It’s not every day that going out for coffee or a light snack meant visiting the barista’s home, but for Elk Grove’s Sarap Society pop-up last Saturday, the front doors were open for café fanatics to discover what they had in store.
Entering the home, it offered a familiar, welcoming feeling resonant of most Asian households: shoes and slippers left by the doormat, children playing in the living room, parents chatting away with drinks in hand and young adults crowding around tables discussing schoolwork and their social lives. One glance at the kitchen, and customers realize that the space is the perfect split of both a Filipino gathering space and a Sacramento café.
Behind the kitchen counter – which was refurbished to display the pop-up’s humble menu of refreshing drinks and quick bites – were business owners Alaia and Knoble Tankiamco. Alaia, who worked in various culinary jobs ranging from restaurants to catering gigs for the past eight years, is the business’ homecook. Knoble, who previously moved from his five-year job as a server in a Japanese restaurant to a manager at a café in Berkeley, is the barista.
The couple, who both initially met in Elk Grove’s Sheldon High School, moved in together in the Bay Area for nearly 15 years before moving back to their hometown to pursue their dreams of starting a business together. Alaia and Knoble shared their experiences in restaurants and cafés, such as San Francisco’s now-closed Sweet Woodruff, before following the endeavor.
“We actually worked at a café together in San Francisco called Sweet Woodruff and kind of fell in love with the concept of an open kitchen and serving the community at the same time,” Alaia said.
The duo moved back to Elk Grove after the COVID-19 pandemic to receive closer support from friends and to offer a new café culture to Sacramento – one that isn’t just another viral matcha latté joint. Knoble said that there is a lack of representation in coffee cultures outside of the traditional espresso. Alaia added on, suggesting that the business will also introduce lesser-known flavors and dishes, like Turon, a caramelized Filipino spring roll dessert, into the market.
“Everyone just thinks of ube – we’re much more than that,” Alaia said. “[We’re] also gearing more towards meals, also, not just snacks; twists on Kare-kare, Sinigang, the good stuff.”
Since Filipino dishes and desserts are less prominent to most café enjoyers as other Asian cuisines, the couple recognized the obstacles that come with introducing the culture. Alaia believed that taking on the challenge of marketing their business to Sacramento and Elk Grove is worth the representation and “pushing people’s taste buds.”
“A lot of the food is brown in the Philippines, so [we’re] kind of twisting that. How can you incorporate that with everything else?” Alaia said. “It’s a challenge. We like to challenge ourselves.”
Among the attendees of the pop-up were another couple, Stefan and Jasmine Francisco, who sat near the countertop that the Tankiamcos were serving from. Jasmine knew the couple from high school, whereas Stefan knew them from a faith youth group they had partaken in 12 years ago.
“We’re both friends with both Alaia and Knoble, but we did first see [the pop-up] on Instagram,” Jasmine said. “They actually mentioned something, a month or two ago, that they’ve always wanted to open up their coffee shop. It was pretty cool to see this little pop-up.”
Both Stefan and Jasmine expressed excitement for where the business will take the Tankiamcos in the future. It was clear that what the Tankiamcos built in their home was more than just a gathering of culinary and café enthusiasts but a supportive, family-like community.
“I want to see the success of it all,” Stefan said. “I already see that they took the first base to build this community.”
After being residents of the Bay Area for over a decade, the Tankiamcos were open to various options of where to officially establish a physical business, whether it be resettling in San Jose, where local immigrant cafés, restaurants and popups are common, or remaining in the Sacramento area. In the meantime, the couple wanted to further immerse themselves in the community of other local businesses from the area.
District 56, a 56-acre community park located in Elk Grove, is one of many other creative spaces that hosts frequent events to spotlight local businesses, cultures and entertainment, such as the park’s Annual Asian Pacific Culturefest this weekend. The couple expressed their interest in participating in the park’s events in the future, along with other opportunities held throughout the region.
“We definitely want to do more events around the community. We want to hit the Midtown Farmer’s Market, collaborate with other small businesses, and other small markets,” Alaia said.
It was apparent that the couple’s ideas for nurturing and growing the business knew no bounds. After all, it was only the beginning.
“tay tuned. We definitely have a bunch of stuff coming for the rest of the year,” Alaia said, laughing happily in anticipation of the plan. “It’s summer, so there [are] lots of plans. This is like our first baby, so we’re very excited.”
Although the business’ next event is still to be decided, the couple encouraged those interested in Sarap Society to follow their Instagram for updates.
