Thursday, May 21, 2009

CC: JJ Bean

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Subject: JJ Bean
Location visited: Vancouver, BC
(Main St location)
Free WiFi ? : no
Rating: 6+ [see key]


Having a favorite coffee spot with a whole bunch of locations is something I don't experience a lot. Much like the masses patronize chains because of their convenience, many amazing coffee establishments don't possess a large number of venues usually for problems of cost and fears of oversaturation/overextension.

But when I recently hit Vancouver, I found yet another reason to envy the locals as not only do they have a variety of great coffee establishments, but a few of the establishments have numerous locations all over the city, like JJ Bean.

A coffeehouse that first started out on Grainville Island, the coffee business now has seven locations, all with very appealing architecture and solid reputations. In my limited travels, I managed to make it to the Main Street location with its glossy, wood-planked exterior and nice spacious windows. The inside has high ceilings, a central fireplace and a nice variety of seating.

JJ Bean roasts a vast array of coffee, with the Eastside Blend the coffee that found its way to my cup that morning, producing a smooth drip with a buttery hang and a hint of cherry. The espresso, which the barista pulled wonderfully short, possessed flavors of cocoa, lime and a subtle smoky flavor. I did not see the tea though I'm sure it is offered.

I wish I could have tried a few more of the JJ Beans, but alas, I had little time in Vancouver. Next time, I plan to definitely make a stop back as the experience was grand.

If you're in Vancouver, give one of JJ Bean's venues a whirl.

4 comments:

Mark Prince said...

JJ Bean locations don't have wifi, at least not the Main St, Commercial Drive, or Powell locations, unless that is a very recent (ie, in the last couple of weeks) change.

Bill said...

Mark,

Thanks for the notification! Sometimes, little mistakes creep in.

All the best!

Ebenezer Heng said...

Sometimes, without WiFi might not be such a bad thing. In SIngapore, where every cafe has WiFi, it is over run with students, spoils the beauty of sipping coffee...my two cents worth!:)

Anonymous said...

It's actually "Granville Island" . . . :)