and purveyor-selected teas, using no powders or shortcuts, keep it simple and good, according to Lu. “Our boba has intense flavor to create that aha, whoa feeling.”

Popular drinks include Thai milk tea, strawberry Snow White, Sono boba milk tea and taro yama. But what is a boba? Tapioca pearls, made of cassava root, swirl milk, fruit and beautiful tea into a marbled effect, as they gently glide up a straw. Students love the drinks, shooting pics and sharing sips.

Most boba shops serve food as an afterthought, but Sono makes authentic street food, showcasing Pop ‘n Bo. “We want to introduce this combination to everybody! It’s fun and good,” enthused Lu. The salt and pepper popcorn chicken is hand-cut, marinated, batter-dipped and served with a medium boba drink. The chicken bucket reads, “Unforgettable flavors from childhood.”

The Japanese donburi bowls feature house noodles created by Jason Teng.  Topped with teriyaki chicken and ground pork, marinated cucumbers and egg, the dish offers three-dimensional flavor and texture.  Gyu don layers shaved beef with egg plus green and yellow onions over rice. All dishes are scratch-made, servings are generous and protein-packed.

The afternoons are busy at Sono, serving drinks from 18 standard and seasonal selections, while lunch and dinner bustle with serious food in one hand and boba in the other, recreating Jerry Tseng’s childhood.

“The partnership is a good marriage, contributing and combining knowledge,” Lu said. “We are flexible and quick to learn and change. Staying close to business is vital, and we are on the front line to raise this baby well.” The proof is Sono’s continued expansion as the partners search for space to open a Phoenix location. AZDSun

Matters of Taste: Petit Marché brings the charm of France to Flag

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section, February 2024

Written by Gail G. Collins

Despite the convenience of one-stop shopping in French hyper grocers, locals have turned back to neighborhood markets. Such markets revitalize areas, and 100 new ones are born each year. In fact, when last surveyed in 2020, half of the French population remains loyal to their community market.

Traditional markets are not a rural phenomenon; they are just as common in urban settings across districts and regions. They are places to catch up with friends or socialize over a cup of coffee. That little market is a local link in the supply chain from produce grower or artisan baker to consumer, who prefers homegrown goods. Small, neighborhood markets provide the vital opportunity to eat wholesome foods, boost the area’s economy and control our diets with some happy chat thrown in.

This was the vision of Sam Greenhalgh with his business partner and mother, Natasha, who created Petit Marche. But what is the French connection? Sam is a chef, classically trained in French cuisine.

“I am enamored by it—the simplicity and cleanliness of it,” he enthused. “It’s the best way to eat, using quality ingredients and letting them shine.”

Petit Marche is an outgrowth of their earlier French venture Forêt FLG, for which Sam has been nominated for a James Beard Award as Best Chef, Southwest. The awards will be presented in Chicago in June.

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“Fortunately, we have been very busy at Forêt—at capacity—looking for an outlet to make things quicker, easier,” Sam said. “We understand people don’t have the time to wait 20-25 minutes to grab a cup of coffee.” Petit Marche was the answer. “We are a great addition for hotel and B & B guests to come in and grab a couple of things.” Industry service staff also relies on the shop’s flexibility to offer grab-and-go fresh meals.

Adjacent to the heart of downtown on Aspen Avenue, stairs enter Petit Marche centrally with coffee and meal service to one side and a grocery to the other. The snug coffee space proffers bakery items, like baguettes, bagels, croissants and other pastries, as well as quick pick-ups, like house made lemon-honey ricotta, pimento cheese and daily soups. The grocery side trades in frozen ready meal goods—pasta, soups, ice cream and bacon—plus produce and provisions, like Northern California Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes, local honey and Cutino sauces from Phoenix. The shop carries a variety of drinks and focuses on natural Arizona wines, like Cactus Cru, the state’s first organic, sustainably-produced wine made from native vineyards, and Los Milics in Elgin. As for staples, try Hayden Mills flours, devoted to stone-milling heritage and ancient grains for their improved taste.

“The sky is the limit, even though the space is tiny,” Sam said. “The baguettes and Montreal-style bagels are made daily and consistently sell out.” According to Sam, this style bagel is thinner, airier and crispier. Get there early or pay ahead by phone to reserve your fresh bread.

The shop opened in August and quickly lined up holiday pre-orders of scratch recipes, which featured bourbon pecan pie, beef Bourgogne pie and gift baskets of niche goodies.

“Sam has a never-ending, creative drive,” Natasha said. “All the bread is naturally leavened.” To accompany that, fresh butter is churned from a locally-sourced cream and kefir culture.

Pastry options also include chocolate croissants, gluten-free brownies, ham and butter sandwiches that sell out early. There are three other popular choices. The brekkie is stuffed with sausage, eggs, salsa and cream cheese. The loaded lox holds cold, smoked Norwegian salmon, shaved red onion, dill, capers, Graza olive oil and whipped cream cheese. The deli stacks turkey with heirloom tomatoes, English cukes, spinach, red onion, herbs, oil and vinegar.

The coffee program is powered by an enormous La Marzocco espresso machine, handmade in Florence, Italy, and serving beans from Portland’s Rose Line in a full line of espresso drinks. A complementary tea and matcha line is on offer as well.

It’s lovely to have another bit of France in our town, where we can make a quick stop to shop for the day’s needs, grab a nourishing sandwich on the way to work or enjoy a coffee and pastry with a friend. As many customers have noted as they walk out of Petit Marche, fresh baguette in hand slathered in house made butter, “It feels like I’m in Paris.” And that’s just the point. AZDSun