I Heart East Austin

An open love letter to East Austin,

You dazzle me, Eastside. Every time I trek across I-35 I am reminded of how un-cool I am. I get the overwhelming notion that I just don’t belong in this relationship.

Too cool for me. Although I do love Weezer.
photo courtesy of cracked.com

I don’t wear 1950s reminiscent horn rimmed glasses; my body is free of anti-establishment indie band lyric tattoos and I drive a big, gas guzzling Ford F-150.

Honestly, I’m surprised you haven’t kicked me out of your city limits yet.

But I think that’s why I love you, you have yet to close your cluttered streets and independently owned shop fronts to the likes of me. I don’t look like your “type,” but you welcome me anyway.

I know I don’t visit as often as I should. Sure I do the occasional walk of shame to Juan-in-a-Million for the liked named hangover-curing breakfast tacos, but its not enough.

So today I thought of you when I stepped outside in the beautiful Austin, Texas weather. Where else in the world is mid-February shorts season?

You’ve changed East Austin. Actually, you’re always changing. You find a way to surprise me and make me fall in love with you all over again each time I see you.

View of Austin from Progress patio

I’m writing you from the narrow patio of Progress Coffee on San Marcos street,  overlooking the metro rail and looking up to the geometric Austin skyline. It could be the latte I’m savoring talking, you know what sugar does to me, but I can’t imagine going another week without seeing you again.

In the meantime I figure I should tell you why I feel the need to profess my love right now. I’ve found another great coffee shop in your ‘hood.

Studying up online I learned that Progress Coffee is one of those forward-thinking businesses that really value making a positive impact on its patrons over making money; weird, I know. They compost their trash and use recyclable materials, in addition to providing only fair-trade coffee and local organic food.

I approached the bar timidly, waiting for the barista to throw up his arms and point me and my corporate branded clothes out, bellowing “YOU SHALL NOT PASS.”

He didn’t, so that’s good news. Actually he was very friendly. I asked Rick, his name I later learned, “what does Progress Coffee do different?”

He answered without skipping a beat, “We’re sexy.”

uh, yum.

After I let out a snort of laughter he pointed to his coworker and asked him to pose for me, proving their sexiness. At this point, I had to hand the title of sexiest Austin baristas over to them.

When we finished discussing the exact magnitude of sexiness the Progress Coffee baristas exude, I asked Rick what I should order.

He first offered me the very popular Progress “Iced Lightening,” which is an iced coffee with hazelnut and chocolate syrups topped off with sweetened condensed milk. With the impending doom that is bikini season looming, I laughed and asked what else he could give me, despite how deliciously decadent it sounded.

We settled on another popular drink to this café, the Eastside latte; nonfat of course. The menu explains it as an iced latte with Ghirardeli chocolate, cinnamon and Mexican Melipone Vanilla. I consider myself a bit of a connessuier when it comes to Mexican chocolate drinks; a lot of people do them, but few do them right. Usually the drink is way too thick and sweet, as a result of too much chocolate (usually milk chocolate, unfortunately) and the spice is minimal.

Sting. The best word to describe how I felt upon my first sip.  The espresso in my cup is made known with a definite vanilla taste. I don’t usually like vanilla lattes- they taste fake to me, this tastes real; almost as if the beans are stored with actual whole vanilla beans.

Some coffee shops try to be different with their menu that they make their drinks a contrived sugary concoction of syrups; a red velvet latte with a pump of Irish cream, topped off with a chocolate drizzle, for example. Progress Coffee doesn’t resort to this surface level superficiality. Progress does what it does, well. No false pretense here.

First the dark chocolate hits your tongue in the Eastside Latte and then dissipates into a poignant vanilla, only to fizzle out with a bit of cinnamon. You can’t forget the cinnamon.  

When I finish my drink I feel like I’ve been let in on yet another Austin secret.

And to think you’ve been hiding this from me, East Austin! You should be ashamed.

Alas I love you still. I can’t resist the cultivated charm I find within independently owned cafes such as this one.

Thanks a latte for the memories,

Kelcey  

p.s. special shout out to the smokin' barista Rick- thanks for your help!

Hours:

Mon-Fri: 6:30am-7pm

Sat: 7:30am-7pm

Sun: 7:30am-5pm

Location:

500 San Marcos

Austin, TX 78702

512.493.0963

Welcome to the Future

Can I be honest with you?

