#montrosemavens
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Apollo 11 - A Breathtaking Film
By: Josey Gregg and Sutton Walsh
In July of 1969, the Apollo 11 mission brought two men to the moon in one of the most important space expeditions in history. Apollo 11 is a documentary-style film directed by Todd Douglas Miller, showing unbelievable footage and audio recordings from the astronauts on the mission. It tells the astonishing story of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins as they go on their nine-day trip to the moon and back, accompanied with music composed by Matt Morton. The movie also showcases footage of Americans citizens down below experiencing and observing this marvellous moment in support of the extraordinary mission.
The film begins with the three astronauts and small crew being transported to the Saturn V and preparing to board the rocket. Throughout the production, the scenes switch between views of the control room and views of the astronauts as they circle around the Earth and head to the moon. These scenes are made up of historical recordings of conversations between the control room and the astronauts. Once Armstrong and Aldrin land on the moon, they go about their experiments and planting the American flag, a sign of their success. The movie draws to a conclusion once they complete their journey back to Earth and celebrate the unforgettable expedition.
The movie excelled in tying low-quality snippets of old footage together to make a high-quality film. One part we especially enjoyed was, as the astronauts suit up for the journey, it gives a quick slideshow of photographs of the astronauts growing up. This was touching as it highlighted the incredible lives these men have had and how much they were risking for the benefit of the country. After this, the audience finds themselves anxious for the takeoff of the rocket. A faint stopwatch at the bottom of the screen serves as an indication for the time of departure and as it slowly counts down, we watch as the astronauts board the plane and American citizens wait patiently on a dock a couple of miles away from the take-off zone. At last, the ship takes off with a powerful thrust, burning fuel. We were pleasantly surprised at how phenomenal of a job the of capturing this breathtaking moment - it felt as if we were actually right under the engine.
One of our favorite scenes (and most powerful moments) was when the capsule landed in the ocean and the astronauts were picked up by a helicopter. They were greeted by an enormous crowd, celebrating their return after nine days in space. While most of us knew that the story ended with a success, we still worried something would go wrong, as the suspense was high. In the end, President Nixon, the current president at the time, states the importance of the mission to the country and how proud he is of their success. He also thanks the astronauts and all the crew for their bravery as the audience shouts with happiness. It was a touching ending to the film that exceeded expectations.
Although it was not that long, there are parts where the film hits a slow spot. During these dull times, music plays a crucial role in holding the audience’s attention. We wished that they had included more music in the background of the slower scenes that were, at times, monotonous and uninteresting. We also think that subtitles would have been helpful when the old footage of radio conversations was playing as the static made them almost incomprehensible.
Overall, we highly recommend this documentary to especially those who have an interest in space, history, or astronauts. The movie does a great job of pulling the attention of both people who know everything there is to know about this mission and those who know nothing about it. It also did a notable job of explaining all the parts of the mission, which is necessary for it to succeed in showing the importance of the expedition. However, don’t expect this to resemble a typical movie - it is an educational film and shares a lot of valuable historical information. Hurry up and buy your tickets to enjoy this entertaining film full of powerful moments, influential discoveries, and breathtaking footage.
Overall - 4.5/5
#apollo11#rocket#documentary#film#montrosemavens#filmreview#review#neil armstrong#buzzaldrin#michaelcollins#todddouglassmillerfilm#mattmorton
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A taste of Britain: The Black Lab
By Nathaniel Samuels and Charlie McGill
The Black Lab is truly one of the most unique restaurants in Houston. Based entirely off a British pub, The Black Lab serves both British and American cuisine, and has the look and taste of a classic British pub. From french fries to fish and chips, you’ll be sure to get your British fix, and have some delicious American classics.
As soon as we walk inside, we’re greeted with a life size model of a Buckingham Palace soldier. Looking to the left, we see the wooden interior and the bar, which is packed during the night. The Black Lab definitely hits on its English interior. All the rooms look as if they could’ve been taken from an old English house, and the signs on the wall remind you you’re really in a bar, with alcohol related puns on signs and dart boards. They also have private rooms for large parties if you want to host an event. The Churchill Room can hold up to 150 people, while booking the Cezanne on a Friday or Saturday night will get you live Jazz. The outdoor patio is just as impressive. Picnic tables with umbrellas for the summer months line the patio, along with an oversized chess game to play friends. The Black Lab doesn’t only feel authentic, it feels alive.
The exterior of The Black Lab with some of the outdoor seating
We started with potato skins, these were half hollowed out potatoes with the empty part being filled with mostly cheese. They were serverved with sour cream, and stuffed with not only cheese, but also filled with bacon and chives. The dish was all baked together, making the outside crunchy, and the inside melt together in a bacon, cheese mix.
Next we tried the Hamburger, with monterey jack, all the fixings, and a side of fries. The burger is above average, but not excellent. It has a slight char flavor, but it’s not overpowering which is nice. The juicy burger and the cheese combine well together, and overall the proportions between the burger, monterey jack, the crunchy lettuce, and tomato are good. However, the burger is slightly overcooked, which makes it lose a little bit of flavor. Along with this, the whole wheat bun was huge, and overpowered the flavor of the burger. We found that if we took off an entire piece of the bun, its taste was still prevalent and it would’ve been a better burger. The bright side to ordering the burger were the fries, the shining star of the meals. They were crispy from when you first bit into them until you swallowed, and they’re seasoning made them have just a hint of spice, which tasted amazing. The seasoning would come through even when eating them with ketchup, which we were surprised about considering how subtle the flavor was. The combination of the crisp and the spice made the perfect fry and the perfect bar snack. It’s not an overstatement to say these were some of the best fries we’ve ever tried, for texture and taste.
The last meal we had was the Tour of Britain, this was a combination plate of their most popular items in the english specials: The Shepherd’s Pie, A Banger which is a form of sausage, Fried Fish, Baked Beans and it came with a side of Grilled Zucchini. The Shepherd’s Pie was a thin layer of meat, covered in mashed potatoes and drowned in cheese. While enjoyable, the cheese and potatoes made the made the meat almost undetectable. The other parts of the meal were delectable, The Banger having a thick skin, and an inside that melts in your mouth. The Fried Fish had a wonderful salted inside, while keeping a crunchy and buttery outside. The Zucchini was lightly peppered, and had a slight charred taste at parts, while not losing the soft texture you expect from grilled zucchini.
The Black Lab brings England to America with their pub style restaurant and bar. From fish and chips and bangers and mash, to burgers and fries, The Black Lab effortlessly blends English and American food with a classic pub interior. Whether it be a late night at the bar, a lunch with coworkers, or a private party, The Black Lab has you covered with good food and drink for any type of event.
#food#pub#montrose#houston#england#english pub#fish and chips#burger#potato skins#shepherd’s pie#bangers and mash#black lab#british#collage campus#private events#jazz#university of st. thomas#montrosemavens
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The Next Big Rock Band? Feral Roots Album Review
By: Josey Gregg
Rival Sons released their sixth studio album, Feral Roots, on January 25, 2019. The band was formed in 2009 in California with members Jay Buchanan (Vocals, Rhythm Guitar), Scott Holiday (Guitars), Michael Miley (drums) and Dave Beste (bass guitars). Through their songs, blues-rock influence is audible and presented. Although they gather influences from Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, they do not fit the standard you might commonly find in rock n’ rollers; one member is a dedicated Christian, while another is Hindu priest, and a third follows the Native American Red Road religion. Several members were skeptical after their first album was released, however, it became a hit and they were invited to perform onstage with AC/DC and Kid Rock. After this, their fame continued to grow as they released more albums as they started to go on tour and perform other places.
