The Verdict
Strand and I sat at Round K’s six-seat counter, letting our cup of Astronaut coffee cool so the flavors could come through fully. It was light, dirty brown, with a soft, fruity scent. The flavor was tangy and suggested licorice, especially soft compared to Round K’s standard pour-over, which is made from the same (Earthbound) Colombian beans and costs $5.
Strand’s judgment: The coffee isn’t worth $50—at least to him. “It might be worth $50 to someone else. Value is in the eye of the beholder. You’re paying for the idea, and it is a pretty cup of coffee,” he tells me. Personally, I preferred the egg cappuccino ($6.50), an incredibly rich, velvety affair with a yolk whisked into the hot espresso, plus a thin layer of sweet whipped cream and a dusting of bitter cocoa. I ordered a second.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.