Grounds for celebration
Popular east side coffee shop brews up new location in Central Austin

When it was announced in April that a mini version of Kome was going to be part of Fareground food hall, it seemed owners Take and Kayo Asazu would be getting very little sleep this fall. That was followed in August with the news that they were moving the original Kome to a new, bigger space. Then, on Monday, November 13, the couple announced they are working on yet another project. Well, it’s a good thing the pair also own a coffee shop with East Side King’s Motoyasu Utsunomiya because they certainly won't be catching Z's any time soon.
November 12 marked the last day of service at Kome as the team puts the finishing touches on the new location ahead of a November 21 opening date. But the building won’t be vacant for long — the Asazus and Utsunomiya are transforming the intimate space into a second Sa-Ten Coffee and Eats.
The interior will be designed by Kazuya Owada, the Japanese commercial designer and friend of Kayo’s who was responsible for Kome’s signature look. Although the renovations will be relatively minor, new custom furniture is being built for the site, a coffee bar is being installed, and the private dining room is being converted to an intimate tatami room. The second Sa-Ten locale has a target opening date of mid-December.
As is the case with the original Sa-Ten on Springdale Road, Casa Brasil coffee will be the star, but the new spot will also be adding wine and local beer. According to director of operations Elizabeth Hyman, the food menu is still under development and there’s no word yet on whether the Canopy location’s popular curries and toasts will carry over to the new store.
Meanwhile, Kome’s Facebook page has given a few sneak peeks of what to expect from the new spot at 5301 Airport Blvd. Rock woods and dark blue tile evoke the spirit of the original while a neon sign announces the sleek new look. The new restaurant will also feature a sizable patio — perfect for enjoying a cocktail should the crew ever get a moment to relax.