San Mateo County Libraries invites you to a virtual conversation with C‑Y Chia and Shane Stanbridge—authors of the new cookbook, Lion Dance Cafe: Authentic, Not Traditional—on Thursday, March 5, at 6:00 PM via Zoom. Join us for an engaging author talk, where the chefs will share the stories and recipes behind their cookbook, followed by an audience Q&A. Once registered, you'll receive your Zoom invitation.
Get to Know Lion Dance Cafe
Lion Dance Cafe is celebrated for its boldly original, flavor‑packed “Authentic, not Traditional” meatless cuisine. Chefs C‑Y Chia and Shane Stanbridge—James Beard semifinalists—blend their Chinese, Singaporean and Italian heritages with a vibrant, farm‑to‑table sensibility.
After closing their Michelin‑recognized restaurant—described by critics as “revolutionary”—the pair is releasing their long‑awaited first cookbook, featuring more than 115 recipes, as they prepare to relocate to C‑Y’s native Singapore.
Learn more about Lion Dance Cafe on their website, opens a new window and Instagram, opens a new window.
A Flavorful Testimony
Sneha S., a Library Assistant at Foster City Library, reflects on her many visits to Lion Dance Cafe over the years.
On January 22, 2022, she messaged them on Instagram: “Got the Shaobing Sandwich today. It was just BEAUTIFUL. So simple, so nice.”
Months later, another message followed: “Can I just say, I truly enjoyed my Shaobing today and the Pandan Nan Giao. Comforting on so many levels. BESTEST Shaobing ever.”
Sneha shares, “I had never tasted flavors like that—especially all vegan. When I think about a sandwich, no other sandwich comes close to their Shaobing.”
Living in San Mateo, Sneha often traveled across the San Mateo–Hayward Bridge to Oakland just to enjoy the Shaobing, Taucheo e Pepe, Mushroom Goreng with the most delicious sambal, Pandan Nan Giao and the golden nuggets. Sometimes chee cheong fun appeared on the menu, or a vegan zongzi—and she would happily return, even sending her husband to pick it up when she couldn’t.
Lion Dance Cafe’s cooking begins at local farmers markets, where they source fresh, in‑season produce directly from growers. Every component of their dishes, from their flaky, shattering breads to their deeply layered sauces, is crafted from scratch. Their food is known for its irresistible sensory impact: the crunch of a perfectly crisp Shaobing, the aroma of toasted spices, the heat of handmade sambal and the silky, slow‑built textures found throughout their menu.
When the announcement of Lion Dance Cafe's cookbook reached her inbox, she jumped at the chance to bring a piece of her favorite restaurant home. For Sneha and many others, Lion Dance Cafe created food experiences that stay with you—flavors that care for people.
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