Asia: About Barley Tea

Roasted barley tea is a caffeine-free, roasted-grain-based infusion made from barley, which is popular in Japanese, barleyChinese, and Korean cuisine. It is also used as a caffeine-free coffee substitute in American cuisine. Barley water is a popular traditional soft drink in Britain.

Roasted barley tea is called mugicha (?) in Japanese, dàmàichá (大麦茶) or màichá (麦茶 or 麥茶) in Mandarin Chinese, and boricha (보리차) in Korean. While the tea is generally regarded as a cooling beverage in Japan, it is served year-round, mild in summer and cool in winter, in Korea. Originally, roasted barley seeds were stewed in hot water (this is still the method generally used in Korea), but tea bags containing ground barley became more popular during the early 1980s; this is now the norm in Japan. It can be found from many different distributors in vending machines all over Japan.

In Korea, roasted unhulled barley is used to prepare the tea. Often the barley is combined with oksusu cha (roasted corn), as the corn’s sweetness offsets the slightly bitter flavor of the barley. A similar drink, made from roasted brown rice, is called hyeonmi cha or genmaicha (with green teaadded).

Health Benefit



Van Nuys, CA: Swiss Chef Restaurant


MCCN Editor enjoying her Schnitzel dinner.

How can you go wrong with an accordion playing chef? Um…You can’t.  It’s pure comedy when you don’t expect it yet his playing and food are no joke.  This is the experience you get at the Swiss Chef Restaurant where the serve homestyle German, Swiss and other inter-continental cuisine.


You walk to the restaurant and you are greet with decor of an abundance of European flags.  You see a Chef walking around and conversing when he gets an opportunity to do so.  And if it is your birthday, the Chef pauses from the kitchen routine to play the accordion for you.


Despite warning my dining partner that our meal may be a little pricey, she was game for the adventure.  The average dish averages around $26 per entree, an appetizer between $6 and $20.   Valet parking in $3.50 but if you are lucky, maybe you can find street parking.  If you plan on splitting a meal there is a $6 sur-charge.  Now you are equipped with financial facts.   Is this dining experience worth it?  My experience included heartiness of homestyle cuisine is flavorful and ingredients are obviously fresh.  The side creamed spinach was incredible.  It was light and the Spinach was lost in the cream.  The red cabbage was delightful and the meat of schnitzel was tender.  The scene stealer was dessert time and the sour cream sorbet.  It had me at hello when I perused the menu.

This seems like a great place to have fun with friends and family.  With paper streamers hanging from the ceiling, it is best described at festive setting.  There white table clothes not protected by glass and that is an impressive novelty.  Is this the place you want to take a date? Yes, if romance to you equates to having fun.

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