The album “Feral Roots” draws inspiration from the outdoors and “Getting in each other's heads,” says Buchanan. To write the music, they went to a remote cabin with no connections and just wrote all the songs, so as you might guess many of the songs relate to being in nature. They were in a place where they could not reach anyone else (because of no cell service) so they relied a lot on each other and ideas.
One of the more popular songs on this album is ‘Do Your Worst.’ This song captures the classic sound of rock with its strong beat and guitar solo. The song has an audible steady beat the whole song with solo vocals, and group vocals at the chorus. A guitar riff is audible almost the whole song. There is also a short drum solo leading up to the guitar solo seeming to take inspiration from many rock songs you may hear. The namesake song: ‘Feral Roots’ has lyrics that seem like they are relating back to the outdoors where they wrote the songs. This song starts much more laid back with acoustic guitar and vocals that stand out against this. At the chorus, the guitar comes in heavier but recedes back as you come back to the verse. Another song shows off Miley’s skills with a drum solo opening. This song, “Back in the Woods Again,” is one of my personal favorites. It has a heavy guitar and strong vocals throughout the song. There are also some guitar riffs that stand out especially at the beginning. The vocals in the songs are very strong and talking about getting out of the city and into the woods.
Throughout the album Feral Roots, you can hear the strong rock and blue influence through the guitar riffs and vocals through the music. All of the songs fit a theme while still being able to branch out and sound different from each other. Each of the eleven songs shows you a little more of what Rival Sons can do with their music. Is a great take on modern rock and we are able to hear this. Strong guitar riffs make the songs more original and make them differentiate from each other. The vocals are something that sounds like they could have inspiration from Led Zeppelin or AC/DC.
This is an album I would definitely recommend listening to. Only around 45 minutes long its eleven songs are quick to listen to and bring you back to an original classic rock feel. Rival Sons are a talented group of musicians who have shown this off through the music they have written, and through their influences, you can hear in the music. The guitar and vocals sound like their inspirations, while the guitar riffs still give all of the songs an original sound. The bass is not something that stands out through the music, but when you listen to it, it blends together perfectly with the other instruments to bring all the sounds together for people to enjoy.
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An Amazing Assortment - A Star is Born Soundtrack Review
By: Sutton Walsh
The A Star is Born soundtrack ties together an assortment of contrasting music styles including bubblegum pop, bop, blues rock, instrumental, and country as well as various snippets of dialogue from the recent musical film. Released on October 15, 2018, A Star is Born has hit the top of the charts in 15 countries and millions of copies of the heartfelt soundtrack have been sold worldwide. The film stars Lady Gaga, who writes and sings in a more pop/bop style, and Bradley Cooper, who composes and sings a hybrid of blues rock and country music. However, despite being different styles, these catchy songs compliment each other well, creating a unique soundtrack that is sure to draw in even those who are not familiar with the movie.
Country and rock music are most prominent in the first half of the film with songs including “Black Eyes”, a rock n’ roll love song, and “Maybe It’s Time”, a slow-paced poetic song with delicate guitar chords. My personal favorite of this country collection is “Alibi”. While this piece has a rock sound, it is sung with a country voice and I can hear this song being played at a barbecue restaurant but also something I would listen to during my own time. “Diggin’ My Grave” is one of the last country songs on the soundtrack and has a staccato style, making it upbeat and lively. Castanets, electric guitar, and drums make up the accompaniment. While the piece is enjoyable, the writers made the right choice in making this song on the shorter side as it is repetitive.
“La Vie en Rose” serves as a break between the country tunes and stands out for the obvious reason; that it is sung in French. Originally written by Edith Piaf, a French vocalist and songwriter, in 1947, it is no wonder that this song has a familiar tune. In the star is born film, Lady Gaga sings this piece beautifully, accompanied by only the piano. The language barrier challenges the song to maintain a connection with the listener as, obviously, the listener can’t connect with the piece through the lyrics. However, the lengthiness of the piece strains the song’s connection with the listener.
“Shallow” is the most well-known song from this recent film hit. A popular duet between Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper and winner of the Oscars, expectations for this love song are high. This harmonic piece starts off with quiet guitar strums and call and response solos between the two lead characters. Lady Gaga’s impressive note serves as a smooth transition that introduces the drums and piano as the country style fades into a pop style. This transition does not only occur with the instruments - Lady Gaga’s character becomes more confident as the song goes on and this moment highlights this confidence. While I don’t argue against its high ranking and fame, it was not my favorite song of the album and I found myself enjoying the verses in between the chorus’s more than the choruses themselves as they seemed more natural and less oversung.
The catchiest songs in this album included “Hands Body Face” and “Why Did You Do That?”. “Hands Body Face” has many electronic qualities and a unique chorus that is partly spoken, rather than sung. This results in a powerful transition when the softly spoken part of chorus ends, exploding into the second half. Although “Why Did You Do That” has a more repetitive style, it is equally enjoyable due to its predictability. “Heal Me” is the poppiest pop piece in the album. Showing off Lady Gaga’s higher and softer range, it had a very Ariana Grande like-vibe and I had to do a double take to see if she had written or was the one singing the song. “Always Remember” reminded me of something Adele would sing as it began with a low, powerful voice paired with beautiful piano chords. However, as the song went on and more instruments joined in, Lady Gaga herself, shined.
While this album has many catchy songs, there are definitely parts that I skip. Instrumental songs are well written and audibly impressive but seem to drag on, not grasping my attention. Additionally, the fourteen dialogue snippets are confusing because of their short length and just seem to lead up to the upcoming song, ignoring the previous one. Personally, I much rather be jamming out to songs than listening to random cuts of dialogue. This negatively impacted the album as it interrupted the smoothness of the transition between songs.
The album begins to conclude as struggles and sadness arise. “Before I Cry” is an emotional piece sung by the distressed Lady Gaga after what seems to be a large fight occurring in the dialogue of “Scene 98”. Accompanied by piano and strings, this resonating piece also shows off Gaga’s higher range but in a more belted style. “Is That Alright?” is a dramatic song dealing with relationship struggles and future plans, only accompanied by piano that’s intensity mirrors the emotion of the refrain. The final song in the album is the heart wrenching “I Will Never Love Again”. Gaga pours her heart into this intricate and touching piece and moms would definitely cry in this one.
Overall, this is an amazing album and I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves music. After all, there is bound to be a song in your prefered genre. As someone who has not seen the movie, I was not sure what most of the songs were about which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as they did not spoil the ending of the movie. The beautiful chemistry between the different genres and voices makes for a heartfelt album that is sure to impact every listener.
Rating - 4.5/5
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Mediocre Mercantile
By: Sutton Walsh and Emory Ying
Mercantile is a wannabe “funky coffee bar” that falls short of expectations. It is located on Stanford and was opened on March 29, 2014. Their well-kept and aesthetically pleasing website raised our expectations which then plummeted when we found that the restaurant hardly resembles the appealing and high-quality photos on the website.
