I know Blk Dot Coffee has been around for a while now and that there have been places like them in…read morethe Bay Area (with more opening up), but I still can't believe how Vietnamese coffee is only now becoming more mainstream. Between how coffee obsessed and sleep deprived we all are an how much caffeine packs, it always seemed like a no-brainer that it would catch on, not to mention the fact that it just tastes so good. As belated as it may be, though, I'm just glad that it's become easier than ever for me to get my Vietnamese coffee fix!
At any given time, especially on the weekends, it seems like the line for Blk Dot Coffee will reach the door (or even stretch outside), but it's partly due to how popular this place is. Inside, this place is pretty small with just enough room for a small line to order, a display with merch and apparel, and some space for folks to wait for their drinks. Yet, despite its small stature, the menu has an and fairly extensive selection of offerings, from their Vietnamese coffee-based drinks to a mix of tea/matcha and fruit-based options. They also have a decent array of small bites as well, like bagels, toasts, breakfast bowls, and sandwiches, but we've never been hungry enough to try anything.
-- VTM EINSPANNER - Vietnamese Coffee Latte, Sweet Foam Top, Cocoa Powder
This was so, so good! Not only did it have a nice punch of caffeine to it, but I liked how the bit of sweet foam and coca powder added a touch of creaminess and richness. Plus, wasn't quite as sweet as I feared it would be (though, still sweet as a whole).
-- MANGO DELIGHT GREEN TEA - Green Tea, Mango Jam, Chia Seeds, Crystal Boba
A bit on the sweet side, but not bad otherwise. While this felt a little syrupy, I did like taste of the green tea and the mango jam. The chia seeds and boba were fine, but I would've been fine without them, too.
-- UJI MATCHA EINSPANNER - Uji Culinary Grade Matcha Latte, Cane Syrup, Sweet Foam Top, Cocoa Powder
Sadly, now as impressive as the VTM Einspanner, but still not bad. The sweet foam added the same creaminess to this one, but, in this case, there was too much of it, as it really took away from the taste of the matcha itself.
-- YUZU MANGO MATCHA LATTE - Uji Culinary Grade Matcha Latte Infused with Yuzu Jam and Mango Cream
It's a shame that this seems to be a seasonal drink because it tasted so good! It also helped that the weather was so warm when we had this, but I really liked how well the match, yuzu jam, and mango cream all complemented each other. Delicious!
-- ORIGINAL ICED VTM - Signature Slow-Drip Vietnamese Coffee with Blend of House Creamers
Not sure what their creamer "blend" consists of (just tasted like regular condensed milk), but this was terrific! Although the first sip was strong and quite sweet, the flavors became a lot more balanced once the ice started to melt.
As far as service goes, the workers at the register have always been really friendly, but, for better or worse, nothing else has really stood out (the interactions have always been brief). However, what definitely has stood out are the baristas making the drinks. Watching from the side, it's impressive seeing the sort of organized chaos that was going on - a constant flow of cups/drinks waiting to be made, bottles of milk, syrups, and ingredients that go into all of their different concoctions strewn about, and workers humming along grabbing supplies, making drinks, and calling out orders.
If there was one knock about my experiences at Blk Dot Coffee, it'd be that it can take a little while for orders to come out when they're really busy. While it wasn't so bad the first couple of times we were here, it took about 15 mins the third time. With that being said, it's not like the same thing can't happen at a Starbucks on the way to work or at some milk tea joints. Personally, for something as unique and delicious as Blk Dot Coffee's VTM Einspanner, I'm more than happy to wait!