Alex Reviews All

Tag: espresso

  • Luce Avenue Coffee Roasters

    Luce Avenue Coffee Roasters

    My girlfriend and I were looking for a chill read/work spot and Apple Maps locked us in on Luce. There are several locations in the Houston area and we visited the Heights one. It’s a two story building located in a lot with other trendy businesses.

    I asked about specialties and was pointed to the island latte. Funny enough it contains pandan which I’ve recently had for the first time at Twotone coffee, and coconut milk. Unlike the first time, the island latte was more subtle in its flavor profile. The nuttiness of the coconut yinged while the grassy vanilla notes of the pandan yanged. While my girlfriend gave it a sip and found it too sweet, I thought it was perfect. It wasn’t overpowering, but still sang. However, near the end of our stay it wasn’t savorable enough to have me craving those final sips.

    The baristas were friendly and the shop was separated by floor. On the first floor you’d order your drinks and then most likely head upstairs to sit. Comforting lofi plays in the background to encourage focus and productivity. It made reading over 100 pages fly by and I was surprised when I learned how two hours had already passed.

    First Floor
    Second Floor

    Rating: 755/1000

  • Third Place Coffee Shop

    Third Place Coffee Shop

    Coffee date with the homies and we decide to visit Third Place. It’s located in the heights and shares the same parking lot with affiliated restaurant Jun. I arrived around 9:15am and there was a decent amount of spots in the private lot, but by the time we left it was full. There is also street parking.

    The inside is modern casual and makes good use of seating for the smallish size. We snagged one of the two elusive half circular booths with a round table and seats on the other side. I ordered the nutty brew which boasts a peanut cold foam, pilonsillo which is a Mexican sugar, and peanut topping. I was hungry and added on a tomato bacon jam empanada that was topped with an everything bagel spice. The barista raved about it being it her favorite. My expectations are sky high with the prices they charge. The drink ran $9.50 while the empanada was a tad more reasonable at $6.

    After stirring my drink, the cold brew combined with the peanut-ie foam was just ok. It tasted exactly how you’d imagine it. While not bad, I couldn’t help be let down by the outrageous price. Still, it was easy to finish and there wasn’t a lot of sweetness which is a plus. The candied peanuts were nice, but I didn’t scoop much out till they were at the bottom. By that point I was all peanut’d out.

    The empanada on the other hand. The outside was crunchy, the everything topping was delectable with the perfect proportion of seasoning, and the savory filling was the icing on the cake. The tomato bacon jam was light, but complex. Don’t get me wrong I like tomatoes, but I wouldn’t expect it to shine as the star of the show like it did. The tomato was the last thing on my tongue after the flavors of each bite evaporated, and that left me craving another. The bacon notes weren’t as apparent, but it didn’t need to be.

    The restrooms deserve a shoutout. They were extremely clean and well decorated with tons of wall art. The lit candle is what sealed the deal on the special mention.

    Overall it was an ok drink that is hurt by the pricing and a delicious pastry. The baristas and staff are friendly and happy to help with any questions. As a cafe I have to factor in the drink more, but the empanada was a huge win and a reason for me to come back.

    Rating: 558/1000

  • Twotone Coffee Shop

    Twotone Coffee Shop

    In an unassuming shopping strip lies the coffee shop known as twotone. The door looks locked and it’s impossible to see in through the blocked out windows. I’ve never heard of this place till recently, but the google reviews paint a trendy, hip oasis. Upon entering, the vision came to life. It’s a tiny box room with chill hip hop playing, minimal yet trendy design, and a young crowd. There was one guy taking orders and three baristas behind him churning out drinks. 

    I went with the Jade which is an iced pandan foam latte. The total before tip was $8, so on the high end for a coffee. There wasn’t a lot of room and it was a little awkward finding a spot to wait with the little room in there. That said, the wait was only around 5 minutes. I would have liked to enjoy the drink there, but with no seating space I got my drink and left.

    The drink looks amazing with the beautiful light green foam dominating the bottom layer of coffee. To top it off there is a line of brown sugar on the foam. The cup also has an open lid with a straw handed to me, but not just any straws. One of those straws meant for boba with the pointy end. I may have to look over the menu again because I don’t see why a normal straw wouldn’t suffice for these coffee drinks. I assume the main purpose of the straw in this case is to just mix the foam in anyways. 

    To be honest I am not all that familiar with pandan. My first sip was unmixed and therefore completely foam. It tastes very matcha-ie with a small hint of caramel. The flavor is very unique and it’s an interesting compliment to my mixed drink follow up sips. The bitterness of the coffee and sweetness of the foam have a ying and yangness to them. 

    It was a fun drink to order and would look great on the gram. The taste is unique and fun. Does it have me coming back for more sips… not really. To me it’s a novelty drink that’s drinkable and enjoyable for what it is, but I don’t want a full cup of it. For $9 total after tip, not a place I’d frequent simply for the coffee. 

    Rating: 548/1000