When walking into Mercantile, we immediately noticed how the decor is mismatched and has the style of the first floor of a house. One area of the restaurant is decorated like a diner, with a big neon sign, small brown tables with beige booths, and a black leather couch in the corner next to a table with magazines. Another area had large brown couches, petite tables and chairs for groups of three and bar seating. Circular pieces of artwork and splatter paint decorate the wall. The back corner of that area is a section that imitates an outdoor area with a white picket fence surrounding the section, a wooden swing, table and chairs, complete with fake grass. The space where you order resembled a gift shop at a national park with a forest wallpaper and fake tree branch decor. The hanging lights are all different styles and colors, only adding to the confusing interior. Needless to say, there is plenty of seating options that can accommodate many customers.
While ordering, we noticed how a considerable amount of the options on the breakfast menu were crossed out because they were out of stock. This left the breakfast tacos available to order on the menu along five other pastry options. We later learned that Mercantile purchases a certain amount of tacos from Taco Deli and then sells them throughout the day. While this adds a filling breakfast item to the menu, we wish that they sold homemade pastries or breakfast options as well.
The drinks arrived promptly after ordering and while some of the food took some time - most likely due to the warming process. We were pleased to find one uniform aspect of the restaurant, the plates and cups were the same style and color white. The Chamomile Tea is served hot and has a strong smell and taste of fresh flowers. It is a refreshing and warm drink in this unusually chilly coffee bar.
The Chocolate Croissant is an overwhelming disappointment. When ordering, we requested that it was warmed and were upset to find that it was served room temperature, maybe colder. It does not give off an appetizing smell and the chocolate drizzle on top is pitiful. When taking a bite, the croissant gives off no satisfying crackle and is chewy and bland. Although it does have an airy center, the skinny strips of chocolate in the middle are tasty but would have been much better if they were melted. The Plain Croissant has a more crispy top than that of the chocolate croissant but is equally cold. It is basically the chocolate croissant without chocolate, hence the name.
The Blueberry Muffin is unappetizing. The excessive amount of blueberries dyes the muffin a gross purple-grey color (or maybe it was whole wheat?). The taste is even more unappealing. Served cold, the squishy yet chewy blueberries taste more like raisins and the muffin itself is soggy and has an excessive amount of sugar. It tastes like a muffin one would buy at a grocery store if they needed a last minute bake sale dish.
In summary, this place is a funky failure we don’t recommend it. Our feedback includes 1) to unify the restaurant with one style as it is all over the place and 2) don’t offer to warm pastries unless you are going to warm them. We believe this place has potential as it is in a good location and has delicious drinks, but as of now, we recommend going to a different coffee shop in Montrose.
Price: $
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Pet Friendly: Yes
Atmosphere: ⅖
Service: ⅘
Food and Drinks: ⅖
Overall: ⅖
#mercantile#coffeebar#montrose#montrosemavens#foodreview#foodreviews#croissaint#chocolatecroissant#camomile tea#nohotchocolate
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A Five Star Coffeebar
By Josey Gregg
FIX Coffeebar is the perfect addition to the Montrose scene. Opened in 2016 they have an exceptional selection of any type of coffee you can think of, along with a vast selection of tea; from English Breakfast to lavender. FIX is a peaceful place to get some work done in a relaxing quiet location with a modern take on the decor. Paintings decorate some of the walls, along with contemporary art pieces. Inside there are tables that can accommodate 2-3 people, or a large picnic table where you could fit many more. All the tables matched the wooden decorations around the rest of the coffeebar. In the coffeebar there is a relaxing quiet to the atmosphere on top of the decorative lights and dulcet music.
Inside we saw the abundant assortment of coffee beans for purchase, as well as the extensive menu. There was also a variety of pastries such as muffins, croissants, or danishes. We ordered our food and the baristas were amiable in accommodating our group of ten. We sat down and waited the short time it took before our food and drinks were ready.
I was pleased with the beautifully served Jasmine green tea which is delivered on a wooden tray, along with my toasted chocolate croissant. The tea is served steaming and I was more than content with the bittersweet taste of green tea along with the slight aftertaste of the flowery jasmine. My tea stayed warm in my mug and I was able to enjoy the same subtly sweet tea for the rest of our stop. I had the same experience trying my flaky chocolate croissant. The gooey chocolate melted just the perfect amount bonding with the buttery outside which left the perfect partner. The outside was crumbly but still stayed together to have to the crisp texture.
Another satisfying choice we were grateful for is the frothy hot chocolate served with the perfect combination of creamy milk and chocolatey goodness. It is a heavenly creation providing an agreeable start to our morning. One of the signature drinks we ordered is FIX’S Award Winning Nitro Brew Cold Coffee. Even without any added sugar or creamy, it has a smooth taste and a sweet undertone. No need to add anything and it still had a pleasurable flavor, even as someone who doesn’t drink black coffee, this is able to be drunk without any added cream or sugar.
Not only were our food and drinks delectable, but the service was extraordinary. With only two people working behind the bar our food still came out almost immediately and exactly to the order. We were delighted with the great service throughout our entire time at FIX Coffeebar, and would 100% recommend this to anyone. It is a relaxing atmosphere to get some work done or enjoy a delicious cup of coffee or tea.
Stars - 5/5
Price - $
Wheelchair Accessible - Yes
Dog friendly - Outside Area
Recommended - Chocolate Milk, Jasmine Green Tea, Chocolate Croissants
Overall - We had a great experience at FIX Coffeebar with incredible food and delicious service.
Service - The staff was very friendly and great at what they did.
Atmosphere - Relaxing atmosphere where you could get some work done or enjoy a cup of coffee.
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The Mavens slightly disappointed by the Raven
By Emory Ying and Josey Gregg
The Raven Grill is a relaxing, casual restaurant great for business meetings and mom’s birthdays. The Raven Grill located in the Museum District serves a variety of foods from seafood to burgers. Founded in 1998 by Rob and Sarah Cromie, the Raven Grill was created as a neighborhood restaurant based off of the poem by Edgar Allan Poe. When we walked into Raven Grill we noticed how the style of the restaurant is more refined reminding us of a country club, especially with all the customers being adults in business casual attire. The walls are green and white with modern art hanging on each wall, seen with dim lighting. There are tables inside able to accommodate large or small groups as well as a beautiful outdoor patio.
The first things to arrive was the complimentary bread and butter. On the plate are two different breads; white bread and cranberry nut bread. Though the bread and butter are well appreciated, they are both served cold, making it hard to spread the butter onto the bread. For appetizers, we ordered Fried Oysters, Fried Calamari and the Raven Sampler. The Fried Oysters are fresh Gulf oysters lightly battered in blue cornmeal and grit, creating a crunchy yet flakey crust around the soft filling and served with remoulade sauce. The Fried Calamari are crispy, accompanied with ancho mayonnaise and house made marinara sauce. The Raven Sampler consisted of hot fried oysters, fluffy onion rings, decent crab cakes, flavorful raven hard tacos full of chicken, cheese, green onions and cilantro and disappointing quesadillas filled with cheese and zucchini.