I'm actually pretty afraid of an eventual robot take over. You can't really blame me.

Robots are working for us, fighting wars for us, solving the unsolvable for us and even feeling for us. That's right, scientists have created robots with emotion and human-like morality.

So imagine my shock/embarrassingly loud scream when I came across this on the University of Texas at Austin campus:

I spy a creepy robot eye
photo courtesy of coffeebreak2day.com

The first, and currently only Briggo coffee shop is located on the University of Texas at Austin campus inside the Flawn Academic Center. A massively large box sits in the corner of this study hot spot for UT Austin students, and inside is a very technical and very intelligent barista; Briggo coffee and tea is procured by a robotic barista.

No human hands touch your drink (except yours, duh).

This is how it works: a caffeine-craving customer places his customized drink order via smartphone, internet or at the actual Briggo touch screen and then waits as his drink is crafted within the time estimated at check-out. When brewed and ready, the coffee emerges from two tiny silver doors and the customer's name appears on a large flat screen, informing the patron of his order.

video courtesy youtube.com

Brewed coffee can be ready in less than 30 seconds and espresso and chai drinks take no more than 180 seconds. If a customer's wait time is longer, it's simply because there are drink orders ahead of them.
Talk about coffee-on-the-go.

Take a moment and let the meaning of all this sink in.

Imagine having to switch planes in a busy airport. Your first flight was during your usual morning coffee break and you are in serious need of a jolt, especially since the kid behind you wouldn't stop kicking your seat on the plane; quickly, you whip out your phone and place an order for a soy caramel double shot latte with two Splendas, and by the time you deboard, your coffee is ready and waiting for you at the Briggo stand.

Briggo's easy to operate menu
photo courtesy of briggo.com

No more desperate scouring of the airport for the nearest, grossly over-priced coffee shop. No more pleas for a Divine intervention that would make the Starbucks line shorter so that your next flight isn't missed. No more caffeine headaches from having to forego your daily dose of coffee.

Pending Briggo's success, coffee-lovers can expect this robotic barista to appear in hospitals and airports and schools across the country.

Gourmet coffee, not turn-and-burn brews, under three minutes and for a nominal cost.

Briggo has been on the UT Austin campus for a few months now but due to my well-founded fear of robots, I kept my distance. But when I received a coupon for a free coffee I figured I might as well face my coffee-maker and try out Briggo.

I walked up to this new-age coffee shop and prepared myself. I was a little over-whelmed at first.
The robot is so simple its confusing. As a frequent coffee shop goer, I am accustomed to a thousand and one terms for a latte and a million different ways of ordering one. But at Briggo you are shown a simple screen of the drinks they offer, how long it will take to make it and all the customization options- how great is that?

Briggo the coffee robot
photo courtesy of dearcoffeeiloveyou.com

I ordered a double shot latte with one caramel syrup and one vanilla syrup. It was divine. It was the flan flavored latte I was hoping to receive at Dominican Joe's. My robot creation was caramelly but not overwhelming. There was a cool kind of sweetness about the drink and simple smoothness. There was no muddling of flavors; I enjoyed it very much.


Bottom line: Trust these robots with your coffee, but maybe not the future of the world.

Coffee Drinkers: Have at it! 


Non-Coffee Drinkers: The hot chocolate is the next thing to try on my list.




Hours:
Mon-Thur: 7am-12am
Sat-Sun: 10 am-10pm
Extended hours during finals


Location:
Flawn Academic Center at the University of Texas at Austin

The Dojo of DoJo's

I’ve never been to the Dominican Republic. But when I picture it in my lack-of-real-life-experiences American mind, I picture gorillas, bananas and coffee. I don’t actually know if any of those are accurate exports except for coffee, so I’ll talk about that.

Coffee beans from the Dominican Republic carry a certain flavor; they are bold but subtly, sweet and have very low acidity, as compared to some high-acidic European coffee beans. Depending on your personal palette, you may prefer high acidity: I don’t.

Dominican Joe’s off of South Congress gets their coffee beans on direct trade from farmers in Columbia and has them roasted locally in Austin. What’s more is Dominican Joe’s pays fair-trade prices to the bean growers and donates to the area’s local underprivileged schools, Makarios and DoulosDiscovery School. And they don’t stop overseas; Dominican Joe’s also donates a portion of their profits to Austin non-profits.

