Jackie’s Review
On the first day of winter break(!), my dad, Anna, and I went to Roots Cafe on 1100 East in Sugarhouse.
I had been here before to study with friends but had not yet had the pleasure of trying their latte.
The day started off with some misfortune, however, when I navigated to Roots Cafe rather than Roots Coffee. This is your official warning that Roots Cafe is a restaurant establishment.
Once I had found my way to the spot, I found my dad sitting on a leather chair, computer out, with an old chess board on the table in front of him. Anna and I settled in on the leather couch directly across from him and immediately struck up a game of chess while Anna dove headfirst into the UWorld.
The cafe itself is pretty spacious, with seating options to rival most coffee shops in this area. They have a huge table for groups, smaller tables, soft couch areas such as the one where we set up shop, and even a sunroom in the front area of
the building! I think this was once a house. The music was great too, and the barista was just the right amount of hip.
Between moves, we were able to order the drink of the house: a small latte with whole milk. I was pleased with this latte. It had a great ratio of milk to coffee, with the taste of the coffee bean just slightly more present than that of the dairy—this is the kind of balance that I like! It is a Latte, after all, not a coffee-flavored glass of warm milk.
What really makes this coffee shop one of my preferred spots is the atmosphere. It is calm, warm, and bright inside, and I really like the feeling of being here.
The one thing that rubbed me the wrong was a CXR Anna got on UWorld that showed a cavitary lesion. I did not know that a lung abscess could cause weight loss and night sweats!!!
Overall, I had a great time, though.
My review is: 8/10.
Dad’s Review
I’d almost forgotten about my latte in my quest to whip my daughter’s ass at chess. Usually, I have no such luck unless she makes a mistake, and this time, she did! As for my review of the latte, I’d say it was one of the better lattes I’ve had, and I love it when I can taste the bean above the milk. The barista used whole milk at my discretion and I think whole milk works better for lattes than 2% or skim. It reduces the acidity better, leaving more cocoa-like, rich, and velvety flavor on the palate.
I agree with Jackie’s rating of 8/10
Anna’s Review
Hi, it’s me, Anna. I apologize for the delay in my latte review and appreciate all the love and support from all my fans <3
I ordered a 16oz latte at Roots. The way I would describe this latte is “neutral” which I mean in the best way possible. I judge my lattes based on four principles: 1) Espresso flavor 2) milk to espresso ratio 3) temperature 4) presentation. So lets get into it…
Hi, it’s me, Anna. I apologize for the delay in my latte review and appreciate all the love and support from all my fans <3
Espresso flavor
When it comes to describing the flavor of espresso I regret to inform you that I do not really understand the random undertones that every coffee bag ever says i.e. floral or citrus or deep chocolate undertones. What I do know about espresso is whether it is strong, if the taste is bitter, sour or mild.* The espresso in this latte was bold and bitter without have too distinct of a taste that took away from the expected coffee taste one expects from a latte.
Milk-to-espresso ratio
This component is what really makes or break a latte. Very rarely do I find a latte has too much espresso or not enough milk, but a latte with too much milk is something I stumble upon far too often. The latte at roots cafe nailed the ratio. The milk did not overpower the flavor of the espresso but instead complemented it, providing a smooth, non-acidic taste that very nicely settled in your tummy.
Temperature
This one is rather straight forward but often overlooked. A latte that is not hot enough is something I would not even wish upon my worst enemy. This latte was the perfect temperature that required a little aeration time followed by the perfect first sip.
Presentation
Lastly, coffee is all about the pizazz. Mine and Jackies latte were given to us in to go cups whereas Jackie’s dad’s latte was in a wide mouth glass mug. The latte in the mug looked classy, sleek with the standard latte artwork. While my to go latte lacked the artistic features of a glass mug, it still tasted exquisite and allowed for me to sip more slowly without it getting cold.
As for the vibe of the coffee shop I really liked it. It was a relatively small shop but was not too busy even on a saturday. The decor was cute and modern and the different types of seating options very much elevated the experience.
Overall I would give this latte a 7.5/10.**
*While I know saying this may make me seem like I do not have the credibility to do a latte review I would like to go over my credentials and why you should trust this review with your whole heart. 1) I own a fancy De’longhi Magnifica Evo espresso machine 2) I have been to Italy
** I know this may seem harsh compared to my colleague’s reviews but remember I’ve been to italy before
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