Roasted: Black Hole
Black Hole is a caffeinated force to be reckoned with. It lures in coffee lovers with its relaxing atmosphere, reasonable prices and astronomical selection of delicious coffee and tea. This original Houston phenomenon is tucked away on Graustark Street in a cozy neighborhood and only a 15-minute bike ride or five-minute drive from Rice.
All of the time spent finding a parking spot or bike rack will be rewarded once you enter the cool, dimly lit interior of Black Hole. Walking through the glass doors, it feels as though you have entered an underground coffee oasis that only local Houstonians (and Rice students) have the privilege to utilize. Take your pick from a variety of retro couches, chairs and tables under the Lindsay Lohan pop art to set up shop and take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. Most of the inside and outside seating is filled with students and businessmen typing furiously on their MacBooks, so it can be a hassle to find a seat. However, the coffee is worth the trouble.
Black Hole only uses coffee locally roasted by Big Bend Coffee Roasters in Marfa, Texas. All espresso drinks are made with Big Bend Italian Roast Espresso, and Black Hole serves the basics, including the cubano, latte, cappuccino, americano and macchiato. There are a variety of blends offered for french press, cafe au lait and iced coffee, but the friendly barista, who also plays in the Houston band Young Mammals, asserts that the best beans for drip coffee are Mexican Chipas, a Full City Roast, and Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, a
Vienna Roast.
Taking into account the barista's suggestions, I tried a cafe au lait using the Ethiopian Vienna Roast Coffee, which is a moderately dark roast. To my delight, it had chocolaty hues that added a pleasant sweetness. It was bold, yet very smooth. There was a subtle tart bite of citrus, but it finished nicely with a full-bodied sweet aftertaste.
The Italian Roast Espresso was quite the opposite of the Ethiopian. The bartender hinted that the drip coffee was much better than the espresso, but I tried a traditional cappuccino nonetheless. Since it was an Italian Roast, it was very dark and not acidic, with a bitter bite and savory aftertaste. However, it had prominent burnt overtones, which made it quite distasteful for me.
In addition to coffee and espresso, Black Hole sells various teas, including chai and mate, as well as wine and beer. For palatable food options, it sells pastries, quiches and scones to eat along with your coffee.
Black Hole is open every day from 6:30 a.m. until midnight. If you bring a pair of noise-canceling headphones to drown out the voices and eclectic mix of music, it could be a pleasant place to study and enjoy a flavorful cup of joe.
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