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SanDai

@sandai.us

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🍃Nusantara Spice & Californian Vibes✨
by Chef @nora_haron
⏱️Lunch | Brunch | Dinner
As seen in @eater_sf @diablomagazine

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

I’m holding space for the past, but my eyes are on the future.

Closing SanDai hasn’t been easy. It hurts, honestly. That space carried so much of me, my culture, my story, my creativity, and the people who believed in all of it.

SanDai was never just a restaurant. It was a home for flavors I grew up with, reimagined with heart. It was filled with moments of busy brunches, quiet prep nights, hugs at the door, chef friends showing up just because.

So yes, this goodbye is emotional. I’m allowing myself to feel it. To sit in the gratitude and the ache at the same time.

But I’m also proud. We built something real. Something that meant something.

And now it’s time to grow in a new direction. Kopi Bar is evolving into something more rooted, more focused, more aligned with where I am right now.

This isn’t the end of the story. It’s the beginning of a new one. And I’m ready.

—Nora ☕️ 🥑

#kopiavocado #kopibarlives #nusantara #kopi

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Lauren of @loandbehold.events is the creative force behind unforgettable celebrations, infusing every event with heart, personality, and a decade of expert magic. From wildly fun weddings to thoughtful themed gatherings, she brings people together in the most intentional way.

Photographing her at this high tea brunch was pure elegance and joy! ✨

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Victoria without Lorazepam and money might be the scariest person at The White Lotus! Watch your back, people.
#chaiafterdark #southasian #desi #chai #southasianpodcast #thewhitelotus #thewhitelotusseason3 #thailand #revenge #ratliff #hbo #hbomax

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Though it’s a little late, but Valentine’s Day should be everyday ❤️
@sandai.us #valentinesday #latepost #sanfrancisco #bayarea #interracialfamily #kumaarfamily

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This birthday girl enjoyed some high tea at @kopibar.us aka @sandai.us ❤️ delicious!

#birthdaygirl #hightea

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Both Chef Sean Streete @mr.streete and I, would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who came out to support Walnut Creek’s first-ever restaurant collaboration between @litawalnutcreek and @sandai.us . Your presence made this event truly special!

We were honored to showcase our unique cuisines and the rich tapestry of history that weaves them together. The “East Meets West” theme wasn’t just a title, it was a celebration of heritage and resilience. We highlighted how Indian influences have played a significant role in shaping the vibrant flavors of both Nusantara and Caribbean cuisines, a testament to centuries of cultural exchange and culinary evolution.

We would also like to express our gratitude to our sponsors: @madein, for their high-quality cookware that elevated our culinary creations, and @diasporaco for providing the amazing spices that added that extra touch of magic to our dishes.

Your enthusiasm and support inspire us to push boundaries and create unforgettable experiences. We look forward to continuing this journey of blending traditions and flavors, and we can’t wait to share more exciting collaborations with you in the future.

Thank you once again for being a part of this historic evening!

🎥: @_satoristudios

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I wrote Debunk with Empathy for two reasons.

First, because talking about health is only getting harder in this post-truth era.

Second, because our Nusantara lived experiences, generational wisdom, and stories deserve space in English literature.

I couldn’t think of a better person to receive one of the first copies than someone who embodies Nusantara heritage while building a life in California: Kak Nora, or more fondly, Chef @nora_haron 💕

At Killiney’s or SanDai, she has created a home for so many of us in Northern California who long for a piece of ours—whether that’s Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, or Singapore.

Nasi lemak. We know it.

Rendang. No explanation needed.

Kuih salat. We might call it something different, but it tastes like home.

Congrats, Kak, on your well-deserved feature in a national food magazine! You’ve paved the way for Nusantara cuisine to be recognized in the US, and seeing your journey unfold has been inspiring!

Looking forward to our conversation at Rendang & Remedies this Friday at @sandai.us—an evening of all things Nusantara, from food to stories on healing from @debunkwithempathy 🌏

#bayareafoodie #bayareaeats #southeastasia #rendangandremedies #debunkwithempathy #bookevents #booktour

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Thank you 🙏🏽 @foodandwine for highlighting our beloved Nasi Lemak, the iconic Malaysian dish that has recently earned UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status. @unescoworldheritage

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FEW TICKETS LEFT! ✨🌏 
For those drawn to Nusantara’s bold flavors or cultural stories (or even both), this evening with author Wan Naszeerah is for you. 
Gather at @sandai.us one of the Bay Area’s most sought-after restaurants for an evening of food, culture, and conversation—celebrating the launch of Naszeerah’s new book @debunkwithempathy

📅 Date: Feb 21, 2025 ⏰ Time: 7-9 PM 📍 Venue: SanDai + Kopi Bar, Walnut Creek 
Take home a piece of Nusantara—including handcrafted gifts and, because health is wealth, a free week at @orangetheoryemeryville 💪

Reserve your seat and signed copy now—link in bio. 🔗 See you soon!

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I used to think there wasn’t space to share my identities beyond what was immediately visible.

To a stranger back home, I’m just a Malay woman.

To a stranger here, I’m a person of faith—sometimes mistaken for Thai, Filipino, or Indonesian.

All of those labels make sense, but none suffices. If I’m going to do justice to my research—understanding how Bahasa Melayu- and Bahasa Indonesia-speaking communities experience the digital health infodemic—I need to embrace the shared identity, language, beliefs, and histories that shape this Nusantara.

But what brought me here?

I was born stateless in Brunei. Raised culturally Malay by a stateless father and an immigrant mother—neither of whom went to college. Neither had the life I saw my peers’ parents living. When people asked, “Anak siapa ko lai?” (Whose child are you?), I eventually learned it was easier to answer, “Not someone you know.”

And yet, I’ll say this again and again: I was privileged to be raised with nothing much, by two individuals no one really knew. No title. No status. No street to their names.

Growing up in this privilege, plurality was a given—traditional medicine and Western biomedicine stood side by side, Hollywood sci-fi and pontianak shaped our imaginations in equal measure.

Some days, I felt at home in that mix. Other days, I felt like I didn’t quite fit anywhere. That feeling followed me as I pursued science education in the West and a public health practitioner in Southeast Asia.

And because of this, I see both. I hold space for both and more. And Debunk with Empathy was written in that space.

Next week, I’m launching @debunkwithempathy at UC Berkeley. And to celebrate, we’ll be at @sandai.us in Walnut Creek with the incredible Chef @nora_haron for a Nusantara evening of food, conversation, sensory experiences, book signing and giveaway (including ONE FREE WEEK at @orangetheoryemeryville).

Whether this world is familiar to you or not, you’re invited! 🌏🫂 More info via ink in bio @debunkwithempathy
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#ucberkeley #stanford #bayarea #bahasaindonesia #bahasamelayu #bayareaevent #emeryville #berkeleyeats #bayareafoodie #sffoodie #orangetheoryfitness #debunkwithempathy #booktour

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