SWEETS & SOUL. Local Sasiwan Kanchanawong quietly brought Luna Café to Forage (403 S. Barstow St., Eau Claire) this fall. Her delectable baked goods strike a balance between familiar-but-better flavors and unique creations.

The Chippewa Valley has seen a growing grub scene over the past handful of years with plenty of “firsts” joining the mix. Since 2023, Eau Claire welcomed its first-ever hot pot and Korean barbecue restaurants; the area’s only sit-down Indian restaurant opened in Chippewa Falls; the largest self-pour taproom in the Midwest now calls downtown Eau Claire its home; and foodie events like BBQ Fest and Strawberry Fest have debuted.

Still, there’s plenty of room to grow in the food department; storefronts and restaurants have also come and gone within the same span of time. A lack of diverse cuisine continues to be a common gripe for locals and visitors alike.

In the realm of confections, Eau Claire hasn’t held onto many baked goods or treats specific purveyors. Along Barstow St., something delightfully sweet – and formerly reserved for friends and family – is beginning to make itself known.

"I missed all the variety of flavors that I could have (in places like Japan). ... That's kind of the reason I started baking; I wanted to have those desserts again."

SASIWAN KONCHANAWONG

BAKER & FOUNDER OF LUNA CAFe

Luna Café’s orange cake, pictured above, topped with a sweet sauce and fresh orange slices.

Sasiwan, the talent behind Luna Café's made-with-love treats, met with Volume One's photographer just before heading off to her job at Mayo Clinic. She goes to school three days a week (studying to be a medical lab technician) alongside work, and often bakes afterward from 7pm-midnight.

“I missed all the variety of flavors that I could have (in places like Japan). When I moved here, there weren’t (as many options). That’s kind of the reason I started baking,” Sasiwan said. “I wanted to have those desserts again.

While learning more about baking through online classes and YouTube videos, Sasiwan found a number of ingredients were simply unavailable in the area. For some Thai- and Japanese-inspired dishes, she had to get creative. 

Take Luna Café’s coconut cake, for instance. Some key ingredients are either sourced from across the country or imported.

Luna Café’s coconut cake, its “signature dish,” is not what you may expect; it’s airy yet rich. Sasiwan noted its texture – a chiffon cake – and its creamy coconut sauce, made with young coconut meat. The menu’s orange cake, too, is topped with a sweet sauce and fresh orange slices.

Nutella Bueno cookies and Biscoff cookies are full-flavored and, while described as “mini,” have height and density to them, making every penny to purchase them well worth it.

"My actual goal is, I want to open a store here for Japanese-style crepes. I used to just walk across the street to get crepes in the morning (in Japan). Now, I'm slowly introducing people (to these flavors) with baked goods, and then I will offer crepe rolls."

SASIWAN KONCHANAWONG

BAKER & FOUNDER OF LUNA CAFE

To that end, Luna Café’s pricing is almost too good for how delectable its creations are. Cookies and brownies are $2 and slices of cake are $6. While its menu will shift week to week a bit, other offerings like Thai iced tea and chicken curry pies are just $3 each.

Sasiwan continues to perfect Luna Café’s non-dairy and gluten-free items, options she remains especially cognizant of, due to her job working with patients with diabetes or other sensitivities.

Sasiwan finds inspiration from her former days spent living in New York, frequenting the Queens area and Korea Town, and two years in Japan. She put roots down in Wisconsin due to love and education (two of the most common reasons people end up here, I’ve found).

After her husband retired from his U.S. Navy career, he utilized the G.I. Bill’s resources to pursue higher education at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Sasiwan, originally from Thailand, earned her first degree over a decade ago and is now a medical lab tech student at Chippewa Valley Technical College.

Sasiwan said she would recommend her cookies to first-time customers, though the coconut cake is Luna Café's current specialty (and was my personal favorite, though the cookie pictured at far left was a very close second).

“If I can find more time, I would like to open my own place, but right now I can only (operate) a couple hours a week,” she said. “Normally, I bake after 7pm because I work (until) 5pm. Then I bake from seven o’clock until sometimes midnight.

“My actual goal is, I want to open a store here for Japanese-style crepes,” Sasiwan shared. “I used to just walk across the street to get crepes in the morning (in Japan). Now, I’m slowly introducing people (to these flavors) with baked goods, and then I will offer crepe rolls.”

Once you’ve enjoyed Luna Café, it will be impossible not to wonder what else Eau Claire has been missing out on – and what Sasiwan will create next.

So, chop chop, folks! I’m eager to see Eau Claire’s first Japanese-style bakery open its own doors. Until then, you can enjoy Luna Café from 9am-12pm on Fridays at Forage (403 S. Barstow St., Eau Claire).

Keep up with Luna Café on Facebook to see its menus, future updates, and more photos of its offerings.