Phin Cafe, a small chain coffee shop with two other locations in the Bay Area, recently opened a new location on Bollinger Road. It will hold a grand opening on March 15.
This is a Vietnamese style coffee shop, which isn’t very common around Saratoga, so I decided to give it a try.
Drinks
I prefer matcha over coffee, so I was drawn to the cafe’s array of matcha latte options. Under House Specials on the menu, there’s egg, durian, salted, coconut, pandan, ube and corn flavors for coffee and matcha. There is also a separate matcha menu of five different drinks. I decided to try the plain matcha latte ($6) and the ube matcha latte ($6.90), both with the less sweet option.
The matcha lattes were a deep green and the consistency was thick and frothy. It was less sweet and milky than most matcha lattes, and the bitter aftertaste was a little unsettling at first. However, because the ube paste sat rather thickly at the bottom, the ube matcha latte became progressively sweeter as I drank.
In addition to matcha lattes, I ordered the sesame rose matcha ($6.90) drink. The matcha flavor was rather faint compared to the sesame, which came as a thin paste-like consistency that dispersed throughout the matcha when mixed. The rose flavor gave the drink a fragrant twist that enhanced the green tea taste. For fans of black sesame and floral flavors, this drink will likely float your boat.
Finally, I had to try the cafe’s in-store only special, Phin Coffee ($8.50). This is a Vietnamese “Phin-dripped” coffee, brewed with a traditional phin filter that produces a bold, rich coffee with a slight chocolatey flavor. The coffee drips directly into condensed milk to balance out the bitterness. Of the variety of topping options, I went with coconut.
The Phin Coffee came as a set, including a tall cup of fluffy cream, the dripping coffee and a bowl of three biscotti cookies. The cream was light and cold, almost resembling a sorbet consistency. It was faintly coconut flavored, and despite the regular sweet option, it was a good touch of lightly sweet.
The concept was to let the coffee drain from the grounds and into the cup with condensed milk. Once the coffee finishes draining, you mix the coffee with the condensed milk before pouring the mixture into the cream. However, the instructions weren’t as clear when verbally given to me, so I went through some trial and error before figuring it out.
The coffee was extremely rich, but I ended up using only half of the cream provided since the coffee was getting too sweet for my liking. The biscotti biscuits were very crunchy and tasted of caramelized sugar, balancing the strong bitter flavor of the coffee.
Food
Phin Cafe also has a banh mi (a traditional Vietnamese baguette sandwich) menu with different meat options and a small snacks menu that features sweets like egg puffs and pandan waffles. I ordered a Grilled Chicken Banh Mi ($8.50), which came with chicken, cilantro, jalapenos, cucumbers, carrots and daikon radish.
This was my first time trying a banh mi sandwich, and its flavor profile was rich and umami. I enjoyed the variety of vegetables, with the sweet daikon radish complementing the spicy jalapenos. The baguette was perfectly crusty, and I appreciated the sandwich’s simplicity. The chicken was seasoned just the right amount and the vegetables were fresh and crunchy.
For the price, the 6-inch sandwich was delicious and well worth it.
Atmosphere
The charming atmosphere of the shop was a bonus to the quality of its food and drinks. My friends and I came here to study in the morning, where other adults and students were there working and hanging out. The small and cozy setting made it a comfortable, relaxing stay.
I would characterize Phin Cafe as a gem for its Vietnamese-style menu, and I’m happy to have expanded my palette by trying all kinds of specialty items. The cafe’s menu will satisfy your need for a simple on-the-go latte, while also offering unusual items like Egg Coffee, Nutella Banana Coffee and Savory Sticky Rice for those feeling adventurous. I look forward to returning for another productive morning with fun drinks and a relaxing ambiance.