One of the meals we ordered was a Margherita Grilled Cheese. This is described as fresh mozzarella with roma tomatoes and pesto served on sourdough bread. When the meal came, it looked a lot like someone might expect it would; a sandwich cut up into four slices of toasted bread. In the middle warm pesto is spread adding a slightly salty flavor, while the tomatoes bring a refreshing flavor that stands out through the cheese. The only problem we noticed was on some of the pieces the cheese was not completely melted which was more than a little disappointing. Served alongside the grilled cheese the french fries were served hot and slightly crispy with the large portion proving a good partner to the grilled cheese.
Another main meal ordered was Beef Tenderloin. On the menu it is described as, “tender 8oz. bacon-wrapped filet topped with herb butter served with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables.” The dish was one of the first to arrive out of our whole group which was surprising. The filet has black grill lines over the surface with burnt bacon surrounding the edges. The filet looked and tasted delectable; tender and juicy on the inside combined with the crunchy texture and charred taste from the outside complimented each other marvelously. The mashed potatoes are filled with potatoe skins, potato chunks, cilantro and green onions. Although they are tasty, they aren't a standout side dish. The grilled vegetables consists of zucchini, tomato and a small corn on the cob. The tomato didn't look appetizing so instead I tried the corn which tastes juicy and sweet with a hint of charred aftertaste as well as the zucchini which also has a charred taste to it.
A downside to our experience was the lack of good service we faced at a few points during our lunch. Most of the time our water and drinks were filled quickly, but in the case of bringing out the food this was a little different. The food was all brought out at different times leaving many of us confused. At the end of our meal we found out this was because of a system crash during our dining which caused confusion to the kitchen in cooking our meal. After this had been explained it made more sense to us and we were grateful for the small discount of $20 that was given due to the inconvenience.
Overall this was a mediocre experience. The food quality was decent but by no means outstanding, while the service turned out to exceed expectations. We recommend this restaurant if you're in the mood for a calm meal, with a business associate or friends.
Stars - 3/5
Price - $$$
Wheelchair Access - Yes
Recommended Dishes and Drinks - Beef Tenderloin, Chicken enchiladas, Pot Roast
Food - Depending on the meal the food was very good, or decent.
Overall - Overall Raven Grill is a pleasant place to have a calm meal with a business associate or enjoy some time with your family.
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Empire State of Mind
By Charlie McGill and Nathaniel Samuels
Empire Café is a Houston institution located in the heart of Montrose, famous for their cake and European-influenced food. Founded in 1994 and reimagined from an old gas station, both the food and the decor excite, and give an experience that is not one to miss.
Empire cafe from the outside
We walked into Empire Café and were immediately greeted by their red decor and daily specials, which looked appetizing and delicious, and enticed us to order more than we could really eat. The waitstaff, who we ordered from after passing the cakes and pastries, were attentive and efficient, and they made our drinks while simultaneously taking our order. This process proved to foreshadow the experience we had at Empire Cafe, pleasant, relaxing, and one of delicious food.
The line to order food inside
After ordering, we sat on their outside patio with our large group of ten, where we fit comfortably. The traffic from the nearby busy street is cut off by some plants and bushes, so that besides the noise, we didn’t even notice it’s there. The entirety of Empire Café is wheelchair accessible, and the patio is pet friendly so all the pet lovers can bring their dogs.
Our group having a wonderful time at Empire Café
For our drinks, we ordered the Justice Juice, which is a mango-peach juice mixed into a frozen drink, and an iced chai. This juice, which is very sweet, but not to a fault, had the right ratio of ice to liquid and is quite peachy, although the mango is definitely a side player in the drink as it’s more a peach drink with some mango than a peach-mango drink. The iced chai definitely isn’t on the menu to impress anyone. It tastes very much like syrup, which is understandable considering it’s made with chai syrup, but at the same time, many other coffee shops are able to use the syrup to make an iced chai that taste like the real deal. It’s by no means fantastic, but also not terrible.
Justice Juice with Toll House cake in the background
As for our food, we started with an appetizer, the Spinach Artichoke Dip, a cheesy, delicious mixture of two vegetables served with parmesan bread for dipping and some classic dip vegetables. This dip looked watery and different from most spinach and artichoke dips; we expected a solid mass of spinach and cheese, and were surprised by the thin nature of the dip. However, when we dipped into it with the parmesan bread, they blended perfectly like they were always meant to be together. The crunchiness of the bread accentuated the texture of the dip, and allowed the bread to stay in the background without being totally ignored.
The spinach-artichoke dip with parmesan bread surrounding it
Our entrees came out soon after: the Fiorenza, and the Buffalo Pizza. The Fiorenza, a pasta dish made up of a thin fettuccine, smoky grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, a thick, dense garlic alfredo sauce, and served with a side of garlic bread is fantastic. As soon as it was served, we knew we’re in for a treat.
The dish smells strongly of garlic, normally a bad thing, but in the case of this dish it’s perfect. The fettucine, glazed in the rich flavor of the sauce, blended perfectly with the smoky chicken. This flavor combination is easily the best part of the dish, and it’s the reason we recommend it. Both the flavor of the sauce and the flavor of the chicken come through, which leaves the customer craving more. However, the broccoli and the garlic bread seemed like outsiders, and were generally avoided during our meal.
Garlic bread is something that is included in many meals, but it isn’t amazing by any terms. When it’s first brought out and warm, it has a slight crunch around the outside, but it’s still chewy in the middle, and leaves something to be desired. After only a few minutes, it’s room temperature and has lost its crunch altogether, leaving a small piece of chewy, cool, and largely flavorless bread.
The steamed broccoli could simply be taken out of the dish due to its incredible lack of flavor and synergy with the other ingredients. However, both the garlic bread and the broccoli are far less important than the pasta and chicken, so it is still delectable.
The Buffalo Pizza, which admittedly doesn’t go with the European style of the restaurant, smells exactly like buffalo wings and tastes like what we expect; a greasy, delicious cheese covered pizza with both mozzarella and cheddar and coated in deconstructed buffalo wings, spicy buffalo sauce, crispy bacon scattered across the top of the pizza, and ranch drizzle that acts as a cream dulling down the spice when it’s eaten. However, the chicken that’s on the pizza doesn’t come through, and it wasn’t until after we revisited the menu that we remembered that it was supposed to be there, so it’s all together unmissed.
Fiorenza pasta with grilled chicken and steamed broccoli
After finishing our entrees, we finally get to dig into Empire's famous cakes. As we went on Monday, their half price cake day, we decided to try three of their cakes.
The first cake that we tried was the Chocolate Blackout cake. This cake is a rich and moist chocolate cake, a model for other cakes in Houston. It’s covered in a thick, rich, and very chocolatey icing and chocolate shredding on the outside, which displays an elegant exterior but doesn’t add much in terms of flavor.
Our second cake, and definitely the best one we tried, is Empire Café’s best-selling Toll House Crunch cake. This cake consists of a yellow cake, the same rich chocolate icing from the the Chocolate Blackout, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and grains of brown sugar on the icing. Each and every part of the cake adds something to it. The moist yellow cake is light, fluffy, and flavorful, one of the best bases to a cake I’ve had in awhile. The chocolate icing has a beautiful contrast with the yellow cake, making a sweet, robust combination of two iconic flavors. And the chocolate chips and brown sugar, although seemingly for aesthetic purposes only, add a fantastic crunch to the cake we would never expect, but definitely want more of.
