Video by Matthew Wilson, courtesy of RND Coffee.
It’s hard to believe that RND Coffee (that’s Roasters Next Door) has been open for just six months. The cafe boasts the kind of chic but homey vibe that makes it feel like it’s always been your neighborhood coffee shop, with the kind of warm service and creative, seasonal craft beverages you’d expect from a classy cocktail bar. (We’ll get to the smoked cinnamon apple lattes in a minute.)
But as we learn in RND’s recently launched Kickstarter campaign video, Steffon Randolph started the project a year ago, first selling nitro cold brew at the Grandin Village farmers market, then doing a pop-up and eventually opening RND Coffee Lounge in Wasena along with his brother, Quincy Randolph. Quincy, a chef who most recently honed his culinary chops at the Michelin-starred Blackbird in Chicago, also serves as RND’s culinary director.
Now, the brothers are raising capital to help fund RND Coffee Workshop, not a second location per se, but a space where they can start living up to their name by roasting and packaging their own beans for both retail and wholesale. Secondly, they want to create a certified kitchen space to expand the pastry offering and give Quincy even more creative room to tinker with flavors and ingredients.
The fall menu, which includes the likes of a black garlic maple latte and a truffle-topped “fancy bagel,” are early indicators of the kind of coffee shop magic the Randolph brothers are capable of.
“There’s a lot of good coffee in Roanoke,” says Quincy. “What is it about us that makes us unique? The limited menu is a good way to showcase different flavors and hopefully create a bit of an experience.”
The fall menu’s smoked cinnamon apple latte illustrates that philosophy beautifully—and deliciously. Reduced local apple cider mingles with house made cinnamon syrup, gets a two-shot-espresso jolt and a creamy, cloud-like foam cap, before getting finished with a dusting of cinnamon. Then the pièce-de-résistance: the latte is placed under a glass dome and flash-smoked before your eyes (using a combination of hickory wood pellets and apple wood chips) and then unveiled with a dramatic flourish and a swirl of smoke.
“It creates a nice, campfire type aroma,” Quincy says. “It’s a noticeable smoky flavor but it’s not over the top on the palate. It builds as you sip so it feels like you had [the latte] in front of a campfire.”
Other creative flavors on the fall menu include a tahini caramel mocha, and yes, even pumpkin spice, although, in true RND fashion, its version contains real pumpkin. Quincy refers to it as “an adult pumpkin spice latte,” in that it isn’t overly sweet, relying instead on a house made allspice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove to impart warming spice flavors and a subtle sweetness.
Quincy reveals that a truffle latte will hit the winter menu come December, but in the meantime, you can get your truffle fix by ordering RND’s fancy bagel. Your choice of bagel—from Ms. Roanoke Bagel—comes schmeared with a house made Dijon-truffle-horseradish cream cheese, drizzled with white truffle oil, and finished with shaved burgundy truffle and grated house cured egg yolk. It all adds up to an intensely flavorful, savory mouthful—and the kind of experience we’d love to see—and taste—more of.
About the Writer:
Layla’s food obsession started early; growing up in cities like Paris, Aberdeen and Jakarta, Layla counts escargots, Haggis and beef rendang among her first memorable meals. She’s always looking for the next exciting bite—and relishes uncovering the story behind it. Her work has appeared on Saveur, Food Network and Refinery29 and in The Chicago Tribune, Drinks International and Our State. Follow her on Instagram @theglassofrose or on Twitter @glassofrose.
