Showing posts with label Ontario. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ontario. Show all posts

Sunday, March 14, 2010

CC: Neat Coffee Shop

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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Burnstown, ON
Free WiFi ? : no

Rating:
4+ [
see key]



Aside from Canada's many cities, I can't say I've seen a whole lot of our neighbor to the north. Granted I've passed through lots of interesting-looking towns (especially in the Thousand Islands) but it wasn't until a coffee destination turned up a little off my beaten path in Burnstown that I got a chance to take a nice detour on some back roads.

Said coffee destination is called Neat Coffee Shop, a cafe nestled in an old schoolhouse at the main intersection of town. The exterior consists of two buildings, with the most of the cafe in the blue portion (I have no idea really what they do in the brick section). The interior held a nice open space, with some wood furniture, local art and a big Apple desktop for customers.

Neat roasts their coffee in-house, though per their website they also claim to carry 49th Parallel and Fire Roasted Coffee (49th Parallel's Epic Espresso is their espresso blend). They do have a Clover but it was down for repairs, so I ordered a french press of their Ethiopian. The coffee was really bright with notes of raspberry and caramel, as well as some strong dark notes. The espresso, pulled short and served in a shot glass, had a milkshake-ish head followed by a slap of dark bitterness, plus some flavors of cocoa, lemon and a bit of pepper. While I failed to ask if the espresso that day was 49th's Epic, it seemed that the pull was more of the concern then the espresso blend. Their tea was free leaf.

I can't say that Neat was completely worth the detour but it seems that the place has a lot of potential with a few tweaks (they seem to really like their darker roasts). If you're nearby, give Neat a stop.

Sunday, March 07, 2010

CC: Xpresso

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject:
Xpresso
Location visited: Ottawa, ON
Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating:
4+ [
see key]



Hitting a local spot for a meal doesn't always work out when visiting a city on a cold winter evening. The weather on a recent trip to Ottawa became a hurdle for my wife and I as we braved the raving winds for dinner. But determined to eat a good meal, our fortitude paid off, as we found mighty fine Mexican fare at Ahora Mexican Cuisine.

Next on the list (for me at least) was a decent cup of coffee. We ventured out into the cold on a shaky lead to a place nearby called Xpresso, apparently owned by the same people who own a local Indian restaurant called Shafali. We found the place soon after, with black signs (
somewhat hard-to-see-in-the-night) and open windows. Inside there was lots of Indian art amidst a red modern decor and a cozy furniture.

The coffee comes from Reunion Island Coffee, a roaster out of Oakville, Ontario (though Xpresso's website claims they use Intelligentsia). I had the Ethiopian via drip, a light roast with blueberry, chianti and lemon throughout; a tremendously good, fruity cup of coffee with a medium body. The espresso, pulled medium/long despite asking for it short, had chocolate notes followed by a strong bitterness that had a developing salty facet as well as a milk-ish body (i.e. fair shots). The tea was free leaf and Xpresso also had beer and wine options.

Though the experience satisified my desire for some evening coffee, I felt the place had a lot of potential to be even greater. Never the less, if you're in town, give Xpresso a go go.


Monday, February 22, 2010

CC: Bridgehead Coffeehouse

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What's does "CC" mean? [109 and 366 Bank St locations]
Location visited:
Ottawa, ON
Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating:
4+ [
see key]


Going north in the winter seems tremendously unnatural but occasionally, one has to strap on a thick scarf, don some mittens and drive to Canada. Fortunately, this trip had promise of a nice relaxing stay and a little exploration of never-before-visited Ottawa.

Upon arrival, one of my first destinations was local coffeehouse operation Bridgehead Coffeehouse. According to a few locals, Bridgehead is one of the only places to grab good espresso in town, thus given its close proximity to my hotel, it was an easy respite after the long drive.

After checking in at Hotel Indigo (turned out to be a swell stay by the way), I made my way to one of their four Bank Street (366 Bank St) locations. The exterior of this and most Bridgeheads is mostly window save a snazzy, dark wood sign. Inside, this cafe radiated a warm, chic feel with an exposed brick wall, a bustling counter and an orange, cream and gray color scheme.

Bridgehead produces their own line of coffee, seeming to err closer to dark roasts. I ordered a cup of their Peruvian, a medium roast that actually acted more like a dark roast, as the brew held a peppery and bitter flavor throughout, some sugared grapefruit up front and a touch of nutmeg in the middle. A fair cup that I really thought too dark to be medium, so to give Bridgehead's medium roasts a second try, I went to another Bank St location (109) the next day to try my fortune. Oddly, they also had the Peruvian on tap and at the very least, I credit Bridgehead with consistency, as my second cup of Peruvian was practically identical to my first.

