Tomacado

Mom is always trying to find ways to bribe us out of the house, and she knows that the best way to bribe me out of the house is to take me to a cafe. Usually my family goes to the same cafes in Beijing, but this one was a new discovery. And wow I’m in love! And I’m sure that any blogger or Instagrammer would agree.

It was so funny: Upon arrival, I saw two ladies having their afternoon tea and one of them had the Cult Gaia ark bag*. Of course someone with a Cult Gaia ark bag would be at Tomacado. Furthermore, outside the cafe there was a trolley of flowers and next to that there was an arch of pink balloons. There were tons of ladies having their own photoshoots there whilst waiting to be seated.

When my family and I were finally called to be seated, our waitress led us to our table, but we did have to pause on the way to our table, letting the people in front of us finish taking their photos. The waitress stopped so naturally and seemed to accept that it was all part of the job.

*I don’t understand the Cult Gaia ark bag?? It’s like asking to be robbed?? But also how does anything fit?? And I’m pretty sure I would break it within the first few uses.

Tomacado’s presentation is everything. Almost every item arrives on a wood tray accompanied by a small bundle of flowers. The only thing I have to say is that despite the fact that Tomacado has definitely worked to make everything picturesque, the lighting inside the cafe is quite horrid for photos. It’s located in the basement of a mall so there isn’t any natural light; there are fluorescent lights dangling right above every table, which makes everything yellow and creates harsh highlights and harsh shadows, though overall the lighting of the cafe is quite dim. But if you’re not worried about taking photos, the dim lighting is fine and you might even find that it sets a calm ambience.

My family and I only ordered drinks and desserts because we had just come from lunch, but you can also grab a meal there. This would be a fantastic place for brunch. When you’re there, make sure to order their water (花厨水). It’s a special water that’s infused with basil, mint leaves, rose, and blueberry. My family and I tried ordering it because we heard that it was their house special, but they were sold out! So unfortunately I can’t verify whether the drink lives up to the hype, but at the very least it sure does look beautiful, along with everything else on their menu! (Upon hearing that they were out of their house water, my mom was like, how can you be out of water?! Not in an accusing way; in an incredulous way.)

Even though I have only recently discovered this place, it has been open for a year already and is quite popular. I mean, even their water runs out. Make sure you call for a reservation beforehand to ensure seating when you arrive.

I’m already anticipating another trip back to Tomacado when I return to Beijing for winter break. Hopefully my photography skills will improve so that I can show you some more snaps that don’t need to be filtered af and that do this cafe justice!