December, 2023
By Mariela Rico, Staff Reporter
With so many cafes to choose from, it may be overwhelming to decide on one. Café No Sé is an all-day cafe located in the South Congress Hotel. It caught my attention not just because of its menu and looks, but also because of its environment and background.
Café No Sé has tremendous chefs in their kitchen. One is named Chef Sarah Mar-Chun originally from Olympia, Washington. Raised in New Braunfels, Texas, Chelsea Smith worked in several bake shops around Austin, and Sarah Mar-Chun worked at the South Congress Hotel, where they gathered their experience. I decided to take the opportunity to go and try this comforting place, and I was right when I walked in and got the impression of great customer service. They allowed me to choose my table as they greeted me and my company. She also mentioned how they had a patio, but it was currently closed due to the weather. They also had a study area, which looked quiet and is a great area to focus in. As soon as I took my seat, I felt at home. They had pillows on their booths that instantly made me feel comfortable. Our server welcomed us with some water as we looked at the menu. We decided to try their burgers since we went in at lunchtime.
The server mentioned that their most popular dish is the Salmon burger, which comes with a blackened salmon patty, kale apple slaw, avocado, tomato, garlic aioli, sweet chili sauce, and brioche bun, along with french fries on the side, for a total of $22. I decided to try it out and give my honest opinion. It was unique and tasty; I will say it was good, but I wouldn’t get it again. On the other hand, their fries were probably one of the best fries I’ve had, with them being thin and tasteful. We also decided to try their No Sé Cheeseburger, which comes with sweet onion, American cheese, b+b pickles, garlic aioli, brioche bun, and fries on the side as well. It was very delicious and pleasing, for a total of $21. It honestly tasted like an at-home burger, or even a little better. We decided to accompany these dishes with hot chocolate, which cost $8, and grapefruit juice, which was $6. Immediately, the hot chocolate took me back to my grandma’s home. It had a creamy, soft, sweet taste, and that overall made the whole experience even better. The grapefruit juice was a little sour, but you could feel and taste that it was nice and fresh.
To end our experience, we decided to get dessert. We got a Nutella creme brulée consisting of chocolate hazelnut custard, passion fruit gelee, cocoa nib crisp, caramelized orange, and Frangelico cake for a total of $12. You could taste the sweetness of Nutella, but the passion fruit gelee and caramelized orange will overpower the sweetness, making it taste like an orange covered with chocolate, but it was pretty good. It made the experience ten times better, not forgetting the great customer service from the beginning to the end. They were all very attentive and welcoming; they would go check on us often to ensure we didn’t need anything. Their prices are understandable, and not too expensive. The environment was very classy and cozy.
It looked like you were at home since they have a small coffee area that looks like a kitchen where you get to see how they make your beverages. So, if you are considering going to try this cafe out, I recommend going if you enjoy trying new things and are ready to feel welcomed and comfortable right away!
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