All the buzz about their charitable reputation from loyal customers on yelp.com enticed me to check out DoJo’s, as it is affectionately nicknamed.

DoJo's Art

I descended the staircase (yes, they have a staircase) and my eyes peeled around the room absorbing the jungle atmosphere. Big, leafy potted trees were abound and the tall colorful walls were covered in local art. 

A moment of panic spread through my body as I looked for a place to sit; DoJo’s is as popular as it’s made out to be online. My anxiety subsided when I spotted open tables outside.

The patio is surrounded by flora. If it weren’t for the police sirens and Austin skyline you would really feel as though you were sitting at private table in the Caribbean.  I caught myself half hoping a scantily-clad cabana boy would burst through the bushes wielding a daiquiri and a bottle of tanning oil.

He'll do.
photo courtesy of romancebandits.com

Sigh. A girl can dream.

My misguided delusions behind me, I approached the counter and ordered a flan latte. After waiting for what seemed like hours (but was really about 20 minutes too long) I took my first gulp.  I can’t say that I was wildly impressed by the coffee. It was flavorful to be sure, and it definitely warranted me finishing my cup; although I wouldn’t slurp the remnants. It tasted more like a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks than a carefully crafted Mexican masterpiece.

I was impressed with the sweet, burnt undertone that emulated that of the caramelized topping found on flan, but overall was disappointed with the execution. I expected more vanilla and less spice.

Nevertheless, I appreciated it for its awakening powers, it would be a long night.

This may be the first coffee shop I’ve explored where I like the décor more than the coffee. I will however, be returning to DoJo’s; I loved the music and the atmosphere. It’s one of those places where you can go to study but still socialize without feeling judgmental eyes boring into the back of your head.

Check out Dominican Joe’s (maybe don’t order the flan latte) and get lost in coffee paradise.

Dominican Joe Coffee Shop

515 S. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78704

(512) 448-3919

Hours:

Mon-Fri 6:30 am - 11 pm

Sat-Sun 7 am - 11 pm

Upper Crust is of the Uppermost Importance

Austin has innumerable gems hidden in plain sight. I think that’s what makes this city so special to its citizens.

You could live out your whole life in Austin happy and fulfilled, and still at the end of your days, have that sinking feeling you missed something.

That knowing defeat is what this weird city thrives on. Every morning and every night Ausitnites have the opportunity to discover some hidden novelty tucked away in the labyrinth and make it theirs; their skylineview of downtown; their dive bar on East Sixth; their perfect coffee shop.

Austin belongs to those voyeurs.

Upper Crust Bakery on Burnet road is one such hidden gem. You’ve probably passed it on your way to Hey Cupcake! or Central Market and thought to yourself “Now that looks like a cute little bakery. I should check it out one of these days.” Then you probably filed it away in your “Austin To-Do” file and forgot about it, until you inevitably passed it again and pushed it to the top of your list, only to have it fall again soon after.

Upper Crust Bakery and Cafe

If Upper Crust ever resurfaces in your consciousness, take the leap of faith and walk in.

Upper Crust is filled with “the usuals.” Looking around, it doesn’t seem as if anybody is unfamiliar with the quaint, but satisfying menu or the store-length pastry case. I can tell by the patrons’ naturalality in conversation that this is a favorite haunt of theirs and one they love to share with family and friends.

I ordered a caramel latte and one of their city-renown cinnamon rolls from the cheerful barkeep. As I waited I looked around the bare walls of the bakery. This cafe relies solely on the vitality of their customers, to bring the lack of décor to life. There are no vintage posters or mellow music filling the air, only bright smiles and sweet laughs shared between old friends.

I receive my order and sit down to enjoy it. I skipped my morning dose of caffeine (a risky move) just so I would have a craving for coffee now.

Bare Walls but Good Conversation

The coffee was just as I remembered it the first time I venture into Upper Crust: sweet and smoky.

At first taste, the latte is simply sweet- unbothered by loads of artificial sugar or overzealous syrups. And then the body of the espresso comes to maturity. The espresso tastes as if it was waiting to make it’s grand entrance, and once it does, it refuses to leave. It has subtle earthy undertones that make the drink alive and once I’ve swallowed, I can still taste the remnants of a caramelly sweet naturalness. It is a flavor I hope stays with me well after my latte is gone.

