Un Caffe — Restaurant in Houston

I'm from out of town, visiting a friend while in Houston and I decided to check out this cafe since it's so close by and has high ratings. I walked away after two visits never wanting to go back and I will be recommending my friends in town to NOT go there.

I first visited yesterday and it was good. I ordered a berry espresso drink. I asked questions about it and they were able to give me an answer. He didn't give specifics, but I was able to talk to him and explain my preferences and concerned about the sweetness since I do not love super sweet drinks. He assured me it was not and rather it just had a touch of berry flavor. I got it, quite enjoyed it and then worked there for a couple of hours. I decided to go back there today because there were other drinks and food I was interested in trying while in town. There isn't a lot of other cafes, so I was going to keep coming until my flight.

I wanted to try the citrus americano in particular, because I have had various citrus in coffee in cafes and Starbucks in Asia and I have always very much enjoyed it. So I asked, "what kind of citrus is in the americano" and got the answer that "it's a citrus based tea mixed with americano". Which, does not answer my question. Then I asked the follow up question, thinking this is a way to have a conversation like I did yesterday, "oh what kind of citrus tea?". Then immediately the barista said in a very rude tone, "I cannot tell you the exact ingredient because people have been stealing our recipes".

Literally not trying to ask that. Also, not trying to steal from you. I did not ask what brand of citrus tea or how much of it you use. I asked what kind of citrus I should be expecting. There was also no one else behind me in line.

At this point I thought maybe she misunderstood me, so I clarified and said I am not trying to figure out what kind exact ingredient they are using in their tea, just asking if it is "orange or yuzu or other citrus" because well, they taste SUPER DIFFERENT and I don't want something orange based.

To which she just said "well I don't know" and did not ask anyone else. We went back and forth. She must have noticed I was angry at this point and just kept repeating the same point of people trying to steal their recipes. I just ordered another drink instead, still gave a tip because I believe in tipping, and left because I was so angry and I did not want to cause a scene. I was planning on hanging out there and trying some pastries as I work, but I literally did not ever want to step foot in this place after that interaction. To add insult to injury, I did not like the Ice vanilla cloud I ended up getting. Watery

I don't have a problem with people protecting their recipe and people doing their job. I have a problem with her tone and the way she assumed basically upon second question that my intention were.

There is a way to protect your recipe while answering the questions such that customers have such that they feel comfortable paying $6.00 + tax + tip for one drink.

Example, "I am not sure, but let me ask someone" or "is there a type of citrus in particular that you're looking to avoid" or "while I cannot tell you what particular ingredient we use, is there any note in particular that you are looking for or looking to avoid?" Orange is much sweeter, while grapefruit has a bitter note, all of which affects the flavor of the drink. I don't expect this level of understanding from a chain, but this is advertise to be a speciality coffee shop.

The fact that there are only three speciality coffee drinks and one cannot answer a super basic question about a main ingredient.

Additionally, Citrus americano or just citrus in coffee is also not exactly an original recipe, In Asia, you could literally get something like that at Starbucks but go off, imply whatever you want. Given the Korean books all over the cafe, I'm going to guess that it's probably yuja/yuzu.

The store itself was cute and I enjoyed the Korean coffee books. Also there is outlets and internet, so a decent place to work. 0/5 for...

I love everything about Un Caffe except the obnoxious hip hop music, that is just noisy and annoying. As much as I love this place, the rap music makes me want to leave as soon as possible.

But…..

A place for serious coffee people.

Free parking just to the left of it. Water mineralization for coffee. Ramen. Roaster on premises. Legit credentials.

I made second visit the next day and sampled the following: A coffee from Guatemala as a drip coffee, their espresso blend, the Guatemala coffee as an espresso. Of the three, my preference, moving forward is the Guatemala as an espresso, I'll probably try it as an Americano.

There are so many amazing gadgets to peruse. Methods for brewing, compact single use roasters, grinders...things I've read about but never seen in practice.

