Harucake

Harucake sits on West 6th Street in Koreatown, pickup only, and the room is as minimalist as the cakes coming out of it. The Mugwort Injeolmi is the cake to order and the one we always end up with. It comes out earthy and nutty against an organic milk cream pitched far less sweet than an American bakery would dare. Drinks hold their own beside it. The matcha latte is ceremonial grade and the soosoo latte is built on Korean sweet corn, which sounds odd until the first mouthful. Same-day cakes go out from one in the afternoon in limited numbers, and whole cakes are made to order, so a plan helps. Koreatown has a great deal of matcha and only one of these.