Latest news with #ChaTraMue
The Star
24-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Star
Get a taste of Lagom Life
IPC Shopping Centre has unveiled The Lagom Life – a refreshed brand positioning inspired by the Swedish philosophy of living with balance, simplicity and purpose. Rooted in the idea of 'just the right amount', this new direction embraces a more intentional and sustainable lifestyle, encouraged to slow down, savour the moment and shop with meaning. Where simplicity meets purpose Whether it's family-first missioners meeting household needs while enjoying child-friendly spaces, outgoing status seekers drawn to unique food experiences; or creative adventurers seeking a convenient retreat for grocery runs, moments of relaxation and weekend discoveries - The Lagom Life is designed for all. 'Life today can feel overwhelmingly fast-paced – from juggling work, family, or even something as simple as a grocery run,' said Karyn Lim, IPC Shopping Centre general manager. 'That's why we believe in offering a more balanced, intentional alternative. IPC is a place where simplicity meets purpose – where you can reconnect with yourself, your loved ones and your community in a meaningful way. Playland at IPC is an outdoor space for children to play, explore and connect with others. 'At IPC Shopping Centre, we offer a balanced and sustainably-driven shopping experience where everyone who steps foot into the shopping centre can enjoy curated choices that meet their needs and desires. 'More than just a shopping destination, we are a meeting place where simplicity meets purpose, providing offerings in a blissful, comfortable and well-curated environment. 'Whether visitors are looking for a pleasant day out with family and friends or simply some well-deserved me-time, IPC delivers an experience that is both meaningful through our offerings, and rewarding through our Tack Club loyalty programme on the IPC App that is designed to truly appreciate every presence,' she added. The Lagom Life From revitalised dining experiences and a sustainable retail mix to inclusive spaces and community-focused initiatives, IPC is evolving into a place where everyday life flows with intention and ease. Over the years, IPC Shopping Centre has steadily refined its offerings by constantly identifying new experiences to meet the evolving needs of consumers. Recent additions to the dining scene include Canton Boy, FUIYOH! It's UNCLE ROGER, Chagee and Luckin Coffee join crowd favourites like ChaTraMue, Taste of Medan and llao llao to bring trending new flavours to IPC's dining scene. Foodland at Level LG continues to delight with Daily Bowl, Dunkin' Donuts, The Grass, Happy Potato and New Juice with Pao Xiang Bak Kut Teh coming soon. Beyond dining, IPC is elevating everyday life through the introduction of Träffas Work Pods at the Level 1 Link Bridge, BYD integrated with Espresso Lab, MR DIY Plus, Good Times DIY Lifestyle Studio and Play United. The upcoming Brio Social Club will also bring seven indoor pickleball courts to encourage healthy living and social connections. EV users will benefit from six Tesla chargers launching in the third quarter – four Superchargers and two Destination Chargers – providing greater convenience during visits. These enhancements reflect IPC's commitment to providing a stress-free, balanced destination in the fast-paced urban life. Its thoughtfully curated tenant mix supports both practical needs and the pursuit of sustainable living. Purposeful living IPC promotes conscious living with the Recycling and Buy-Back Centre (RBBC) and weekend artisanal and eco-workshops during festive periods. Tenants like H&M also support the cause with in-store clothing recycling programmes. IPC's RBBC helps integrate eco-friendly habits, supporting its goal of making sustainability part of everyday life. Amenities such as baby strollers, power scooters, wheelchairs and well-equipped family rooms – featuring anti-bacterial flooring, advanced air-purification and private nursing rooms – highlight IPC's attention to hygiene, comfort and convenience. As The Lagom Life unfolds across its spaces and experiences, IPC reaffirms its role as a sustainable, community-first meeting place that adapts to the times while staying true to its Swedish-inspired values. This ongoing journey reflects IPC's evolution that balances commercial success with environmental responsibility and purposeful living. For the latest information, visit the website
Los Angeles Times
07-04-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
The family behind L.A.'s most popular Thai restaurant is opening a Thai tea boba shop