The music they play here is really bad and annoying hip hop but at least they keep the volume low.

And again, there is free parking just to the left of the place.

There is also a little household cute goods store on the same block.

Highly recommended -- at Un Caffe. From Roastery Magazine. A review that is better than I could do myself so, here goes:

"A new roastery and coffee bar in Midtown Houston called Un Caffè is giving guests a taste of Italian-style coffee with a distinct focus on craft and performance.

Un Caffè Founder, Roaster and Barista Soonkack Kook also embraces the Italian cultural practice of greeting each guest at the bar.

“They can watch every [drink-making] performance,” Kook recently told Daily Coffee News. “I give them surprise drinks. I ask them how their day is going.”Kook, who initially moved to the United States from Korea for college 20 years ago, spent the past 14 months renovating a 1,900-square-foot space inside Un Caffè’s 90-year-old building. The result is a modern roastery and retail bar awash in shades of red, green and white, reflecting Kook’s reverence for the birthplace of espresso, Italy.

“Espresso is an Italian culture,” said Kook. “I get it, light roasting is the trend now, but I wanted to know Italian roasting, too. When my coffee journey began I wanted to learn trendy light roasting, but at the same time I wanted to offer dark roasting to my customers.”

A certified Q Grader and authorized Specialty Coffee Association trainer (AST), Kook is already an expert in coffee, but he credits 2016 Espresso Italiano Champion Daehoon Park with helping him develop his methods for Italian-style coffee.

For lighter roasts, Kook said he embraces a technique known as Environmental Temperature Response Roasting (ETeRR), as developed by Joo Sunghyun, winner of the 2017 Korea Coffee Roasting Championship. “With green beans having 12-14% moisture at the beginning, as you roast, the water in beans will evaporate,” Kook said of the technique. “The amount of the heat should be adjusted depending on how much water is left in the beans, which can be estimated by looking at the environmental ROR [rate of rise].” At the back of the shop, Kook uses an Ikawa Pro100 sample roaster prior to loading small batches into an Arc 800 roaster or larger production batches in a Probat P12. Those roast support classic espresso options prepared through a Slayer Steam espresso machine, or drip and cold coffees made with a Ground Control brewing system. The Einspänner, a Viennese drink consisting of espresso topped with a small amount of whipped cream, is another European import by way of Korea.

“Einspänner is a popular drink in Korea, and you don’t see the drink here,” said Kook.

A one-person operation on most days, Un Caffè is not pursuing wholesale accounts, although the capacity is there. For now, Kook said he wants Un Caffè to be a friendly coffee resource for the community while he continues to develop his own skills.

“I feel the love from the community and I want to keep this vibe,” said Kook. “I want my shop to be a place for all my present and future friends...

Un Caffe has become an integral part of my daily routine! I discovered this coffee shop while exploring the city with a friend who was new to town, and since our first visit, we haven't ventured anywhere else. Initially a Starbucks enthusiast, I was pleasantly surprised by the specialty coffee offerings at Un Caffe.

Unlike the typical sugary-sweet iced lattes, the coffee here offers a different experience. My weekly rotation includes favorites like cappuccinos, cortados, citrus iced americanos, and espresso tonics. Among them, their Citrus Iced Americano stands out as a refreshing choice, especially on warmer days. Pro tip: Allow the ice to melt a bit and mix it before sipping for the best flavor. While the Espresso Tonic might not be listed on the menu, it's a must-try for anyone who enjoys the combination of sparkling water and coffee. Though it may take some getting used to, it's become my go-to drink.

And now, onto the best part. Beyond the exceptional coffee, the community at Un Caffe sets it apart from any other coffee shop in town. I find myself drawn here frequently because of the diverse range of people you encounter. There's something special about walking into a place and being greeted by the aroma of freshly roasted coffee, warm smiles, and friendly faces. If you haven't experienced it yet, I highly recommend visiting this shop a few times. I guarantee you'll meet some of the friendliest people, engage in great conversations, and expand your coffee palate to flavors you never...