The last cake we try is the Berry White Cake. This is the lightest cake, with an airy whipped cream icing and a light, delicious vanilla cake, that has strawberry and raspberry preserves mixed into it. The berries in the cake complete it, adding a fruit dimension and rounding out the cake’s flavor. However, the white chocolate shredding on outside has the same effect as the chocolate shredding on the first cake, and didn’t add anything to the cake flavor-wise.
The Chocolate Blackout Cake
Empire Café is a delectable, wonderful experience that we thoroughly enjoyed. Come here for a great Montrose atmosphere and a little escape from the real world, which is the vibe you’ll get while eating their delicious food. The Fiorenza and any flavor of cake get our recommendation. In general, anything on the menu that falls under their specialty of European cuisine is very likely to be amazing. Foods that fall out of their specialty and some of the drinks are a risk to get, but can still make for a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Overall, Empire Café is a restaurant worth going to and an experience worth having, and if you’re in the Montrose District we recommend you go.
Stars: 4/5
Price: $$
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Recommended dishes and drinks: Fiorenza, Buffalo Pizza, Toll House Cake, Hot Chocolate
Overall: The atmosphere is peaceful and relaxing, and the service and food makes for a good time.
Food: A great place for some casual breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Service: The staff are friendly and good at their jobs.
Atmosphere: Very relaxed, feels like a tucked away secret.
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Burger King, Step Aside, There’s a New Burger in Town.
By Sutton Walsh
Introducing Shake Shack, a fun and modern-style restaurant perfect for a casual but mouthwatering meal with friends and family. Originally a successful hot dog stand in Madison Square, Shake Shack has transformed into a popular restaurant serving juicy burgers, addicting fries, multiple flavours of thick creamy shakes and many more high-quality versions of classic meals. This lovable and well-crafted restaurant can be enjoyed in its locations spread all across the world including their four locations specifically in Houston.
Not only does their food bless the taste buds of their many customers, they use their profit to give back to various organizations supporting multiple areas of the country. The day our group went their, 25% of what we paid was donated to the Humane Society, a non-profit organizations that works to support animals. After some quick research, we found that each Shake Shack location has a specific charitable organization which they support using their profit.
All natural
Having arrived in a large school bus, we were pleasantly surprised to find that Shake Shack had a vast parking lot with ample parking spots to accommodate their customers. However, the majority of these spaces were empty as the Shake Shack Montrose location opened on December 20, 2018 (replacing Burger King). Thus, there is no need to park on the street. Despite our large group of ten, the ordering process went smoothly, and we felt welcomed by the friendly staff. The minimalist, wood-based interior not only makes you want to have a photo shoot but also provides seating to accommodate large and small groups with both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor atmosphere was clean and family-friendly, having sufficient green space and engaging activities such as ping-pong for kids (and adults) to enjoy. While dogs are not permitted inside the restaurant, outside is an available option. We took a seat inside and were intrigued to find that the tables were all made of hardwood from bowling lanes in New York. Who knew? The indoor ambience was equally enjoyable, with popular music from all eras along with multiple televisions. The restaurant is also well cared for; even the trash cans are spotless.
If we had to make one complaint, it would be that if you were sitting outside you might be disturbed by the nearby street. However, I don’t think the disturbance would be that extreme.
An urban space to indulge
Our food was served promptly and was warm. I ordered a simple cheeseburger which at first I thought was on the small side but turned out to be the perfect amount. It was appetizingly presented, and absolutely delicious. Your teeth just sink through the soft buns, into the melted American cheese, past the juicy, crisp and flavourful burger...mmmm. The fries were equally a hit. Their unique crimped shape made scarfing them down extremely satisfying. They were a superb yellow color and were more on the crispy side, which is what I fancy. Served in a large cup, the shake was cold and thick, but just enough that you can drink it with a straw without it getting stuck. I ordered the chocolate shake and it was not too chocolaty but not to bland, the perfect flavor.
Our whole group thoroughly enjoyed their burgers, whether they were vegetarian or topped with fresh ingredients. There was a lot of praise for the signature ShackSauce, a mayo-based sauce with hints of sweet and sour elements. One person complained that there was an abundance of sauce, while others were satisfied with the generous amount.
Irresistible fries, just as tasty as they look
Overall, we strongly recommend this restaurant to all who wish to enjoy a stepped-up version of classic American meals in the comfort of a well-maintained, trendy, and appealing environment, served by amiable staff who care deeply about the satisfaction of their customers.
Delicious and photogenic
Stars - 5/5
Price - $$
Wheelchair Accessible - Yes
Dog friendly - yes
Recommended dishes -
Overall -
Food -
Service -
Atmosphere -
#shakeshack#hamburger#fries#montrosemavens#burgerkingstepaside#shakes#wheelchairaccessible#enoughparking#dogfriendly#montroseshakeshack
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Becoming a Coffee Addict for the Day at Siphon Coffee
By Persi Fossi
Walking up to Siphon Coffee as a group of ten teenagers was slightly daunting, and I was expecting to have a bad experience when the entirety of the coffee shop stared us down, but I was surprised when their shock eventually wore down and our time there became enjoyable. The friendliness of their barista was noticeable. He had a smile the whole time and was very patient even with our large group.
As we went off to sit down, there were many different types of places to sit. They had indoor seating with lots of chairs, couches, and tables. Their outdoor seating was less impressive with no rain-repelling overhead coverings, however it was dog friendly. I found the decor interesting, and definitely out of the ordinary. It was rustic mixed with industrial-concrete floors, exposed lighting, and photos of famous Texas guitarists (none of whom they played over the sound system). Their music was oddly base-heavy versions of indie music, but wasn’t loud enough to disturb conversations or those with headphones.
Interior
Although our drinks came out relatively quickly, besides the daily coffee siphon, the food took much longer. I ordered the Salmon and Cream Cheese English Muffin. On first appearances I was slightly afraid. It’s made with a toasty English muffin, a lot of arugula, fresh smoked salmon, a square slice of cream cheese, and their house-made pickled red onions. It wasn’t served on a traditional plate, rather, they used a small baking pan that didn’t sit flat on the table to my slight annoyance. At my mention of square, yes, square cream cheese, maybe you can understand my initial trepidation. Upon my first bite, I noted that the bread was still slightly warm and the salmon is smooth and flavorful. The arugula is raw and a bit dry- maybe it would have been better with a sauce of some type. I am also slightly disappointed with the onion. It was delicious but there is barely any in the muffin. Maybe they’re trying to save me from onion breath at 9 am?
My Salmon and Cream Cheese Muffin. There was no shortage of arugula but it was delicious!
I also tried the Daily Coffee Siphon, which is something that sets this coffee shop apart from others. All of their milk and cream are made locally in Texas and they work with Houston-based roasters to get the best quality coffee. They highlight how they use halogen burners to get a unique coffee taste. The method originated in Japan over 160 years ago but is only used in a few coffee shops in the country today- it’s supposed to make the specific undertones and flavors in the drinks really stand out. I honestly don’t know that they managed to accomplish this. The coffee we tried was extremely bitter, but is supposed to have undertones of mango. I couldn’t tell. I tried some of their hot chocolate, which I honestly much preferred over the coffee.
