Grace N.
Yelp
This is a combined review for Nayon and Coffee Lab since Nayon is owned by Coffee Lab (and is located inside as well).
TLDR: get the Ube ensamayda, skip the Ube latte.
I wanted to know more about Nayon/the owners but I couldn't find very much info on them. I'd love to know what inspired them to bring SE Asian flavors to Evanston. I did find out that they own Coffee lab and based on their last names, I assume they're Filipino/Korean, which made me feel more assured that there would be some authenticity/respect for the featured culture in their products.
Coffee Lab:
Coffee lab is a cozy, spacious coffee shop that I could have seen myself studying in back when I was still in school. My partner got a black coffee and I got the Ube latte with almond milk and a shot of espresso. Our total was about $10.
Ube Latte with almond milk and one shot of espresso: 3/5
The ube latte was a gorgeous purple color and was only slightly sweetened. The sweetness level was perfect for me, but the ube taste was disappointingly faint. Given that my drink cost $7+ (including almond milk and espresso), I would have expected a more flavorful drink. Ube itself has a mild nutty vanilla flavor with a hint of coconut. Having a stronger flavor wouldn't at all be off putting, even for people who have never had Ube. I wouldn't order this again unless they tweaked their Ube flavoring.
Nayon:
Nayon is located near the window corner of the shop and features a rotating selection of South East Asian pastries, some traditional, some inspired/modernized/fusion.
I love having various SE Asian flavors available to me in Evanston! I wish there was a toaster or microwave available to heat up my pastries though.
Tuna Bun: 3.75/5
Solid classic tuna bun with red pepper flakes. The bun was soft, chewy, and not at all dry. The tuna had the slightest touch of Mayo with kept it from being dry but wasn't at all heavy. The red pepper flakes were the perfect addition. I appreciated having a savory pastry option.
Pandan Bibingka: 4/5
Dense, chewy, sweet pandan flavored dough with a carmelized coconut topping. If you like mochi, give bibingka a try. Pandan has a foral, earthy, coconut flavor and is very popular in SE Asian desserts.
Ube Ensamayda: 5/5
Yessss! Everything I was hoping for. A rich, chewy, soft, fluffy brioche bun filled with sweet ube paste, topped with ube frosting, and the best part.. shredded slightly salty mild cheese. Don't knock it until you try it!
The salty sweet combo is addictive and this bun would have only been made better if it was slightly warmed up. This bun was as good as any ensamayda that I've had in Filipino bakeries in SoCal. It also fulfilled the ube taste that I was hoping for from my Ube latte. Ube tastes slightly like a nutty vanilla with a touch of coconut. Super delicious!
I asked Nayon's manager to post the daily pastry options to their Instagram story every day so we can see what is available.
Also, it would be nice to feature a little sign with some info on at least one pastry/flavor so that people who are not used to SE Asian flavors will not be intimidated.
I hope they feature new flavors soon... kaya jam, salted egg, mung bean, calamansi (maybe calamansi bars?). These pastries will make me less homesick for SoCal this winter for sure.