Monday, August 07, 2017

Sawada Coffee




Subject: Sawada Coffee
Location: Chicago, IL
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

With the various business developments currently happening in the specialty coffee realm, it always peaks my interest when I find a unique collaboration. Take Hogsalt Hospitality, a restaurant powerhouse responsible for some of Chicago's snazziest venues, and Japanese coffee champion and Steamer Coffee Company originator Hiroshi Sawada. Thanks to a chance meeting in Japan and some clever teamwork, the two entities put together a splendid coffeehouse in the West Loop of the Windy City that definitely catches a discerning eye.

Having a chunk of time to seek out this warehoused establishment, I made my way over early one Saturday morning for some AM coffee. Arriving an hour after opening, I found the cafe buzzing with regulars and folks surprisingly chipper for pre-noon conversation. The shop resides in a portion of warehouse that is the forefront of Green Street Smoked Meats, complete with shared airspace, string lighting and huge metal casement windows. The space boasts an industrial yet colorful aesthetic, with an effective utilization of the semi-shared space. 

As for coffee, they use local Metropolis Coffee for their beans. That morning I ordered an espresso of their Brazil and a pourover of a Costa Rican. The espresso, pulled short/medium with brown crema, smacked of chocolate-covered cherry, whole milk, malt, red apple, croissant and a little cigar, proving sweet and balanced with a little smokiness. The pourover also dazzled with notes of cranberry, grape, caramel, pomegranate tea and a touch of romaine in a light/medium body, making for a super fruity, light and delicious brew. 

Sadly, all good things must end and I had meetings to keep, so after finishing my beverages I bid Sawada adieu until the next meeting. If you happen to be near the West Loop, zoom on over to Sawada Coffee for a one-of-a-kind coffee experience. 




These wonderful folks made this visit possible in part. Make sure to check them out!

3 comments:

Smith said...

nice post

Miguel said...

Such a hipster place!

Anonymous said...

Hogsalt does some nice work.