CC: Tougo Coffee

Subject: Tougo Coffee Co
Location: Seattle, WA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


Sifting through Seattle's coffee scene can be, at times, more work than one would expect. Sure you have greater chances of happening upon a great coffee joint than in many other cities, but the sheer volume of coffee options can still make it hard to find a spot truly worth your patronage.

Fortunately, coffee geeks tend to be vocal and the cream rises to the top. When I was last in town, I had heard great things of Tougo Coffee on Capitol Hill and sure enough, my rental car made its merry way easily through the miry weather straight to the threshold of Tougo. The cafe sits in a brick one-story building with big glass windows and some outside seating for what nice weather can get through. Inside, the place is well lit with a spiffy wood slat ceiling (the slats technically extended to the top part of the wall) and a pleasing assortment of furniture.

The coffee comes from a variety of roasters such as Stumptown, Ritual, Oslo and Kuma. That day I had an Ethiopian from Kuma Coffee via espresso and a mystery coffee via drip (the barista literally forgot what she brewed that morning). The espresso, pulled short with an even brown crema, held notes of blueberry, molten chocolate, sweet nougat, jam torte and a little sage; a bright spro with a smooth body. The unknown drip coffee proved delectable as well, with elements of curry, biscuit, deep cocoa, basil and a bit of cashew amidst a medium body.

All in all, Tougo tugged firmly at my sentimental gut strings, proving well worth the stop. If you travel to Capitol Hill, toot over to Tougo.

CC: Pound Coffee

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Subject: Pound Coffee

Location: Washington, DC
[visited former location]
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


It amazes me with the quickness things change but in a world moving millions of miles a millisecond (ok...maybe a little slower) I guess I should not hold my mouth agape at sudden turns and surprises. One example is Pound Coffee in DC. There was word of a second location on Pennsylvania Avenue back in October but since I was in DC prior to its opening, I made a fun-filled trip to their NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) location. Soon after, it turns out that they opened their second location only to then unexpectedly close down the first. Apparently it was not planned and fortunately the second location came just in time.

Thus, in sharing of my Pound experience, I shan't waste time on the details of cafe ambiance (but you can scope out pics here) but since the coffee seems to have remained constant, I shall share my coffee experience at their former geography.

Pound serves up coffee from Kickapoo Coffee and that fine afternoon I ordered an espresso (I believe it was their Ethiopian Sidama) and a drip of their Guatemalan. The espresso, pulled short with a blond crema, dictated bits of vanilla, hazelnut, tonic, mint and lime amidst a subtle milkiness (overall very nice). The drip held bright notes of lettuce, some pound cake, honey, baklava and an underlying nuttiness; a smooth coffee with mild but delicious flavors. The tea was Mighty Leaf.

While I'm looking forward to trying the Hill location, I'm sure that they're doing an even better job then in their former glory. Whether they move again or not, seek out Pound and give them a go.