Beat the Heat This Summer at New LoHi Cafe Krav

Summer just got a little sweeter thanks to the team behind Mizu Izakaya in LoHi and East Moon in Broomfield, which recently opened Krav Cafe at 1671 Central Street, next door to an outpost of local chain Rush Bowls.

While grand-opening celebration details are still being finalized, Krav is now serving specialty matcha drinks, teas and soft-serve ice cream plus a selection of sweet and savory bites in its pastry case.

Co-owner and manager Sengathid “Johnny” Luang-Khot says this concept evolved from a desire to take the same attention to detail and focus on premium ingredients practiced at Mizu and East Moon, and apply them to the world of matcha.

The cafe's opening menu features seven premium matcha options, including the standard matcha latte, fruit variations such as strawberry and mango, and a hojicha latte made with roasted matcha for a rich nutty flavor.

According to Luang-Khot, now that most people are familiar with the taste of matcha, their palates are searching for higher-quality options. Mass-produced generic matcha offerings typically have a brown tinge and overwhelming chalkiness, he says; at Krav, he believes that the prioritization of freshness and flavor is evident. “I think when people see that, they taste it, they’ll be like, ‘Okay. This is incredible. This is how it’s supposed to be," he notes.  The fruit purées used in the drinks and as toppings for the ice cream are made every morning from fresh strawberries and mangos, selected carefully for peak ripeness.

In addition to the green and black teas, other beverages include classic milk tea, brown sugar milk boba and Thai tea. The boba pearls are prepared in-house daily and include both traditional boba pearls and brown sugar molasses boba.

The soft-serve ice cream machine provided by Rocky Mountains Distributing currently dispenses two flavors: matcha and ube. Guests can up the sweetness level by adding toppings, or enjoy the ice cream on its own for a subtler profile that lets the flavors really shine.

Specialty desserts include the 24K Magic, a waffle cone with matcha soft-serve topped with boba pearls and gold leaf flakes. Another, the fruity ube, cuts the richness with lychee jelly and strawberry purée.

The space itself is bright and cozy, with pristine white tabletops, surprisingly comfortable seating and spacious booths, and glimmering touches like gold accents and a chandelier.
Luang-Khot says that the team wanted to create an inviting atmosphere for young professionals, where they could plug in a laptop, grab a snack and get some work done during the day.

The outside patio will soon undergo a makeover to remove the barriers, update the furniture with bench seating and add a fresh coat of paint, new greenery and possibly overhead sails for shade.

Luang-Khot imagines people strolling up and down the block in the evenings, stopping in for an after-dinner dessert. Krav is currently pursuing a liquor license, and once it's approved, he thinks Krav will be the perfect spot for an espresso martini paired with tiramisu soft-serve, a flavor that's being developed right now.

He notes that Krav is a major player in a unified effort of small businesses to build back the walkability and sense of community in LoHi, adding that the cafe will cross-promote other area restaurants and shops, like El Chingon Bistro, Rush Bowls, Metropolis Coffee and Hampton Social, which is set to open this year.  “We want to turn it into a block party,” Luang-Khot says.
One such initiative is Mizu’s Sunday brunch, which kicked off late last month. Weekend warriors can enjoy lychee mimosas, sushi, seafood towers and more from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., then stroll over to El Chingon for strawberry margaritas and finish the day with dessert at Krav.

“We want to be good for the neighborhood and good for our fellow restaurants because that’s the best way to do it. It’s not a competition. If everyone succeeds, this incredible neighborhood will get better,” Luang-Khot concludes. “This is a cool neighborhood spot. It’s exciting for us to know that we can make people happy with dessert. That’s all this business is, really. Making people happy.”