siphon coffee

siphoncoffeelocated in houston's montrose district is a gourmetcoffeeshop specializing in the siphoncoffeebrewing technique.

the two chamber vapor pressure and vacuum systemcoffeemaker is said to brew blackcoffeein its purest form. it sounded fabulous but i opted for a latte because i love latte art! i paired my latte with a chocolate dipped coconut macaroon and both items were a symphony to my taste buds. i was impressed.

siphoncoffeealso serves tea, and they have beer and wine on tap. as for food, siphoncoffeeoffers fresh baked goods, breakfast items, lunch entrées including paninis, soups, salads and other nibbles.

i loved the upbeat vibe that reminded me of a college student center with people studying or writing papers, groups of friends laughing and swapping stories, and a couple playing the vintage video game, mrs. pac-man. the interior has plenty of natural lighting from the open windows and seating arrangements: sofas, tables, chairs, and barstools. it's really a nice environment to stop and smell the coffee!

i will be back with a friend to try the siphon brewedcoffeeand a meal.

what is so great about siphon and i mean this as a compliment, is that they have done everything the way starbucks should have done it but didn't (missed opportunities).  first. the ambience. the siphon team has created a wonderful place to camp out if one needs to, with free wi-fi, comfortable chairs, excellent food options, resulting in a place that is more like your home away home. if there were showers and beds you might not need to leave. kidding. and...they have alcohol! yay! 

now, the original starbucks concept was just this. create a beautiful and comfortable environment for people to enjoy their morningcoffeelike some of the coffeehouses the original owners visited in roma. now, some would say this is not a great business model. in that people will nurse that one cup ofcoffeewhile using the free wifi and restrooms, etc. but i disagree. i think that those people will be there, but the majority will just be there for a short and pleasant time. and look forward to their next visit.

next, whereas starbucks decided to go with an over roasted, dark almost charcoal roast (how much greatcoffeehas been ruined by starbucks aka charbucks? the mind boggles), the owners of siphon opted to go with local artisan roasters for theircoffeeand/or bring in nationally acclaimed coffee. currently there are big bags of stumptown on the shelves (i am a happy guy). next, they brought in a new technology, the siphon, which is bringing in a "fun" aspect to your morning coffee. all in all, this is a five star place in my opinion. i recommend it.

siphon takes its name from the siphoncoffeeit offers, a brewing method that involves mixingcoffeewith boiling water “ascended from the flask with siphonage to the extraction and filtering of the coffee.” it takes about 10 minutes to brew a siphon, and at $11 for a siphon for two, is more expensive than more traditional brewing methods. i had not previously seen siphoncoffeebefore, and i was fascinated by the process:

we were hoping to get some decaffeinatedcoffeebut was told that they only used one kind ofcoffeeif we wanted siphon coffee; so we shared thecoffee4 ways. the process of the preparation was a lot of fun to watch...

because siphoncoffeeis, as they purport, also “pay[s] attention to what’s on the plates, as well as in the cups.” so, espresso aficionados, don’t be too distracted by the coffee, and newbies, don’t be too intimidated.