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Subject: Balzac's CoffeeLocation 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.
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Subject: Bulldog CoffeeLocation visited: Toronto, ONFree WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]
For 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.
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Subject: Manic CoffeeLocation visited: Toronto, ONFree WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]
For 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.
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What's a Coffee Commentary?
Subject: Caffe in Gamba
Location visited: Montreal, QCFree WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]
Growing up in South Jersey/Philadelphia in a sea of steadfast drip (filtered) coffee drinkers, espresso always appeared to be a foreign concoction that only super coffee addicts and Europeans with a strong palate imbibed. Coffee made in a hot plate coffee pot was the people's brew and that's what normal people drank.
But even though things have changed in my life as well as somewhat in the Philadelphia area (most people still seem to see coffee served off a hot plate as superior), I still doubt that a no-drip-but-espresso-only establishment would ever survive. In fact, I had my doubts as to whether I would see a quality example outside of Seattle.
But on my recent trip to Montreal, I was surprised to stumble upon a popular local coffeehouse called Caffe in Gamba that served only espresso beverages. The venue was located right near Mount Royal (Montreal's big park) on a cute street lined with cafes and other little shops. The exterior displays a large outside patio covered by a lovely awning and large store front windows. The interior emanates a bright red interior accented by a few large chandeliers, with the left wall displaying a range of stellar espresso options from all over the continent.
The espresso being pulled that day was from Intelligentsia, a coffeehouse rooted in Chicago that is slowly becoming more of a household name. The barista, who happened to be very personable, pulled an amazing doubleshot with a beautiful sweetness and nice acidity. The place also serves a variety of food options such as paninis and desserts.
A traditional European-esque establishment like Caffe in Gamba has opportunities in North America but I can't say I have my hopes up to see such places popping up in great numbers. With that knowledge, I would have to say Montreal is lucky to have such a spot. If you're in town, make sure to make a stop.
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.
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