The Siphon, an interesting coffee presentation
This is a great place for a small group of people who want to casually talk business, or maybe someone who needs somewhere to work alone. I wouldn’t say come here for the food, however maybe the drinks and service would be enough to convince one of it’s worth.
Stars - 3/5
Price - $$
Wheelchair Accessible - Yes
Recommended Dishes and Drinks - Salmon and Cream Cheese English Muffin, Hot Chocolate
Overall - The hipsters were slightly daunting at first but it was a chill place.
Food - It’s a coffee shop so expectations shouldn’t be high, but they present it all well.
Service - Very friendly and quick on drinks, took a little longer with food.
Atmosphere - They sacrificed the comfort of a very quiet space for aesthetic concrete floors but the issue was not horrible. There was varied seating arrangements and many people getting work done as well as having conversations in groups.
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Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary and Memories of a Voyage: The Late Work of Rene Magritte
By Ian Williams and Matthew Watowich
Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary, 1926-1938 and Memories of a Voyage: The Late Work of René Magritte are both intriguing art exhibits at the Menil Collection. These exhibits combined contain over 80 paintings by the surrealist artist. It features many of his famous paintings such as The Treachery of Images, The Healer, and The Human Condition, as well as some of his not as famous works such as ads or early sketches and paintings like The Menaced Assassin and Attempting the Impossible. The works in Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary, 1926-1938 are beautifully arranged in chronological order and also thematically, with some sketches or pictures of him painting scattered throughout the exhibit. In Memories of a Voyage: The Late Work of René Magritte, there is one sculpture of a coffin that looks to be sitting on a therapist couch, however, I am slightly disappointed that they do not have the sculpture, The Healer, to go along with its painting. As strange as some may find them, Magritte's paintings have a philosophical and hidden beauty.
René Magritte's art challenges the mind with philosophical questions and past memories of his life by incorporating people and events that planted themselves in his mind. His art discusses the unusual in relation with every day life and the mixture of reality and imagination. In 1927, Magritte became a leading member of the Surrealist art movement shortly after he left Belgium to go to Paris. Following that, he moved to America to escape World War II. Here he met Dominique and John de Menil, two established art collectors. The de Menils became very interested in his artistic talents because they were huge fans of the Surrealist movement. They introduced Magritte to American culture by taking him to popular events such as the rodeo. They continued collecting his artwork and maintained a good friendship until Magritte passed away in 1967, leaving his creative and thought-provoking masterpieces behind for the world to forever enjoy.
Magritte with the de Menils at the rodeo.
A painting some may find a bit disturbing or odd, The Lovers, is an image of two people, one male and the other female, kissing, with a white layer of fabric shrouding their faces. The real truth behind the picture though, is dark, personal, and sort of upsetting. Magritte's mother drowned herself when he was only 14 years old. When her body was found and taken from the water, the white and wet skirts of her dress were draped over her face. This memory of his deceased mother reveals itself through other works by him that include mysterious figures with white cloth draped across their faces.
The Lovers
Clairvoyance is a painting that really stands out to me. It combines Magritte's graphic style of painting with some extremely detailed work. In this painting, there is a man who is looking at a bird egg and painting a flying bird. The easel that he is painting on is simple with just plain mahogany pieces of wood. However, the man's face is detailed with a great deal of shadows and highlights; his eyes even have reflections in them as if light is hitting them. However, the thing that really ties this painting together is its name. Clairvoyance refers to the ability of someone to be able to see into the future. The man in this painting is looking at an egg, but is also looking into the future and seeing the bird that it will become. I think that this concept is interesting, and he captures it so well.
Clairvoyance
Like The Lovers, Black Magic has a familiar face in it as well. Not of Magritte's mother, but of his wife, who is easily recognizable in most of his paintings because of her burgundy hair pulled back into an elegantly braided bun behind her head. He paints her completely nude, with this odd sort of majesty in her poses, facial expressions, and overall beauty. In this piece, Black Magic, she is seen flamboyantly relaxed on a rock that appears to be out somewhere in the midst of a vast ocean. At the same time, she is in a room with caramel-colored, wooden walls. These two scenes are separated with what appears to be a rip out of the wall, like one would rip a piece of paper, with the beautiful, blue ocean on the left side of the canvas where she is seated so calmly and the wooden wall on the right. Her body has also been split into the two realms as well, the lower half of her body consists of the typical, peach flesh tones he illustrates her with in all of the other paintings, but, the upper half of her body camouflages into the blue ocean background as simplistically as a chameleon would to a green leaf. Though the bottom half of her body appears to be human, the upper half is like a statue. This isn’t because of shape of her shoulders or breasts, but her eyes. Upon closer inspection, I found that her pupils and irises are missing. They are the same shade of blue as the ocean sky. To complete the image, there is a white dove perching on her right shoulder. This painting reminds me of making a decision. You can make one unique decision that will draw attention, like the wooden side of the canvas, or you can be like everyone else and blend into the background, like the plain and steady statue she becomes that matches the ocean which may be beautiful, but, in all, is a plain, flat, and blue body of water that looks the same no matter how far you travel on it.
Black Magic
The painting, Golconda, plays on Magritte's theme of replacing the ordinary with the unordinary. In this painting, he replaces normal raindrops with men is suits and bowler hats. I love this painting because it is very structured but then provides so much detail. All of the men in the painting are equally spaced apart and are in perfect rows. Rain obviously doesn't fall this way, but I assume he was playing with the mixture of reality and non-reality. He puts a lot of detail into this painting by making all of the men turned different ways. They are all upright, but some of them are turned with their backs towards us, while others are turned sideways and even facing forward. Even the men in the far background are turned different ways, which is surprising given the fact that they are so small. Also, each of the men's faces have different emotions. Some of them are smiling, while others are frowning or just serious. There are even some that are smirking or giving a guilty look.
Golconda
Magritte’s amazing ability to capture such profound and deep concepts is displayed masterfully in this exhibit. One can easily see the ongoing questions and events that occurred during his lifetime. Viewer’s minds will leave racing with questions and complex thoughts as they try to fully understand the compelling themes and symbols displayed in Magritte’s artwork.
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Inversion Coffee House
By Shiraz Ghauri and Grace Langenkamp
Inversion Coffee Shop is located where the famous Inversion sculpture used to be, hence the name. It was a 2005 artwork by Dan Havel and Dean Ruck. The building was owned by the Art League of Houston and is located on the corner of Montrose and Willard Street. The exterior skins of the house were torn off and used to create a vortex that went through the house and had a small opening on the other side. Later the coffee shop was built with Art League classrooms in the back.
Screen of the Inversion sculpture outside the coffee house
The exterior of the building gives off an urban vibe and looks huge. There is a large screen picture of the Inversion sculpture on the outside by the door. The interior of the coffee shop has an industrial sort of look. The air-conditioning vents are fabricated with metal and run along the high ceiling. Huge windows fill with room with ample natural light. The art work on one of the walls stretches from the ground to the ceiling, which balances the neutral colored room. I would consider Inversion as a perfect place to study or read. The seats along the window are my favorite but it can be hard to score one. Even though it can get crowded, it doesn’t get loud, which allowed me to focus on my work. The environment is laid-back and chill with relaxing reggae music playing in the background. There is a wall where people can put up advertisements and leave business cards, and the art gallery in the back is free and features local artists.
