You set your alarm extra early, sleepily going through the motions of getting ready before hopping into your car. You sacrificed a couple minutes of extra sleep to ensure you had enough time to stop for an iced coffee before work.
As you wait in the drive-thru line along with other drivers who had the same plan, you keep reminding yourself this will all be worth it once you’re handed a creamy iced vanilla latte. After about a 30-minute wait, you're finally given your latte that looks like a reddish-brownish watery mess.
That’s when the realization hits. You gave up sleep for this?!
Your first cup of coffee in the morning is crucial — it sets the tone for your entire day. No one wants to begin their morning with a watered-down, bitter drink. You want a rich, creamy and flavorful experience.
Thankfully you can get that full experience at Tucson’s newest café, Café Thắng, specializing in Vietnamese coffee that’s hard to find elsewhere in town.
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Before opening Café Thắng, Dat Pham was working as a nail technician. As business began to slow, Pham decided it was time for change.
“I wanted to do something different,” Pham said. “I haven't seen any Vietnamese coffee establishments here in Tucson. I noticed there's a big Vietnamese community in Tucson and I wanted to open a Vietnamese coffee shop, not only to invite my community, but I want to introduce others.”
Pham was able to find a spot on the south side at 2970 S. Sixth Ave. The building was a blank space, so Pham was tasked with transforming it into his dream café all by himself.
“Believe or not, it took me almost two years to get this shop open,” Pham said. “It was a journey for me, so I'm really excited that it’s finally open.”
The café has an ethereal feel to it. Pastel green chairs paired with marble tables fill the room, each topped with pink flowers. Leaves hang from the roof and the skylights have stained glass decals on them. To go with the dainty theme, a pink lotus is painted on the coffee bar.
What really sets Café Thắng apart from other places, though, is the coffee. Vietnamese coffee has a more intense flavor and higher caffeine content than your typical cup of joe. Its rich flavor is a product of the way its brewed. Pham said he uses a phin filter, which slowly drips the coffee into a cup.
“We have to spend time brewing it,” Pham said. “It's very strong, thick, smokey and has an intense aroma. When you have the first sip, you can tell the quality, and it makes you want to come back again.”
At Café Thắng, you can pick from various coffees and teas, but the real stars of the menu are the egg cream and salt cream iced coffees.
Egg cream coffee (left) and salt cream coffee (right) are two of the specialty drinks Café Thắng offers.
Egg cream is made from whipped egg yolks and condensed milk custard. To make the latte, Pham pours condensed milk and coffee into a cup, topping it off with the egg cream. The egg cream has similar texture to cold foam and it has a buttery, velvety taste that elevates the coffee. It is truly the perfect balance between sweet and the rich and nuttiness of the coffee.
Just like egg cream coffee, the salt cream is also coffee and condensed milk, but this time it’s topped with a salty cold foam. The saltiness of the foam brings out the sweetness of the coffee so you get a nice, subtle salty flavor.
Café Thắng officially opened its doors on Aug. 3 and has already been feeling the love from customers who want to start their mornings on the right foot.
“The coffee we make here is different from anywhere else,” Pham said. “It’s very addictive and it's unique.”
Jamie Donnelly is the food writer for #ThisIsTucson. Contact her via e-mail at jdonnelly@tucson.com
