Showing posts with label 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Pikolo Espresso




Subject: Pikolo Espresso Bar
Location: Montreal, QC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

When I travel, rarely do my overnight accommodations and coffeehouse aspirations line up near one another. Whether that's a reflection of my cheap lodging budget or a subliminal aversion to convenience, I usually end up driving out of my way to find quality coffee in distant lands. Yet ever so rarely, my fortunes prevail and I am blessed with a great cafe within a few hot steps of my front door.

Friday, February 24, 2017

Différance




Subject: Cafe Différance
Location: Montreal, QC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

A coffeehouse with a line is usually a great sign. I say "usually" because there exist some cafes that will make questionably poor choices that cause customer waits, like a lone barista operation pouring exclusively pourover during the morning rush or the cue being held up by someone who ordered 15 creme brûlée lattes for the office. But when a hefty line forms despite four employees moving like a Swiss clock, I take solace in the fact that the wait is almost definitely worth it. 

Tuesday, November 01, 2016

Cafe Myriade



Subject: Cafe Myriade
Location Visited: Golden Square Mile (Rue Mackay),
Montreal, QC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While my trips to Montreal are not nearly as frequent as I would like, fortunately shops in the area seem to have a sturdy shelf life. Cafe Myriade is one operation that opened after a trip circa 2007 and over the years I've watched them make great coffee from afar. Finally, nearly ten years later I finally had an opportunity to visit their original Mackay St location for an experience long in the making.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Comet Coffee



Subject: Comet Coffee
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

When I used to work in higher education, it seemed that about a quarter of my colleagues either studied or worked at the University of Michigan. At the time I had never been, so I listened to their stories of a stately campus, the great town and cold winters. Though I had intention of making my way there sooner, it wasn't until recently that I was finally able to visit. And despite my interest in seeing the campus, my sights were first set on an Ann Arbor coffee establishment called Comet Coffee.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

CC: Trabant Coffee and Chai

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What's does "CC" mean?
Location visited: Seattle, WA
(2nd Ave location)
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating:
6+ [
see key]



How the bustling cityscape calms to a lucid tranquility on weekend mornings. Especially in a city like Seattle, there is almost a ridiculous impetus to forgo any type of late sleeping in order to best take advantage of the urban peace.

Naturally, I also had my drive to find a good brew in the great coffee-tropolis, and hence I found myself standing at the front doors of Trabant Coffee and Chai first thing on a Saturday morning. The coffeehouse had just opened and my pal and I were the only souls present aside from the lone barista. The cafe is cavernous, with an open yet extremely well-constructed seating arrangement with vintage globe lighting.

I ordered a cup of Guatemalan Finca El Jaibal via their Clover, as well as a shot of Epic Espresso (both coffees from 49th Parallel). The El Jaibal produced nuttiness with a croissant buttery-ness, chocolate chip, some oolong and grain; a great balanced Guatemalan coffee. The Epic demonstrated well, with some cocoa, whiskey kick, pepper, sweet raspberry and a little smoke, all of which was embodied in a short pull with good crema. The tea is free leaf.

The tranquility of the early morning paired well with Trabant's wares. But even if the streets were overburdened with people, I would still make my way back. Get on down to Trabant if ye be in Seattle.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

CC: Voluto Coffee




Subject: Voluto Coffee 
Location visited: Pittsburgh, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating:
6+ [
see key]



UPDATED 04/29/14

Yet another city often bypassed in my history (mostly during family vacations when I was a wee tot) was the city of Pittsburgh. It's sad (and joyous) to say that my first actual trip just recently happened, as I had a long weekend to spend in town with friends, enjoying some baseball and local sights.

Of course, coffee stops made the list of attractions and there were quite a few. Much like Pittsburgh has been one of the few old industrial cities of the America to really bounce back, it seems their coffee scene has also been atypical in the number of acclaimed coffee places to have emerged.

My first stop was a relative newcomer to the scene called Voluto Coffee. Located in the Friendship area of Pittsburgh, the cafe is part of a residential building, with Voluto trumpeting huge windows and a nice array of modern-esque outside seating. On the other side of the glass, the cafe continues the modern look, with a gorgeous array of furniture in an 'honest architecture' space.