But their espresso is what initially drew me and their espresso is what ended up winning my admiration. The espresso blend, a coffee that looked like a light/medium roast in the grinder, was pulled by skilled hands to produce a beautiful, short doubleshot that held a nice crema and harnessed the powers of lemon, soft pretzel and chocolate truffle. The tea was free leaf.

While I wasn't floored with the darker Peruvian experience, I suppose it is quite possible I simply had misfortune with one of their coffees and that the others will blow me away (experience tells me otherwise, but only further sampling of their coffees could settle that). In the end, the conundrum of a coffeehouse that produces quality espresso but only pumps out lackluster drip is new to my list of unique experiences.

All in all, if you happen to be in Ottawa, try out Bridgehead.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

CC: Balzac's Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Balzac's Coffee
Location visited: Toronto, ON
(Distillery District location)
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 3+ [see key]


Naming a business after a historic figure seems like a gamble. Obviously, there can be disputes of trademark and copyright but do historical figures have constituents to watch out for that kind of stuff? For example, what if you decide to name a seedy bar Harriet Tubman's Bungalow? Or a big & tall store Napolean Bonaparte? And even if people complain, does anyone really have the right to legally dispute?

What conjured up this thinking was the simple fact that I've been to a number of places named after founding fathers, Greek philosophers and the like. Some good experiences and other leaving much to be desired. My most recent example is a place called Balzac's Coffee, named after the French novelist, playwright and coffee nut Honore' de Balzac. Granted, their website shows that it has some decent popularity amidst the publications of Toronto but much of the praise did little to show the actual quality of the coffee.

Naturally, a visit to the location in the Distillery District (a neat historical spot, though a bit overrated for all the hype)
helped clarify. The cafe sits in an rejuvenated warehouse-ish building, beautifully restored on the outside with a lovely open stone patio. Inside, the cafe relays stunning decor, with a huge chandelier and a loft behind the coffee counter complete with a small balcony overlooking the lower level (where you can sit!).

Balzac roasts their own coffee, having a fair selection of blends and single origins. I had a Peruvian single origin that proved smooth yet a bit charred, and as it had been definitely sitting, proved pretty stale. I found the espresso pulled long, sweet with hints of chocolate but also a tad cardboardy; not horrible or wonderful. The tea is of the bagged variety, though I did not note the brand.

In my reflections back, I would have to say that it would be a toss up of whether Balzac would appreciate his name used for this cafe. On one hand, Balzac was known more for his excessive coffee consumption (the man practically lived on it) so therefore, I would think he would care more of the hours of the cafes versus the quality of the beans. But then again, Balzac lived in a different age; had he lived today I think he would demand a higher quality for his name.

However you look at it, I think that Balzac's Coffee has a lot of the right groundwork laid and has but a few quality tweakings to be made in order to best honor the old Frenchman. If you're a fan of Balzac or you happen to be sequestered to the Distillery District, give Balzac's Coffee a whirl.


Friday, October 17, 2008

CC: Bulldog Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?


Subject: Bulldog Coffee
Location visited: Toronto, ON
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]


F
or one reason or another, I have never noticed how much people love to eat outside until a couple years ago. Maybe it was because growing up, my family never really had AC and a trip to a restaurant with AC meant we were sitting inside, no questions asked.

Despite the past, I now greatly enjoy the prospect of sitting outside, especially on secluded patios full of beautiful plants. Oddly enough, some of the nicer patios I've found have been in winter-heavy Canadian cities such as Toronto and Montreal (seems they really know how to enjoy the nice weather when they have it), even extending to normally non-patio establishments such as coffeehouses.

One patio in particular that came as a surprise was at a place called Bulldog Coffee, a small cafe on a side street in Toronto. The place proved a little difficult to get to (weird one way streets) but after a little tenacity and a convenient parking spot, we found it. Upon first sight, I thought the place charming and well-placed as it sat handsomely on what seemed to be a residential street, complete with a nice patio area. Strolling through the doors, the coffeehouse is constructed wide; tables and chairs along the large front windows and the large counter along the back monochromatic wall.

Bulldog Coffee only serves espresso-based beverages, espresso that comes from a local roaster that roasts only for Bulldog and has no name. The shots were well-pulled, had a sweet fruity flavor, and provided a nice hang. My americano was ok; a little bland but my guess is that adding the water before the shots was the issue. The tea per their website comes in five varieties.

