Roasted: Catalina Coffee

Ranked the 2011 Houston Press "Best Coffee Shop," Catalina Coffee certainly has a reputation to uphold. It is very easy to miss the small building, located on the otherwise industrial corridor of Washington Avenue. However, devout Catalina customers arrive there without a hitch, quickly park in the hidden gravel lot in the back of the shop and enter into a 
different world.

The inside of the shop is reminiscent of a lodge or a European cafe, with antiquated brick walls and paneled windows that let in just enough light to fill the small space. Lining the walls is a gallery of framed photos taken by local photographers that are for sale to the general public. The customers that trickle in and out of the creaky, wooden doors seem to be families, businessmen and couples. While the hustle and bustle through the small shop makes it an unfit place to sit and read a book or write a paper, Catalina provides a very homey and relaxing environment to sit and have a conversation over drinks.

Catalina is more than just a coffee shop. Along with having the familiar coffee bar, Catalina is stocked with loose-leaf tea, pastries and sandwiches. Catalina also offers a few products that are not typically sold at local coffee shops, including slow-drip coffee machines, mills, teapots, French presses, V60 pour-over cups and teakettles. All of the fancy appliances sold there are the same ones that the baristas use at the bar.

For the more particular customers, Catalina sells whole-bean bags of all of the coffees the baristas use at the bar, which consist of a variety of Organic Fair Trade beans. The Amaya Roasting Company roasts all the beans locally and the freshly packaged beans brought from the factory the previous day are available 
for purchase.

The service was surprisingly prompt, considering there were only two baristas attending to such a large volume of customers. Upon receiving my cappuccino, I noticed the foam was carefully steamed to form a multi-leaf flowered plant.

The espresso, Catalina's Brasil Blend, had a very prominent smoky flavor with subtly sweeter tones of chocolate. The flavor was intense, heavy and a bit overpowering. I then tried the French-pressed coffee, since it is rarely offered at the shops I frequent. The French-pressed Peru Amazonas coffee is mild and smooth, with hints of citrus and a bit on the acidic side. It might have tasted acidic taste because I took my time in drinking it. For future reference, the trick to enjoying French press: drink it quickly.

Catalina is a bit of a drive from Rice University, but it is worthwhile to stop in and try a cortado, a personalized pour-over coffee or a masterfully crafted cappuccino.

Amanda Gutierrez is a Hanszen College junior. Roasted is a column that examines the coffee culture in and 
around Houston.