The coffee comes all the way from British Columbia via 49th Parallel. I had myself an espresso (49th's Epic) and a cup from their pump pot (I believe it was french pressed originally) of the 123 degree W Longitude blend. The espresso, pulled short with beautiful crema, displayed notes of vanilla, strawberry, cream, lemon and sugar. The barista did a great job with the extraction and the bright espresso was delightful to slurp. The 123 degree W Longitude blend produced a light, grassy, tart apple coffee with hints of tobacco, orange and honey; a great coffee throughout. The tea was free leaf.

As the first cafe on my expedition, I was greatly pleased with Voluto. Stop in.



UPDATED 04/29/14
Voluto is now a location for Commonplace Coffee. Still a win as for quality. 

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.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

CC: 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters

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What's does "CC" mean?

Location visited: Vancouver, BC
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]



In my travels, Vancouver has thus far been my favorite Canadian city. The beautiful mountains shadowing the large metropolis really brings the best of the city to the prisitine wonder of the wild. From also what I understand, the weather also rarely gets too unbearable (it was relatively beautiful when I visited) and the culture has all sorts of facets to it.

But for me, the best part of Vancouver was the coffee (shocker!). As Seattle's Canadian neighbor, the city has in many ways distinguished itself quite noticeably in the coffee and espresso scene. Of the many places I wished to visit, the one at the top of my list was 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters' showcase cafe on W 4th Avenue. I had the fortune of imbibing their coffee in a couple other locations, all of which proved lovely, so to visit the mother ship gave me something to really look forward to.

Walking down the street on a lovely early spring day, I first beheld the cafe after I had nearly stumbled over it (the shops were close and much of the neighboring signage was quite loud). Stepping past their nice metal outside seating and retractable awning, I walked into their beautifully decorated shop with its vaulted ceilings plus their trademark blue and brown color scheme. I also want to note that this was probably the first cafe that I've seen more than a few employees working at the same time (I remember it numbering over 6!).

Getting straight to the coffee, I ordered 49th's Costa Rica via their Clover. The brew turned out wonderful, with an even-balanced, bright cup with hints of currants. The espresso also came out blissfully well, with a nice balance of sweetness and even a touch of saltiness, overshadowed with a wave of chocolate. The tea is free leaf of their own.

Given my lofty impressions of 49th Parallel Coffee and of Vancouver, I definitely left with an utter satisfaction of a good experience. If you're ever in town, definitely pop by 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters.

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, July 22, 2008

CC: Cafe Sante Veritas

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What's a Coffee Commentary?

Subject: Cafe' Sante' Veritas
Location visited:
Montreal, QC

Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]



I have been to a lot of cities across North America and few have been as intriguing and beautiful as Montreal. The old European-style buildings, the eclectic activities, and the food all provide a wonderful experience.

And fortunately, I was able to experience some great coffee while I was there recently. One place in particular was right around the corner from my hotel, a little cafe called Cafe Sante Veritas. Looking at it from the exterior, the place looks to actually be quite huge and very well-designed; sure enough when you walk inside, it becomes quite obvious that they didn't scrimp on quality or beauty of the interior. The cafe has beautiful furniture and even a low coffee bar where you can hang out and chat with the barista while he prepares your coffee or espresso.

The coffee served is 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters out of Vancouver, a roaster I had been wanting to try for some time but had not had the chance. The coffee was Ethiopian and french pressed (the barista commented that he used to make drip but he stopped after realizing it didn't maximize the coffee's potential), the results presented a smooth, bright, and fruity cup of coffee. Well done.

The espresso was amazing as the barista definitely knew what he was doing and he pulled a very luscious doubleshot. The espresso possessed a velvety texture as well as lovely bittersweet chocolate-iness. The tea was Harney and Sons and they also had a full menu, complete with beer, wine, and some of the best orange juice ever squeezed.

Walking away after my final visit, I really wished that such a fine specimen wasn't such a distance from home but alas, se la vie. If your in Montreal, I would strongly encourage a stop by Cafe Sante Veritas for coffee as well as a meal.