The wall of art inside Inversion Coffee House
People can put up ads and business cards.
Compared to the other coffee shops that we have been to, the service was particularly impressive. They were really nice and didn’t dismiss us for being a large group of high school students. They answered questions pleasantly, even the ones that were answered on the menu board already. They did an amazing job helping us out with what we were looking for and explaining the menu. The order was big, but they were professional about it and brought it out pretty quick.
The Potato and Black Bean Pocket Pie was cold when we got it, but they had a microwave available for us to heat it up. The outside of it was a golden color and was soft. The whole thing was actually kind of spicy, which I wasn’t expecting, but it was also flavorful. The Couch Potato was a blend of salty and sweet, but it was made yesterday and was a little stale. I think that it would’ve been better if it had been fresh. The Chocolate Twist was like a donut. I was afraid it would be too sweet, but since the dough was not sweet, it complimented the chocolate icing on top well. The Homemade Oreo was a dark chocolate cookie with an Oreo filling. It was not as sweet as an Oreo cookie, and the cookie part was crunchy like the cookie crust of a cheesecake. The filling was creamy and not as grainy as an Oreo filling.
The Homemade Oreo and the Potato and Black Bean Pot Pie
The drinks were all Monty Python themed, which was funny. The Big Top had salted caramel and toddy concentrate, which is an 24-hour iced coffee brew. It was very sweet for the first sip but after a little while it started to be really bitter, so it wasn’t mixed well. The Caramelot was sweet without being overpowering. The caramel was apparent, it was creamy, and the coffee wasn’t bitter. It had vanilla, caramel, and salted caramel in it, but it didn’t taste like it had too much caramel. The Salted Caramel Mocha was sweet but not overpowering either. There was just the right amount of caramel. The Holy Hand Grenade had vanilla and crème de menthe in it. The espresso wasn’t very strong so we could taste the vanilla. There was also a nice minty aftertaste. The White Librarian had chocolate Milano with toddy. It was very creamy. At first, it tasted like a regular chocolate mocha, but the aftertaste was like a smooth, chilled glass of chocolate milk.
I would recommend this place to anyone wants to enjoy good coffee and have a friendly, relaxing place to work.
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God's Not Dead
By Amber Meghani and Grace Langenkamp
God’s Not Dead is a film by former Pastor Harold Cronk about Josh Wheaton, a Christian college student who battles his philosophy teacher, Professor Radisson, about whether God is dead. Professor Radisson is atheist, and is portrayed as a bitter, Christian-hater, whose purpose is to prove religion wrong. Josh has to convince the class that God is not dead in order to pass the class.
It is very obvious that the movie is targeted towards a Christian audience and that the makers if this movie are Christian. Although the overall story as a drama is touching, there are parts of the movie and certain characters who are portrayed so stereotypically it almost comes off as ignorance on the writers' part. I think it's obvious that in reality, the vast majority of atheists are not vicious Christian-haters. There is also a female Muslim character who had secretly been practicing Christianity, and once her religious father, who had also been forcing her to wear a headscarf, found out, he ended up physically abusing her. The character and her experience couldn't have been more stereotypical and ignorant. Basically throughout the entirety of the movie, everyone except for the Christians are pinned as the "bad guys." There is not a single Christian character who does any wrong, making it seem like it is Christians versus everyone else. The "happy ending" consists of all the "misled" people, aka atheists, Muslims, and Humanists, converting to Christianity. That alone shows how biased this movie is.
There are definitely some flaws in Josh’s (Shane Harper) arguments as to why God is not dead. His first argument is that because you can’t prove God doesn’t exist means that he does. That argument is just childish. I can’t prove for certain that fairies don’t exist, but that doesn’t mean that they do. He also debates Stephen Hawking’s statement that the universe created itself because it needed to create itself by saying that a philosopher, Gavin Jensen, pointed out that Hawking uses circular logic to explain his theory. After googling Gavin Jensen, I discovered that he has a blog, Gavitron, where he says that writing about philosophy is his primary hobby. He doesn’t appear to be an authority in the philosophical community. Another argument that Josh has is about evolution. Darwin said that, “Nature does not jump.” Josh claims that the fact that life started contradicts Darwin’s rule. This claim doesn’t make much sense. Life had been evolving for about 3.6 billion years, and the universe began 13.8 billion years ago. 3.6 billion out of 13.8 billion is over 25%, which, instead of being comparable to 90 seconds in a 24-hour day as Josh said, is more like about 6 hours. The philosophy professor, Mr. Radisson (Kevin Sorbo), doesn’t point out any of these flaws. Instead he says, “Most atheists are Christians who simply took off their blinders.” This isn’t true and it’s irrelevant to what Josh had said.
Josh standing in front of the class explaining why God is not dead.
Josh’s last argument made the most sense to me, however he still doesn’t use a lot of logic to explain anything. He argues against what he says is atheists’ strongest argument, which is if God exists, why is there evil? He says that God allows us to have free will so that we can choose God by ourselves. He also says that God decided what is morally right and what is wrong, and that without God, there wouldn’t be morals. This argument doesn’t say anything about what makes something morally right or wrong, it just says God decided it.
The acting is amazing. All of the actors are convincing and power their characters with emotion and intensity, making them seem believable and vulnerable. Josh Wheaton, played by Shane Harper, has so much passion for standing up for what he believes in; it is extremely touching, and makes you root for him. Kevin Sorbo, who plays the atheist, Professor Raddison, is crazy believable. Villains are often unconvincing and come off as corny, but Sorbo seems so passionately against Christianity that it feels real and makes you instantly hate him. Throughout the movie, the hate only grows as he is verbally abusive to his girlfriend for being a Christian.
Overall, the movie is too biased towards Christians. They make the characters that aren’t Christians into walking stereotypes, which makes the movie even less believable. There are serious flaws in Josh’s arguments and despite Sorbo’s excellent acting, Radisson as a teacher and philosopher is completely unrealistic. I wouldn’t recommend this movie because of all of the bias and lack of logic.
Rating: 2/5 stars
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Paciugo
By Shiraz Ghauri
Service Counter at Paciugo
Paciugo is a small Italian dessert cafe located in an upscale shopping center in the heart of West University. We can all thank Christiana Ginatta for starting the Paciugo franchise in Texas and sharing her family recipe. She started in 1997, now has franchises across the country, and just recently expanded to the Middle East. I personally think that is a little too adventurous but at the same time I believe world peace could be achieved through gelato.
Paciugo has modern decor with elegant Italian designs on the walls. On the left wall are pictures of customers, which gave the cafe a welcoming feel. The menu is displayed gracefully on the wall with Italian style borders. The different kinds of gelatos are in a glass case and each flavor, like Rum Raisin, Smores, Mediterranean Sea Salt Caramel, Caramel, and Root Beer Float, is marked clearly. All the flavors looked appealing as they were shaped into mounds, and the toppings were drizzled on top or at times, like with Smores, a pattern was made with the marshmallows. The gelatos were made fresh that day, and they only had about 10-12 flavors because of the busy weekend.
