SnoJoy Café owners Jolina Li and Nina Xiao would probably be the first to admit they didn’t open their Asian-themed dessert shop in the ideal New Haven location. Situated on the first block of Whitney Avenue, the neighborhood does strong lunch business but, except for nearby Anna Liffey’s Irish Pub, is pretty quiet at night. Consequently, Li and Xiao found that at lunch people were more interested in savory than sweet eating, and at night the dinner business they wanted to lure into the restaurant for dessert was minimal.
So they have had to adapt. First they introduced delicious chicken or vegetable banh mi sandwiches to the Elm City, those delicious fragrant subs that fuse French and Vietnamese elements. That generated some additional lunch business, but it wasn’t enough.
So now these delightful young entrepreneurs have picked up on another emerging trend and brought New Haven another first: sushi burritos. People line up around the block for these customizable treats in some of America’s biggest metropolises. On October 9, after renovating for a couple of days, SnoJoy reopened with a new décor and a new menu. Patrons can pick a kind of rice, three vegetables and fruits, a protein and a sauce—and watch it all rolled up together in nori wrap like a giant sushi burrito. They’re quick, fresh and delicious! Alternatively, instead of sushi burritos, patrons can choose rice bowls or salads utilizing pretty much the same ingredient choices. And in keeping with the sushi theme, SnoJoy has added a seaweed salad, squid salad and edamame.
My friend Carrol and I tried two sushi burritos: one with white rice, salmon, avocado, cucumber, corn, masago and spicy mayo (yes, we added a couple of extra vegetables), the other with white rice, tuna, mango, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeño and spicy mayo (can’t get enough of that). We watched them made before our eyes. We sat down with our sushi burritos, peeled back a little of the wrapping paper surrounding them and took big bites. Wow, were they good!
But SnoJoy’s opening strengths haven’t been eliminated. The little shop still sells shaved snow, patbingsoo, mochi ice cream, honey brick toast, Hong Kong waffles and other imaginative Asian-themed desserts. There are smoothies, flavored teas and bubble teas. If you’re the adventurous kind of foodie that likes to be ahead of the curve, there’s nowhere in Connecticut that’s hipper and more fun than SnoJoy Café!
THE VERDICT: SnoJoy Café in New Haven is a real treat, offering savory and sweet fare you may not find anywhere else.
FEEDBACK: Let us know in our comments section if you liked SnoJoy Cafe as much as we did!
CONTACT INFO: SnoJoy Café, 9 Whitney Ave., New Haven, 203-752-1888, www.snojoycafe.net