I can’t speak as highly of the cinnamon roll as I can the coffee. With all the talk of the cinnamon roll at Upper Crust being the end all be all of pastries, I expected more. I can appreciate that it was not overly sweet or coated in the white frosting that will undoubtedly frost one’s arteries.

Upper Crust Cinnamon Roll

I like that the inside is yeasty and doughy and that I can pull apart the roll in strips. What I don’t like is the simplicity in flavor and the fact that it was served cold. Perhaps I could have asked for it warmed up, but I expected that I would be served the famous pastry as it was intended to be consumed.

On a previous visit I had a cheese-filled croissant, and THAT was phenomenal. In fact, since the fateful day that I ordered that particular pastry, I’ve had reoccurring dreams of it about once a week.

I remember my first bite well; I was surprised to find that after sinking my teeth into the buttery and slightly sweet bread, my taste buds were drowning in warm, gooey, flavorful cheese.

Usually when  something says “cheese-filled” what it really means is, “yeah, we shoved cheese somewhere in that massive spongy bread,” but Upper Crust means business.

In my opinion, take the cheese croissant- leave the cinnamon roll.

So Many Pastries, so Little Time

Stop by Upper Crust for their wide pastry selection and sweet, smoky coffee, scratch it off your Austin “To-Do” list and make it your new favorite local haunt.

Coffee Drinkers: Anything on the coffee menu. You won’t be disappointed.

Non-Coffee Drinkers: Anything from the pastry case (except the cinnamon rolls). You won’t be disappointed.

Upper Crust Bakery and Cafe

4508 Burnet Rd
Austin, TX 78756

(512) 467-0102

Hours:

Mon-Fri 6:30 am - 6:30 pm

Sat 7 am - 5 pm

Sun 7 am - 1 pm

Lattes Have no Calories, Right?

I came to Dolce Vita with the best intentions.

Dolce Vita on Duval Street

“I’m just going to order a nonfat, sugar-free latte,” I told myself.

But after walking through the nondescript windowed door, I told myself: “I just need to make sure that whatever I order has nonfat milk in it. It doesn’t have to be sugar-free too.”

My previous declaration, after sampling one of the sixteen gelatos, quickly turned into “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GIVE ME SOMETHING WITH CHOCOLATE AND WHIPPED CREAM AND WHOLE MILK.”

So I caved. It happens to the best of us.

I asked the barista to give me the essence of Dolce Vita in a cup. After staring me down for a bit she offered me a spoon of coconut gelato. It was as if she peered into the dark depths of my soul.

Frozen heaven...or gelato

She could tell by the rolling of my eyes and the Meg-Ryan-in-“When-Harry-Met-Sally-”esque moan how much I loved it.

The friendly barista told me of a frappe drink she loves to make with the afore mentioned coconut gelato and how she could add dark chocolate to it. And that it was vegan to boot! I handed her my debit card and put my trust and $4.33 in her hands.

I knew I made the right decision when she handed me my tall, frosty glass filled to the brim with what I now know to be chocolate-coconut heaven.

Try not to drool on your computer.

It was like a melted Almond Joy candy bar in the best way. The chocolate retained its satiny richness until the very last drop. Even the sticky, left-behind residue plastered to the side of the glass tasted as delectable as the first sips.

I thanked the barista for her godly creation and marveled at the rest of the menu.

Dolce Vita sells food, cheeses (from next door Antonelli’s Cheese Shop), pastries, gelato and alcoholic drinks in addition to their locally roasted coffees. My waistband wouldn’t let me try more than my dark chocolate coconut frappe and biscotti, but my guess is the rest of the menu is just as divine.

There is one menu item in particular that peaks my interest: a sorberita. The soberita is a drink blend of sorbet or gelato and liquor, or if you prefer, good and even gooder. Needless to say, I put it on my “to drink” list.

yeah, they have a stocked bar.

Dolce Vita is aptly named; their drinks truly are the “sweet life.”

Coffee Drinkers:

Their renown espresso presses to impress.

Non-coffee drinkers:

Any of their frappes. Ask for a coconut one with dark chocolate and you can thank me later.

Dolce Vita Gelato & Espresso Bar

4222 Duval St

Austin, TX 78751

(512) 323-2686

Hours:

Mon-Fri 6:30 am – 12 am

Sat-Sun 8 am – 12 am