I'm no gelato expert but this was one of the best ones I've ever had. Every bite that went in my mouth flooded it with smooth, sweet, creamy, and full of flavor gelato. They offer many different kinds of gelatos, such as milk, water (sorbet), or traditional-based gelatos. They have a rotational menu so you can check their website for what flavors are offered every week, but there are many flavors that are on the everyday menu.
I ordered the small cup in which you could get three flavors, but I only got two. I tried the Pannacota (wedding cake) and The Vaniglie ( Three Vanillas). Both the flavors were milk-based and had 70% less fat than traditional ice creams. For gelatos they use paddles instead of scoops because it mixes it better and maintains the original rich and creamy texture. The two flavors went well together and every bite was more than satisfying. I could taste all the different kinds of vanillas in The Vaniglie, from conventional vanilla to more exquisite. If I could, I would have the Pannacota at my wedding instead of a wedding cake. It tasted a lot like a wedding cake, but all the gelato goodness made it more appealing. One thing I really appreciated about this gelato was that it was sweet, but not overpowering, which allowed me to finish what I got without having a sugar rush at the end.
Salted Carmel
Overall I recommend this place to everyone, even all the health conscious people out there, because gelatos are comparatively a lot better than ice cream, and for all the people on a diet, you can satisfy your cravings without feeling as guilty afterwards.
Food: 9.5
Service: 8
Atmosphere: 9
Overall: 9
Cost: $4.50 - $6.50
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Blacksmith
By Ian Williams, Matthew Watowich, Amber Meghani, Shiraz Ghauri, Grace Langenkamp
Blacksmith is located in the heart of The Montrose. The coffee shop is in a small, old brick building with ample parking. The word on the street is that Blacksmith is THE coffee shop in Houston, but we don’t understand what all the hype is about. Looking around the inside of the coffee shop, you may ask yourself, If I don’t have a MacBook, am I still allowed in?
Interior
Blacksmith looks like a modern coffee shop that one would walk into anywhere. The only thing setting Blacksmith apart from all the rest is the constant use of the color grey, oh excuse us, we meant to say grey, black and/or a few reddish-brown bricks that have chalkboard menu hanging on it. If a color wheel was hanging on their wall, it would start at white and end at black. The reason for this dull color scheme might quite possibly be that the colors are supposed to match the reaction of the guests who walk through the door and find that the most delicious sounding drinks are as plain and grungy as a baby swan. And just a heads up, don't go on a stormy day because you will most likely be forced to sit outside if you don’t want to receive death-glares from judgmental hipsters, and the canopies on the outside patio are just triangular strands of fabric with separations that allow rain to land exactly where the tables are placed. Also, beware of pigeons.
The barista was friendly, but he didn’t seem all that eager to help a group of high school students. The pastries were displayed in a glass case under the cash register, which meant that we had no way of knowing what pastries they had until we were ordering. We ordered a Valrhona Mocha Latte, an Iced Vanilla Latte, a Hot Chocolate, a Vanilla Latte, two Iced Caramel Lattes, a Chocolate Croissant, an Almond Croissant, a Mini Pecan Pie, and a Brownie from Underbelly.
Hot Chocolate
The best part about the hot drinks was the presentation, however it wasn’t something that you wouldn’t be able to find at another coffee shop. The barista made the design on top of each hot drink by slowly pouring milk on top and moving the cup back and forth ever so carefully to create a heart and leaf design. Tasting them was another story. The cost of making them look like art was a compromise in the balance between espresso, milk, and syrup.
Now, if "coffee" is in the name of your establishment, then you need to actually make delicious coffee. Not surprising that "Blacksmith" is the name and not "Amazing Coffee.” Maybe they should take up metal manufacturing? Just a thought. First thing we tried was the hot Vanilla Latte. We weren’t expecting Starbucks sweet, but a Vanilla Latte should be somewhat sweet, and this tasted more like soap. The first sip was unsatisfying as we lifted the cup expecting to take a sip of hot, soothing, and delicious latte, but all that we tasted was foam and lukewarm, bitter espresso. As for the Valrhona Mocha, don’t let the expensive sounding name fool you. Like the Vanilla Latte, it was bitter and disappointing, which turned out to be a common theme at Blacksmith.
The Hot Chocolate was bland and bitter for a hot chocolate. We’re used to drinking some at Christmas that tastes sweet and soothes our stress. Makes us think of Santa. Try leaving this with a plate of cookies for Santa, and you will find a chubby old man in a red suit on your carpet foaming at the mouth.
The cold drinks were not any better taste-wise, but at least they were the right temperature. The Caramel and Vanilla Lattes did not taste much different from each other, and neither one of them tasted the way we expected. The Iced Caramel Latte was basically a cup full of ice, a shot of espresso, and a tiny bit of milk. We don’t know whether they forgot the caramel part of the Iced Caramel Latte, or if that’s just how they make it, but either way it was vile. We had one sip and gagged because it was so bitter. The Vanilla Latte was similarly vile. Obviously, the coffee is made for people whose taste buds are so dull that they need overpowering flavors to taste anything.
We are skeptical that the food was even made that day. We also have a feeling that either their microwave wasn’t working or they don’t know how to use it. All of the food that we got came out either cold or room temperature. Yum!!! We’ll give them credit for the Almond Croissant because that was one thing that was okay. It was golden-brown and looked flaky, however, after taking one bite into it you could tell that it had been sitting out for a few hours. There was almond butter spread on the inside, which provided a nice sweetness to the blandness of the pastry. We tried the Chocolate Croissant next. It looked flaky and fresh, but we had a feeling that it was going to taste old and lifeless. The chocolate on the inside was hard and crumbly. It was harder to bite into than the croissant. Weird, right? It would have been good if it had been warm because it would have been gooey and melted.
We were hoping the Pecan Pie would be good since we live in the South, however the crust was rock hard, even though it looked flaky. They have done a really good job of making things look much better than they are. The filling was sweet and tasted like pure sugar with maybe a few chopped up pecans. We had to stop eating it after a few bites, fearing that we might break a tooth on the crust. The brownie that we ordered was actually made by Underbelly. It was small and also tasted like pure sugar. It was crumbly on the top, but then moist and dense in the middle. The taste of the chocolate was overpowered by the sweetness. The sweetness of the brownie made us really thirsty, so we drank some of our drinks. Right after we took sips we remembered that they weren’t good either.
Underbelly Brownie
Almond Croissant
You may be asking yourselves, Why didn’t they say more about the service? That's because the only service that we actually received was from the kind and comical man who briskly cleaned the table, and the two people working at the front counter who nodded at us instead of verbally asking us what we wanted.
We would recommend Blacksmith to anyone who likes to be judged for not shopping exclusively at Urban Outfitters. It is also a good place if you like being given a death-glare for trying to sit down at one of the only available seats, or if you are craving bitter, boring coffee. Blacksmith is the perfect place for people with numb taste buds or those who want to watch traffic go by as they stare at their laptops, but for everyone else, we recommend going somewhere else.
We look happy, but don't be fooled.
P.S. We would like to compliment them on perfecting the art of making horrible food look fresh, tasty, and appetizing.
Score:
Food: 2/10
Service: 6/10
Atmosphere: 4/10
Total: 4/10
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