Opinion: A Better Paradox Review
By Connor Gilligan and Ishani Hirata-Chandran
Two weeks ago, the Quest printed a brief review of Paradox titled ”Because it’s Paradox.” In the span of a few paragraphs, the author admits to not knowing how to consume the drinks he’s reviewing, not having done even a modicum of research on the topic, and makes a culturally insensitive comment writing off the entire concept of matcha. Only one drink was actually evaluated in any meaningful way, and the author stated that they didn’t know the difference between some of the other drinks. We had been planning to do a review of Paradox at some point, but our disappointment at the absence of actual drink evaluation in the previous review spurred us to do it now.
Upon reopening, Paradox has shown encouraging signs of new growth. Previously bare corners are now populated with cozy houseplants. Last year’s effort to bring pastries to the caf́e has finally solidified, and freshly laminated menus decorate both Olde and Nu Paradox. Spending our own money rather than the Quest’s, we tried six drinks and a pastry. Starting with the basics, we tried the espresso. It had a nice body and was sour but not under-extracted. The barista told us it was made with light roast beans (likely the cause of the sourness), and that the espresso machine is dialed in every morning by whoever opens. This variation can be a welcome adventure or a disruption to routine, depending on how you prefer your coffee. The latte was good, but pretty light on the coffee.
The author of the last review stated that “nobody knows” the difference between a latte and a cappuccino, but had he bothered to briefly consult the internet, he would have found that a cappuccino has a smaller liquid volume, less milk, and typically a smoother and silkier texture to the steamed milk. Paradox’s cappuccino is on the larger side for liquid volume and strikes a nice balance with the ratio.
Next, we ordered the abuelita hot chocolate, lightly spiced with cinnamon, which was a welcome improvement over the warm chocolate milk that most cafes serve. Though it was on the milkier side, the reviewers would like to note that they prefer their drinks strong. The same is true of their chai, which was complex and flavorful but in our opinion too milky. This can be easily remedied by ordering your chai with double concentrate. The barista noted that they were still dialing in the ratios, and were happy to accept feedback.
Finally, the matcha. The previous reviewer, who openly stated “I don’t know what matcha is,” decided it was culturally safe to lambast. He blamed “the damaged individual who decided to market the clippings of a pernicious weed as a beverage” while remaining blissfully unaware of the millennia of history he was denigrating for a throwaway joke worthy of a bias incident report. For those who don’t know, matcha originated in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE) and has remained an extremely important part of Japanese tea ceremonies for about hundreds of years.
Paradox’s matcha is easily the best you’ll get within walking distance. The only better place we know of is Matcha Caf́e Maiko, which is a bus ride away. The matcha latte was well-balanced, with just the right amount of sweetness and only the barest hint of teasing bitterness to balance out the drink. It was, unexpectedly, our favorite drink out of those reviewed.
To go with all of these drinks, we ordered a caramelized onion and asiago pastry, sourced from Jen’s Pastries. This savory pastry was incredible, from the flaky laminated exterior to the circle of caramelized onion and cheese in the center. They absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one, and their pastry selection beats that of the Canyon Cafe any day of the week. Paradox also has an extensive selection of quality loose-leaf teas, but we were unable to review them due to running out of time and money. The Canyon Cafe, by comparison, only stocks Stash brand teabags, the same ones as Commons. Overall, Paradox is making a strong comeback this year and is committed to taking feedback and improving their drinks.