I
pulled my big, black 2001 Ford F-150 into the narrow parking spaces in front of ThaiFresh and Thrice Café. After slamming my car doors I look into the completely
windowed front of the building and see movie cameras and men dressed in
ubiquitous charcoal-colored vests.
They must have known I was coming.
I can’t even write my blog without paparazzi chasing me
around downtown, trying to get me to leak the latest week’s blog leads.
That’s what fame will do to you.
 |
| It's not easy being this famous. photo courtesy of 3.bp.blogspot.com |
I pull my over-sized sun glasses over my eyes and dart in
through the less frequented door on the far left. I drop my things by a corner
table and scan the room for crazed fans: I’m safe…for now.
Wasting no time, I lean over the counter to ask the
barista in a hushed voice why reporters are here. He looks puzzled. Maybe he
doesn’t know who I am.
After looking around the corner questionably, the
presumable hipster comments “oh, they’re some film crew that goes around the
country filming shows about restaurants who provide quality, really local food
to customers.”
I look at him out of the corner of my eyes, “sooooo, they
aren’t here for me?
“What?”
“Nothing,” I retort quickly, “I write a blog about local
Austin coffee shops.”
“Oh, we have a lot of your type here today!”
Phew. Maybe I’ve finally found a coffee shop in Austin
where I can blog and drink in peace.
I always do an initial investigation of potential coffee
shops online before I actually pop into them. I want to know what the regulars
order and what the best kept secret about “this place” is.
The one thing that really stood out to me on Thrice’s website menu (and what got some positive yelp.com reviews) was the house favorite
caramel turtle latte. What’s nice about Thrice, and reminds me of Bennu, is the
menu board dedicated to just popularly ordered drinks. Of course the friendly
barista will make you anything, but a board of suggestions for first-time
customers is really helpful.
Before he mixes up the caramel turtle, the barista lets
me know that all the coffee beans come from Colombia and are locally roasted.
Everything is fair trade. The attached restaurant/cooking school Thai Fresh is
super local. Apparently, the chickens they cook with are raised just down the
road from the shop. I am tempted to reference Portlandia, but I refrain.
all I could think about.
video courtesy of youtube.com
Once he begins brewing my drink I head off back to my
table to scope out the almost empty café.
Thrice kind of feels like a modern warehouse redecorated to feel like
home. The unfinished ceiling is laced with a sterile white pipe and wrought
iron weave; from it, hangs “Jetsons style” giant white lamps giving off bright orbs
of light.
Hanging exactly three feet from my head, and right above
the open mic section, is a jellyfish art installation; complete with long white
tentacle thingys and a pink mushroom-capped head.
From my table I have a perfect view of the pastry case,
which is packed with vegan sweet potato whoopie pies (highly recommended online,
and the latest wedding dessert trend) and chocolate cake slices. Yum. If it weren’t
for the startling image of me being stuffed into my soon-to-be-married sister’s
bridesmaids dresses like a sausage, I would be taking full advantage of that
pastry menagerie.
Sigh. I’ll see you post May 25th…
Before I even realize it, a caramel turtle in a friendly blue
mug is placed on front of me. The kind barista says, before he darts off to
care for other customers, “let me know if it’s too sweet for you.” One thing is
for sure, Thrice has customer service in the bag.
I can smell it almost as much as
I can taste it. From the moment I pull the cup to my mouth my senses are filled
with a warm, cinnamon aroma.
I know people smell the bouquets
of wine and that real coffee connoisseurs smell espresso too; but what my unrefined palate smells is
chocolate. And warm flavors; Flavors that remind me of snowy New York evenings
and bright blazing fires. I smell the sweet chocolate and the sharp espresso. I
can taste the chocolate before it even hits my lips.
This espresso is less aggressive than other espressos
I’ve had.
My first sip is sweet, but the
espresso taste is full and robust. I can taste its full bloom. Its almost as if
each taste has a sweet chocolate beginning, followed by a sharp but blooming
espresso bite that fizzles over my tongue and is trailed by another warm milky
chocolate flavor. Sweet, then pleasantly bitter, then sweet.
 |
| Caramel turtle latte |
There’s a friendly bit of
hazelnut popping by just to say hello. I don’t mind. It can drop-in unexpected
anytime.The espresso has a dark taste to
be sure, but it doesn't cut all sweetness of the chocolate and it fades with
the reappearance of the chocolate.
For anyone that wonders how espresso is
supposed to bring out the flavor in chocolate, look no further; take a sip of
this concoction and the world will suddenly make sense.
The further I get through my mug
the more bite I taste. But it isn’t a bitter bite, its soft and full
I like it more, the less that is left- kind of how I feel
about most fashion trends.
Behind me a patron has taken advantage of the open mic
set up. He must come here a lot, because he knows the owner by first name. He’s
warming up by strumming out soft melodies. They are a little melancholy but
something in his chords make me feel that his heart is happy. I’m happy too.
His sweet but deep sound reminds me of my presently-finished
caramel turtle latte. Now feels like as good at time as any to slip out the
side door. Before I leave I thank the barista again, and once more take in a
deep breath of Thrice Café. As I exhale, the door closes and I am halfway to my
truck.
I’ll be back.
Coffee drinkers: Ask the barista to surprise you, they know what they are doing here.
Non-coffee drinkers: They have a LARGE selection of teas- take advantage of them.
Store location:
Store hours:
Mon - Fri: 7am -9pm
Sat - Sun: 8am - 9pm
512.447.9473
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