After finishing up my espresso on their vibrant patio, I meandered away with my americano content with my Bulldog experience. If you're in Toronto and up for a small hunt for a decent coffeehouse with a nice patio for a fair weather day, set your course for Bulldog Coffee.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

CC: Manic Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Manic Coffee
Location visited: Toronto, ON
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


F
or the past few weeks I have been going crazy, feeling crushed by an unrelenting sluggishness. Though my routine has been no more difficult, for some odd reason I just feel lethargic. Some would say it's the onset of a cold; others would say that it is the changing of the seasons. And while it could have something to do with the first two (I did have the sniffles recently), I have deduced that it has something more to do with being in a slight directionless spot in my life (i.e. I feel like I'm not hearing/seeing God's directions). Sure it happens, but what confounds me is that despite knowing that I still need to press in/on, I am not making the effort.

Recently though, I caught the winds of some positive change on a trip to Toronto. The weather proved tremendous and the trip allowed for some quiet spiritual discussion as well as some great bonding with the wife. And while it would've seemed wise to avoid anything with a hint of association with mania this trip, I had in my sights anxiously set on a promising coffeehouse called Manic Coffee.

The coffeehouse sits nondescript amidst several other establishments on a main avenue of the city. The exterior is minimalist with a single sharp-looking bench in front of large windows. The interior is long and inviting, with a host of tables and very mellow green walls.

The coffee comes from Intelligentsia and 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters, both well-known, excellent roasters. That day I had the Ethiopian Sidamo via drip, a delightfully lucent and fruity brew. I also observed as I was sipping my drip that they had a "free" Clover, a most welcome sight these days (most of the others are enslaved now to Starbucks...). The barista expertly pulled a doubleshot using 49th's Epic Espresso, a decent espresso that produced flavors ranging from hints of a dry red wine to bittersweet cocoa; overall nice but a tad too dark for my tongue. The tea was free leaf and assorted.

Looking back, I actually left Manic Coffee with a little less mania. All goes to show the power of good coffee. Make sure that if you're in Toronto that you give Manic Coffee a visit.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

CC: Sleepless Goat Cafe


What's a Coffee Commentary?

Subject: Sleepless Goat Cafe
Location visited:
Kingston, ON
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 3+ [see key]



While it seems hard to believe for me as I've been to various countries, this is my first international coffee post. I guess it's probably because rarely have I been able to find a coffeehouse in places like the wilderness of Russia or the island of Bermuda. But those are other stories...

This story begins some months ago with a seed planted in my head by my supervisor in regards to the city of Kingston in Ontario. She had mentioned that there was a coffeehouse on every corner and that it would be a great place for me to visit. I thought to myself that such news was odd since that in my Canadian online research and in talking with Canadians, no one had ever mentioned anything worth a stop in Kingston. So without knowing where to go from there, I filed the thought off to the side.

Then a couple weeks ago, it just so happened that the wife and I happened to be going to Kingston for some relaxation amidst the beautiful onset of spring. So upon arrival I dusted off the past conversation about coffeehouses on every corner and made sure to keep my eye out. Sure enough, there were literally coffeehouses all around the downtown area. But then a horrid reality seemed to sink in as we popped into a few; most of them didn't seem to have a lick of an idea of what a good coffeehouse looked like. Some had espresso machines that seemed massacred by a robot army, others proudly touting how great their French Vanilla Cappuccino was.

Finally we stumbled upon a place that looked half decent called the Sleepless Goat Cafe. The front of the place boasted a renaissance-fair-ish sign above a small awning that did a fair job in shading a few spots of outside seating. The interior was a little roomier though a bit grungy and very bohemian. The seating consisted of tables and a few booths that proved very hard to get in and out of with their cushions not nailed to the seat.

The coffee comes from a Canadian coffee roaster called Equator that basically focuses on fair trade and organic coffees (as do all things served at the Sleepless Goat). I was served a coffee called Dr. Joe (or something like that) that came off bright but a bit burnt. The espresso was fair though it tasted more like a dark cup of french press then espresso. I think the tea was free leaf (didn't write it down) and as a side note, they also serve alcoholic beverages.

While I can say that the (lack of) signs had warned me, it's always sad to walk away from an establishment (never mind a whole city) that is in need of coffee refinement. Inversely, I could see the Sleepless Goat really transcending their neighboring coffee establishments with a slight aesthetic makeover as well as more passion on the coffee quality.

If you happen to be in town and not feeling so adventurous to hop through the many coffee establishments, give the Sleepless Goat an attempt.