Koffeteria

"Pastry chef Vanarin Kuch’s Koffeteria made the James Beard semifinalist list this year, and with good reason. The talented chef offers inventive takes on pastries inspired by countries across the Asian continent. Influences from Cambodia, Vietnam, London, and France are visible in beloved pastries like the black sesame mochi with salted egg yolk pastry, the pistachio baklava croissant, a citrusy London Fog roll, and his mainstay — the beef pho kolache. Kuch also crafts a brunch menu that fuses Cambodian and Houston flavors with pupusas made with funky fish paste and taco machetes made with Cambodian boudin." - Marcy de Luna, Brittany Britto Garley

"Pastries at Koffeteria are works of art, especially the beef pho kolache. And yes, the interior tastes just like pho with lemongrass and rich broth surrounding the tender beef. It’s like a supersized soup dumpling, but instead of sipping broth from a spoon, the soup soaks into the surrounding bread. It’s unclear what kind of advanced mathematics Koffeteria figured out to square that baking equation, but it’s incredible how the kolache holds just the right amount of broth to keep the outside from getting soggy." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene, julie takahashi

"This two-time James Beard Award semifinalist is best known for its first-come, first-serve rotating lineup of pastries, which often includes chef-owner Vanarin Kuch’s iconic beef pho kolache (and on special occasions, the chef’s viral Hot Cheetos croissant). Its coffee offerings are also top-notch, starting with the Salty Cambodian latte, best enjoyed hot, which is a warming mix of sweetened condensed milk and housemade sourdough butter, with a sprinkling of Maldon salt on top. Be on the lookout for its second mini-location, Lil’ Koffeteria, which is set to open in the Spring Branch in the spring." - Brianna Griff, Brittany Britto Garley

"If you distilled Houston into a bakery, it would look a little like Koffeteria. This bakery/cafe in EaDo offers baked goods and breakfast plates. Thanks to the owner, there’s an infusion of Cambodian flavors. However, other quintessential Houston cultures are represented, such as Vietnamese, Mexican, Chinese, and Thai. From the flaky chocolate croissants stacked next to aromatic curry meatball kolaches to the sweet and savory ube and Thai tea drinks, Koffeteria is a comforting bakery with inventive dishes you can’t get anywhere else. The front counter is always crammed with people craning their necks toward the pastry case. There are croissants and buns that smell of lemongrass or anise, or stuffed with kimchi, curry, and crab rangoon. The menu changes seasonally. Sometimes, you’ll find morning rolls heaped with peaches or passion fruit. Other times, you’ll find larger dishes like a beef phở benedict, which is a bowl of phở somehow condensed into fatty phở-flavored hollandaise, dense biscuit-like bread, and perfectly poached eggs. The food is whimsical and unpredictable, but somehow it always works. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Like the menu, the space seems to change every few months, with second-hand furniture and tchotchkes rotating in and out. And despite the modern metal exterior having as much charm as a CrossFit box, it's more like having breakfast in someone’s aunt's ranch-style kitchen than at a restaurant. Everything at Koffeteria is served on mismatched vintage plates and glassware but in a scrappy and wholly unprecious way. There are a couple of clusters of armchairs where you can watch your friends struggle to balance plates and coffee or an outdoor smattering of picnic tables amid a mixed-use dog park with astroturf. This is the kind of place you go when you want brunch but don’t want to deal with going to brunch. You can feel both fancy and satisfied without having to wait very long. Like Houston, Koffeteria is a little unusual and wonderful, especially when it comes to things like a Cambodian chicken curry meatball kolache or a fried Thai omelet croissant sandwich. Oh, and on the weekends, you definitely want to get here early because they will sell out. Food Rundown photo credit: Quit Nguyen Beef Phở Kolache This tastes like a bowl of brisket pho zipped into a milk bread disguise. Every bite tastes of lemongrass, anise, and herbs. It’s unclear what kind of advanced mathematics Koffeteria figured out when creating this kolache, but we salute them. Beef Phở Benedict As advertised, this is a bowl of phở somehow condensed into fatty hollandaise, bread, and eggs. The thick biscuits underneath manage to sop up the sauce and the egg while supporting tender cuts of charred beef. If you didn’t know anything about Houston and tasted this dish, you’d probably start to have some idea. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Cambodian Chicken Curry Meatball Kolache Somehow when you bite into this thing, it’s still hot. The bottom of the pastry is crisp, the inner doubt has a soft crumb, and the meatball is thick with lemongrass and warm spices. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Chinese Sausage Taco Although well-prepared, this felt less inspired than the other items. The combo flour-corn tortilla was undercooked and felt too soft and chewy to properly support both eggs and the generous portion of Chinese sausage. The papaya was spicy, but didn’t connect. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Thai Fried Omelet Croissant Sandwich The arugula to croissant ratio on this sandwich is high, and the fried omelet is delicately laced with fish sauce. It doesn’t really make sense, but it does, and it’s really good. Pau Bun We’re not sure how they were able to cram this tasty bun so full of perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs, but we’re happy they did. And they topped it with melted and crispy cheese. photo credit: Quit Nguyen London Fog Roll The Earl Grey obsession continues, which we are OK with in this instance. There was a light touch of tea and bergamot here and soft, sweet bread. Great a go-between when enjoying both savory and sweet." - Chelsea Thomas

"Pastry chef Vanarin Kuch’s Koffeteria made the James Beard semifinalist list this year, and with good reason. The talented chef offers inventive takes on pastries inspired by countries across the Asian continent. Influences from Cambodia, Vietnam, London, and France are visible in beloved pastries like the black sesame mochi with salted egg yolk pastry, the pistachio baklava croissant, a citrusy London Fog roll, and his mainstay — the beef pho kolache. Kuch also crafts a brunch menu that fuses Cambodian and Houston flavors with pupusas made with funky fish paste and taco machetes made with Cambodian boudin." - Brittany Britto Garley