‘I wanted to eat a lot of cake’: A Q&A with the creator of the viral sensation Cake Picnic
Many years ago, I had a cake baking obsession. I made a five-layer rainbow cake with each layer having its own distinct flavor (red velvet, pumpkin, lemon, matcha and blueberry); a chocolate chip cookie layer cake, decorated with cookie dough balls and a giant chocolate chip cookie; and even a cake stuffed with cheesecake in the flavors of three limited-edition Oreos.
Those who love cake and are chronically online likely have heard of Cake Picnic, essentially a cookie swap but with cake. The event started in San Francisco in 2024 and quickly became a viral sensation, now being held in cities all over the world.
The creator of Cake Picnic recently published a cake cookbook and will be at Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park to talk about it on Aug. 7. The event will be followed by a mini cake picnic in the plaza outside Kepler’s. So if you want to have your cake and eat it too, preheat your oven and pick up your piping bag for this cake-filled event.
Stay tasty,
Adrienne
Cake Picnic founder Elisa Sunga is bringing her cookbook tour to Menlo Park, cake and all
‘Cake Picnic: Recipes for the Love of Cake & Friends’ combines recipes with an event-planning guide.
Upscale cocktail bar makes plans for South Bay, a new omakase restaurant and an LA doughnut joint lands in Silicon Valley
- Celebrity chef Tucker Ricchio left Lira after only a few months, and the restaurant shuttered a few months later. Now, a new specialty cocktail bar and restaurant is coming to the vacant Campbell space: TRIAL|ERROR.
- Chef Yuichiro Sasaki, who is behind legendary Sushi Punch in Tokyo, recently opened Ezo Omakase in Santa Clara.
- Randy’s Donuts is hosting the grand opening of its Santa Clara location Friday, with free glazed raised doughnuts from 7 a.m. to noon.
- Gangsan Korean Cuisine soft opened July 22 in the former Das Bierhauz space in Redwood City.
- Japanese Italian fusion restaurant La Casa Mia is permanently closing its Santa Clara restaurant on Friday, according to a recent Instagram post. Its Milpitas location will remain open.
- ROOH Palo Alto is hosting a South Indian Food Fest Aug. 3-16 with a limited-time menu and cocktail showcase.
- Void, a modern specialty coffee shop, recently opened in Santa Clara.
- Tuesday is the last day to nominate yourself or someone else for the Adobo Cookoff at 7 Mile House in Brisbane. The cookoff is Aug. 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Valley Goat in Sunnyvale is hosting First Friday: Chef Stephanie & Friends on Aug. 7, a ticketed event benefiting World Central Kitchen.
- One Love Cafe is relocating from San Bruno to South San Francisco and aiming for an Oct. 1 opening, according to a recent Instagram post.
- Horsefeather Palo Alto is doing a bar takeover of Fogbird in San Mateo on Aug. 5 from 5-7 p.m.
- HeyTea is making its Westfield Valley Fair debut on Friday.
Wagyu at Marufuku Ramen
Popular ramen chain Marufuku Ramen has made its way to downtown Palo Alto, and not only does it offer cocktails, but it also has A5 wagyu. It appears that Marufuku is differentiating itself from the competition (notably, Ramen Nagi) with premiumization.
While most ramen is priced from $18-$23.50 at Marufuku, the new A5 wagyu shoyu ramen costs $29 and comes torched tableside to your liking. The ramen broth is incredibly rich and meaty, albeit a bit more oily than I’d like, seasoned with a 330-year-old traditional soy sauce from Shibanuma Brewery in Japan. The deep umami flavor of the broth is offset with sharp red onion, enhanced with crunchy garlic chips and topped with Marufuku’s signature soft-boiled egg.
The star of the bowl, the A5 wagyu, is sliced very thin and melted in my mouth. But be warned: The meat may look cooked after torching, but flip it over to double check. I had to have staff retorch my wagyu.
And while the A5 wagyu ramen was delicious, the A5 wagyu skewer was even better ($15.50 per skewer). While the portion may look small, the meat is incredibly rich, decadent and bursting with juicy, fatty flavor. The skewer is glazed in yakitori sauce, adding both a sweet and salty flavor, and is served with wasabi for a kick of spice. While $15.50 for one skewer is pricey, I think it’s a great way to enjoy A5 wagyu without making a reservation at a fine-dining restaurant and spending exorbitantly more.
Marufuku Ramen, 374 University Ave., Palo Alto; 650-494-4693, Instagram: @marufukuramenofficial. Open Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
From ghost kitchen to brick and mortar: Pamilya aims to shine a light on Filipino food
Beef kaldereta, sinigang, lechon and halo halo come to Redwood City
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