In the FoodEEs series, El Estoque staff members take on different food establishments, reviewing the menu items based on taste, price and authenticity.
Located in the quiet of downtown Saratoga, Big Basin Cafe is situated on the road it’s named after: Big Basin Way. The inside of the cafe, which smells like freshly brewed dark roast coffee, has a blackboard menu with the cafe’s offerings written in bright cursive. The cafe’s cozy ambience is supplemented with soft background music, which blends perfectly with the friendly chatter of patrons. The warm afternoon sunlight hits most tables, complementing the dimmed lights inside the cafe and setting a mood for a comfortable meal.
The cafe offers a range of items from sandwiches, burritos and salads to their specialty ice creams and pies. Big basin Cafe also features a coffee bar, where customers can customize their coffee to their preferences of roast, sweetness and cream.
Chicken Caprese Sandwich ($14.75)
The chicken caprese sandwich is a savory blend of tender chicken, melted mozzarella and grainy herbal pesto layered between two portions of crunchy, freshly toasted ciabatta bread. The pesto’s bold and fresh taste from its basil with hints of garlic and nuts helps give the sandwich an earthy flavor. The sandwich is warmed to the perfect temperature, which brings out the saltiness of the melted mozzarella cheese. The dish also comes with a side of tortilla chips, which balances the sandwich by adding crunch to contrast the overall softness of the pesto and chicken.
However, even though the temperature of the chicken is perfect, the overall taste of the sandwich is a little overpowering because of the intense salt in the pesto. Though the dish was delightful, the price is also on the higher end for the portion size.
RATING: 4.5/5
Tiramisu ($7.75)
Similar to a traditional tiramisu, Big Basin Cafe’s tiramisu is composed of three layers: mascarpone cheese, espresso Savoiardi — ladyfinger biscuits dipped in espresso — and a cocoa powder topping. While the cocoa powder is in minimal quantity, it is intense. The bitter chocolate notes complement the sweetness of the mascarpone cheese and Savoiardi layers. However, the small balls of cocoa break in the mouth and consistently overpower the tiramisu with their bitter cocoa taste, which makes the overall flavor of the tiramisu inconsistent.
The moist bottom layer of cake is soaked in concentrated espresso, causing it to feel broken off from the mascarpone cheese layer in flavor. The tiramisu itself lacks the flavor of coffee and is more of the sweeter end than one would expect from a tiramisu. The separation of the last layer makes it so only bits and pieces of the layer can be eaten in a single bite.
Though, when all three layers are eaten together, there is a slight lack of the coffee due to the last layer of the tiramisu separating from the rest of the dessert. The layers generally taste delicious together, but inconsistencies in the structure makes it difficult to scoop the tiramisu as a whole.
RATING: 3.5/5
Classic Chai Latte ($5.60)
A traditional chai is a mixture of spices like ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves boiled in water and combined with black tea, sugar and milk. The refreshing blend of spiciness that comes from the ginger and sugar makes the drink taste more like a traditional chai, which is warm and has a kick of spices with the creaminess of the milk. In the latte, the chai part of the drink is not prevalent and is rather milky. The chai could be enhanced by adding it instead of the froth which took up too much space for the portion size. Although ginger was included in the drink, its flavor is not as strong as the cinnamon, causing the latte to taste predominantly like cinnamon with excess froth which is contrary to a latte which is supposed to be on the milkier side.
RATING:3/5
Chocolate Trilogy Cake ($6.75)
The Chocolate Trilogy Cake is the most visually appealing in the dessert fridge due to the visibility of different colored layers and the shine of its ganache. The cake is freshly made and chilled in the fridge, creating a stiffness in the layers that enhances its taste. The cake consists of four layers, starting off with the actual cake layer at the bottom. The second and third layers are composed of creamy milk chocolate and white chocolate mousses and lastly topped with a thin layer of dark chocolate ganache. Blended together, the different layers create a sweet fusion between the types of chocolate. While the cake packs a significant punch of sweetness, its small portion size makes it less overpowering which is perfect for a rich but light dessert after a meal.
RATING : 4.5/5
Iced Raspberry Mocha ($6.60)
The raspberry iced mocha is a drink that combines the sweetness of the chocolate and with a tart and fruity punch from the raspberry coulis syrup, making it a strong choice for a brunch refreshment or an intense drink to start the morning with. The coffee in the mocha highlights its chocolate flavor, and its bitterness combines well with the drink’s fruitiness. The raspberry coulis syrup has a vibrant flavor, and is prevalent but not overpowering. The drink is fresh and fruity, but is also caffeinated enough to get you through the day.
RATING:5/5
OVERALL RATING: 4/5
OVERALL PRICE : $$/$$$
Overall, Big Basin Cafe’s comforting offerings are fulfilling with each bite and sip. The temperature and fragrance of the food is on point, with near-perfect taste. The cozy ambience of the cafe makes it a great place to finish up work, take meetings, go out with friends or even go on dates. The cafe is on the affordable side, with an average of 15 dollars per person. Even though there were some inconsistencies in the flavor of the chai latte and tiramisu, they were made up by the impactful flavors of the sandwich and trilogy cake.
