The Eleventh House — Restaurant in Lafayette

Having been a loyal customer for the past couple of years, I was excited to visit their new location on 3rd Street now that they have opened up and moved in.

We ordered the usual things. Diner egg and cheese bagels with avocado, an iced masala chai latte, and a good karma.

Frankly, we were really disappointed. To begin, the iced masala chai was very white in color, and tasted primarily like sweet milk. I could not taste any of the masala components. I kindly asked them if they could remake it and they agreed that it looked wrong and offered me a new one. Unfortunately, this one also tasted mostly like sweet milk, albeit, a little more spiced.

As for the Good Karma, the drink seemed to be more muted in the spices as well, and more chocolate brown in color than usual. It too was really sweet.

Generally speaking, both of the drinks we got were different than what we have received from the same order in the past, except that the flavors were really muted (absent in the masala chai). It seems that the sweetness level in the drinks has been significantly increased, and these are certainly two big cons in my book. They left residual sweetness on the palate.

As for the bagels, it seems that the bagels have also been modified. They are now less chewy and more doughy and soft than in the past. The cross section of the bagels reveals a lot more air and a spongey like texture, which may suggest that the bagels were proofed too long or the recipe used more yeast than usual.

Also, they no longer provide sides with their sandwiches. You used to get an assortment of chips or fresh citrus. This is no longer offered or included. At least not as of the time I write this review.

All in all, the service from the crew was nice considering they remade the drink. But everything else considered, I don’t know if I can return knowing that these are the new product offerings— Even after my past loyalty to their previous establishment. It is different enough (in a less desirable way) that I would prefer to go elsewhere, unless I can receive reassurances that these issues have been addressed.

At nearly $30 after tax for two people to each enjoy a bagel sandwich and a beverage, I am really disappointed by the significant drop in quality, recipe changes, and portion sizes/sides no longer being included in my order.

As a side note, even though we dined in as usual, we received our drinks in plastic beverage cups. In the past, these would be offered in glass cups. While plastic cups certainly make sense for take-out orders, I don’t think it’s a good idea to use plastic cups for dine-in orders too. The cups say that they are recyclable, but the reality is that food contaminated plastic is hard to recycle and re-use unless it is properly rinsed. I did not see any recycling bins in the dining area either. Glass can be used virtually an infinite number of times and it can be easily washed and reused. Not to mention, beverages served in glass cups elevate the space, make the drink seem more sophisticated, and are more enjoyable by...

Prices here have gotten absolutely out of control, and out of touch with the community that it serves. While the prices here have historically already been quite high relative to other places, the contrast has now markedly intensified.

As of this week, the establishment has considerably hiked the menu prices across the board anywhere upwards of at least 20-30%!

Take for example the egg and cheese bagel. It used to be priced at $5, as of this week, it now costs $6.66 before tax—representing a 33.2% increase in price. Adding bacon used to be $2 upgrade—this means a bacon egg and cheese bagel used to cost $7. Now? This same bagel costs $8.50 before tax, representing a 22% increase in price.

The food here is good, but not this kind of money good. Now, you may say, “well, maybe their costs went up and they’re passing them on”. For a business that has not only been charging elevated prices for a while, and has been established in the community for as long as they have, it is quite unimaginable to think that either their variable, or especially especially fixed costs, could suddenly increase by these margins. It is more likely that their margins are being slimmer, and that they want to keep their higher margins, or perhaps even expand their margins.

Salaries, wages, and compensation in the community are certainly are not increasing by 20-30% overnight, and considering the community demographics, this seems like a poor business decision.

Save yourself the hassle, and stand up for what can be argued is the more principled and noble route. That is, save yourself the money and hassle, make the same food at your own home for cheaper and at a better quality, and not give into a business that unless proven otherwise, seems to have greed and profits...

My favorite cafe in the area! The vibe is so fun, comfy, and welcoming. Every employee I've ever met here has been so friendly and personable.

Food and drinks are also great. I'm a fan of coffee and tea with all kinds of unique and fun flavors and they definitely deliver. So far, my favorite is the banana cold brew but orange creamsicle cold brew is a close second. The food is limited to bagels and bagel sandwiches mainly, but they are always tasty. The food is prepared fresh and quickly.

Free wifi is available and is fast! The walls are decorated in quirky art and graffiti and the building has lovely skylights that make the whole place well-lit in a very comfortable way. It's usually busy enough to get a good level of cafe noise (which I love for concentration), but not so busy that you can't get a seat or hold a...