Showing posts with label Houston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Houston. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Ahh, Coffee




Subject: Ahh, Coffee
Location: Houston, TX
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

As far as convention centers go, George R Brown takes the cake as a top favorite. Whether it's the peaceful park outside its front doors or the Texas-shaped pool in the adjoining Marriott Marquis, I list it among convention centers at which I don't mind being stuck.

Thursday, July 06, 2017

Southside Espresso




Subject: Southside Espresso
Location: Houston, TX
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Oddly enough, for the reputation Texas has for its sun and oppressive heat, I seem to manage to visit mostly on rainy, somewhat mild days. Yet even when rain clouds the Texan forecast, an excellent coffee stop always manages to brighten my skies.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Blacksmith


Subject: Blacksmith
Location: Houston, TX
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

In Texas, the only thing that exists in a diminutive state is winter's chill. Especially the further south one travels, temperatures seem to stay above 50 F most of winter. But naturally when visiting the brand new Marriott at the George R Brown convention center complete with Texas-shaped pool, I found the temperature well below freezing, mirroring the icy Philadelphia I had just left.

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Mugged: Estate Blend [R Dalton Coffee]

'

What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject:
R Dalton Coffee
Coffees Mugged:
Estate Blend

Rating: 3+
[see key]



B
oy does spring really jump into summer! I've been running to and fro with work and life's transitions seemingly nonstop with no sign of it slowing.

Today, my task was to get back on schedule and do some blogging that I've been backed up on for some weeks. R Dalton Coffee, a coffee company that sells Guatemalan coffee exclusively it seems (in 6 pack quantities), sent me two of their coffees to try out and today was the day to get the reviews out. First up was their Estate Blend, a blend of coffees from various R Dalton estates.

Brewed in french press, it displayed dark flavors (a little overtly bitter) as well as a bit of lime, dough, cherry, grass and oregano. A decent showing but it didn't knock my socks off.

The drip was not as dark (though still dark with bitter notes) with the lime, dough and cherry as well as a little honey. A bit better of a coffee infusion.

The siphon was still dark (this time not in a detrimental way at all) with the lime, dough, cherry and grass all displayed well in concert. By far, the best cup.

Putting it all together, I enjoyed this Guatemalan blend but I feel that it was a little too dark for the coffee's beans though I also suspect that there could be other factors (such as lack of freshness). Give R Dalton's Estate Blend a try if you're looking for a decent six-pack of coffee.

note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.


Mugged: Filadelfia Estate [R Dalton Coffee]

'

What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject:
R Dalton Coffee
Coffees Mugged:
Filadelfia Estate Genuine Antigua

Rating: 2+
[see key]


T
he tough part with crops seems to be that the quality can differ from year to year. A prize-winning harvest one year can produce a mediocre output another.

Such seems the case with the second coffee I got from R Dalton Coffee. Their Filadelfia Estate Genuine Antigua had won awards and has a self-proclaimed reputation for greatness. But the coffee I received didn't seem to do as well as the accolades had lead me to expect.

In brewing it via french press, the coffee had notes of cloves, honey, pepper and really bitter cocoa. A dark coffee that didn't hold a lot of flavor but wasn't bad.

The drip was darker, with more pepper, cloves, honey, bitter cocoa, a little caramel and some earthiness. Also not a bad cup.

The siphon produced a similarly dark coffee, with bitter cocoa, honey, pepper and a bit of sourdough. Once again, a dark cup with not too much else to it.

Given the hype, I really thought this coffee would do better. Sadly, it seemed the darker roast (plus maybe the crop itself) lent only to a fair coffee this round. If you're in the mood for a modest Guatemalan, try out this one.

note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.


Wednesday, March 26, 2008

CC: Catalina Coffee


What's a Coffee Commentary?

Subject:
Catalina Coffee
Location visited: Houston, TX
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]



A rainy day never really spoils your day as long you have a good coffeehouse to sit in and wait the precipitation out.

Granted, rain is definitely a whole lot less welcome when you're in a much prettier place then you're accustomed to, but you have to think on your feet. So when the wife and I were recently in Houston, we decided to do the Kennedy Space Center (a little expensive but worth a one-time visit) as well as a local coffeehouse called Catalina Coffee.

Located seconds from downtown Houston, Catalina stands out a bit from the rest of their neighbors with their big letters and the outside seating (the plain beige brick and flat architecture don't help) and after spotting it, we turned to find a handy parking lot in the back (complete with rear entrance!). Walking in from the back, you come into a very dimly lit hallway and then a sharp looking main room, all smelling a bit like cat (why oh why?).

The coffee came from two places; Hopson Coffee and Katz Coffee, both seemingly decent companies. I had two different coffees, one via drip and one via french press, and both were pretty good (while they were both Katz coffees, I failed to write down which coffees they were). The french press rang bright and earthy, with an overall smoothness; the drip was balanced and smooth. The espresso also came off well. The barista did a good job pulling the shot and while it initially had a tempered bite, it filled out nicely. The tea was Revolution.

Aside from the cat smell and the slightly depressing lighting (could also have been the rain contributing dreariness) I enjoyed my experience at Catalina. The barista remarked that they should be roasting on their own soon, so who knows what's in store for this outfit. When in town, I'd give it a whirl to see how you like it.

Friday, March 14, 2008

CC: Inversion Coffee House


What's a Coffee Commentary?

Subject:
Inversion Coffee House
Location visited: Houston, TX
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]



A visit to Texas in the winter was just what I needed. The warm temperatures, direct sunlight, and spicy food really took the winter blues clear out of my veins.

And what trip would be complete without a sample of the local coffee? Though eager to do so, I really wasn't sure where to start as I had never really heard of GREAT Texan coffee. But after doing a little research, I turned up a few places to try out.

One of them was in the lovely town of Houston called Inversion Coffee House. At first when I glanced at their website, I saw "March 5 Grand Opening" on a scrolling marquee and thought that I was going to be one of the first few visitors to walk through their doors only to find out later that they just haven't updated their website in a year (i.e. I almost made it for the first anniversary).

Inversion sits on a mild thoroughfare in a large warehouse-ish building, complete with ample parking, a small garden, and lots of outside seating. The inside is decorated with art of all sorts; some of it really nice and other parts of it just really seemed a bit overwhelming (mainly the pictures peering down from above the register). There's plenty of seating, though much of it was taken when I came in.

The coffee comes from Katz Coffee, a local roaster that seems to produce a decent product. The brew on tap at Inversion leaned a little dark and tasted spicy with a sweet aftertaste. The espresso was fair; a dark essence with slight char yet sweet, with a nice acidity. The tea is Revolution.

While I really enjoyed my visit to Inversion, they definitely seem like they could take up the quality to the next level. With such a wonderful space and a seemingly great location, Inversion could be a shining star amidst Houston.