Saturday, July 08, 2006

CC: Avalon Coffee Company

What's a Coffee Commentary?

Subject: Avalon Coffee Company
Location visited: Avalon and Cape May Courthouse
Free WiFi ? : not at the one in Avalon

Rating: 3+ [see key]


*Updated 1/23/11*

U
sually I run across coffee and tea places, but this one came from a trusted recommendation. I was actually visiting my family down in Ocean City that day, and I figured this would be the closest to Avalon I would get the rest of this summer, so I went a half hour south to check out one of Avalon's locations (this one, in Avalon).

So I get there in the nick of time (cuz they're open til 10 pm!) and after a little confusion on location (they have a huge sign for the neighboring diner right outside their door...), I waltz in. The decor is a definite grab-and-go set up. The menu is extensive, with gelati, breakfast sandwiches, and so forth.

But on to the coffee. I was intrigued that they had hot-plate brewers as well as satellite brewers
, but they informed me that it was a wise two-step process; they brew on the hot-plate and then the second it's done, they put it into the satellite brewers to keep it hot and fresh. As the coffee is "fresh-roasted at each location", the two-step process married with the aspect of super fresh coffee makes for a stellar combo.

The espresso on the other hand I wasn't as impressed with. My americano was kinda weak and had a little funny of a taste to it, but I think it had more to do with shore water then the beans. The tea was Tetley, an old school, not-as-fresh choice but seemed ok. I didn't try the chai (again) but I've noticed that chai is rarely fresh tea and more often a powdered mix, so it really comes down to barista skills (which this place seems to have, but I'm not sure).

Overall, I was fairly impressed for a shore operation but I don't recommend driving half hour for it.


*Updated 1/23/11

As this was one of my early posts, it was long overdue for an update/correction. This time I visited the Cape May Courthouse location and I would venture the experience held to what I initially penned. I ordered a cup of Kenya AA which produced flavors of beef broth, carrot, caramel, a little ginger and a wee apple; a decent coffee but no fireworks. The espresso was as I (luckily) deduced before; poorly prepared (pulled long with poor crema) and held notes of bourbon, heavy cream and a little cherry all enveloped in a heavy burnt characteristic.

Not as impressed as I was in my youth.

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