Experience The Sweetness of Chè at Bambu Bellevue

Experience The Sweetness of Chè at Bambu Bellevue

A delicious thing we learned this week: Chè is a traditional handmade Vietnamese dessert that is oh so good – and available right here in Bellevue.  It’s made as a combination of fresh coconut water or milk with a wide variety of unique and refreshing toppings, served cold, and there’s no better place to experience it than at Bambu Bellevue.

Bambu Bellevue’s origin story starts a bit further south. Twelve years ago, four sisters came together to share traditional Vietnamese dessert drinks to their community in San Jose, California. The unique blend of fresh, colorful ingredients caught the attention of customers, and the word spread as Bambu’s popularity skyrocketed across the U.S. In 2018, Eric Wills brought this new offering to the Eastside and opened Bambu’s café here in Bellevue. 

Wills was looking for something creative to open and a business that also would appeal to a broad audience, but was still special and unique. Bambu’s combination of offering traditional Chè alongside bubble tea and other beverages was just the ticket, as the drinks are unique yet refreshing and liked by many, Wills said.

Bambu Bellevue is all about creating a welcoming, clean space for customers to enjoy and spend time together while sipping away on Chè or other refreshing drink options from their menu. As you enter Bambu Bellevue, immediately to your left, you will notice a global map on the wall with hundreds of colored pins. Customers are encouraged to add a pin to mark where they are from.

“The nationalities that come through the door are all over the board,” Wills said. “It makes us feel good that we have such a variety of food and drink options that cater to a wide audience and attract a diverse clientele.”

Bambu isn’t just known for their delightful dessert drinks and pudding, however. They are also a destination for their famous pandan and taro waffles - served hot and fresh, crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside - and green or purple in color! It’s a popular snack to share with the table or enjoy for yourself. The waffles are a handmade specialty they prepare daily using time-tested methods.

“It takes us about 6 hours to make the pandan jelly,” Wills said. “We make everything fresh every day.”

Currently, Bambu has seen a decrease in customers due to the pandemic alongside recent construction road work in front of their building. They are utilizing every outlet to spread the word that they are still open, and reminding customers to take a break and treat themselves to a refreshing drink or snack.  They also just released their new “secret menu,” offering new specialties – just ask, Wills said.

If you’re ready to experience something new and excite your taste buds, stop by Bambu Bellevue for yourself!
 

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This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.