There's a delicate art to brewing the Thai tea at ChaTraMue, the Thailand-based tea shop that's been around since 1945. It starts with Thai tea leaves sourced from a farm in Chiang Rai. The leaves are placed in a long white filter over a gleaming silver pitcher, then another pitcher of hot water is poured over the leaves. The tea is transferred back and forth from one pitcher to the other, a process that both aerates and cools the liquid. It's a lengthy, laborious tea pulling method that lasts several minutes and requires patience and stamina. 'It's called chak cha,' says Sirine Singsanong Bunkua, standing behind the counter at the new ChaTraMue in Westminster. 'You pour, pour, pour, pour,' she says, transferring the darkening liquid from one pitcher to another. Sirine and her husband, Nick Bunkua, will open the first ChaTraMue in Orange County on Saturday, in a small strip mall just east of Magnolia Street on Bolsa Avenue. The shop will specialize in Thai tea, an orange sherbet-colored beverage made with fragrant red tea and a mixture of condensed milk and evaporated milk over ice. The ChaTraMue version is tea forward, with the rich red tea front and center, softened only slightly by the milk. You can adjust the sweetness to a level you prefer, but 70% feels balanced and not overly sweet. 'ChaTraMue was actually the originator of Thai tea,' Nick says. He grew up drinking Thai tea from the various ChaTraMue locations scattered all over Thailand. 'It's the type of milk tea you can have multiple times a day,' he says. 'Every time I get on and off the train there, I buy it.' ChaTraMue was started by the Han family, who emigrated from China and settled in the Chinatown area of Bangkok in the 1920s. They opened a tea shop, selling hot teas imported from China. After the original shop was bombed during World War II, the family relocated and adjusted their offerings to accommodate the warm climate. They started the ChaTraMue brand in 1945 and started brewing red tea and serving it with milk and sugar over ice. The drink is now served in Thai restaurants and coffee shops all over the world. Sirine and Nick will attempt to stay as true to the original ChaTraMue as possible, using the chak cha method to make the teas for the shop. In addition to the classic Thai tea, there will be coffee, matcha milk tea, lattes and an entire line of vegan drinks. The rose tea gets its floral nose from rose petals infused with the tea leaves and a seasonal peach tea is flavored with bits of dried fruit. It was important for Sirine, a self-proclaimed 'boba aficionado,' to offer a range of boba. There are green pandan and brown sugar boba, or you can opt for konjac pearl or konjac brown sugar jelly. The shop will also sell a variety of ChaTraMue tea leaves to brew at home and plenty of merch. While there is a franchise location of ChaTraMue in both downtown L.A. and Rosemead, the Bunkuas own the rights to the ChaTraMue franchise in Orange County, something Sirine says has been a dream of hers for decades. When she and Nick started dating more than a decade ago, their relationship revolved around tea and boba. Every weekend, the couple would drive around Orange County in search of new boba shops. Sirine became a project manager for Tokyo Disneyland and Walt Disney Imagineering. The two continued to talk about opening a boba tea shop, but never thought it would become a reality, despite both of their families being in the restaurant business. Sirine's mother is Sarintip 'Jazz' Singsanong, the chef-owner of Jitlada Southern Thai restaurant in Thai Town. Sirine spent a good chunk of her childhood at the restaurant, watching her mother and her uncle, the late Tui Sungkamee, concoct the restaurant's complex, fiery curries, salads and stir fries. Her cousin Jaratporn 'Sugar,' Sungkamee's daughter, runs the restaurant with Singsanong. The family is often viewed as unofficial ambassadors to Thai culture and food in Southern California. 'Bringing a Thai brand to Orange County with something trendy like boba, but having it be something that takes you back to our Thai roots, is really important to us,' says Sirine. 'We consider ourselves Thai American and this is our way of helping to teach Thai culture to a newer generation who loves boba and cares about natural foods.' And much like at Jitlada, ChaTraMue is a family affair. Nick and his late mother, Wanida Sreewarom, operated Thai Nakorn restaurant in Stanton. His cousin Linda Sreewarom now owns the restaurant. She and Sugar both spent a week training with ChaTraMue in Bangkok and serve as training managers for the staff at the Westminster location. While Jazz doesn't have an official role at ChaTraMue, she says she'll be a frequent fixture at the shop. 'She's a crazy lady because she has two kids and never has any time, but she loves boba and she didn't give up on her dream,' Jazz says of her daughter. 'We have a chance to spread more Thai culture to people and I'm really proud that they're doing it.' If all goes well, the plan is to eventually open more ChaTraMue shops in Orange County. 'I want to give everyone the opportunity to learn more about our culture,' Sirine says. 'It's for every generation.'
