Showing posts with label The Daily Grind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Daily Grind. Show all posts

Monday, January 08, 2007

CC: The Daily Grind

What's a Coffee Commentary?


Subject: The Daily Grind
Location visited: Mt. Holly, NJ

Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 3+ [see key]



Heading back from an early morning breakfast rendezvous with a good friend of mine, we decided to stop and get coffee at a venue in Mt. Holly that I've heard a bit about but have never managed to find. With a bit of a heading from the eloquent cashier at the local diner, I set off on a hunt. Whether it be the directions or just a day where the sign was better illuminated, I found it (turns out it stood right next to a tavern I had been to for an open mic two years ago).

Stuck right on the strip of High Street with not too much to set the shop apart to passing motorists, it made sense why it had eluded me before. Fortunately, the interior held a little more effect in visual aesthetics then the outside, yet nothing stunning. Though my friend and I agreed the place came off quite barren, I personally enjoyed the small mom-&-pop feel of the place.

The coffee itself came from Barrie House Coffee & Tea, a seemingly large vendor of coffee, tea, and related products out of New York. Though their website seems to toot the "horn of excellence", I can't help but feel it's playing a tune it can't hold (i.e. they're more talk then they are walk. Call me fanatical, but what respectable coffee company sells their coffee like this?).

Accordingly, the coffee at Daily Grind was decent but not too impressive. The espresso also tasted ok but carried a harsh and empty tang. Whether it was the espresso blend or the mediocre barista skillty (were they new or just improperly trained?), I couldn't really tell.

The tea and chai I didn't recollect at all (my bad).

To sum it up, The Daily Grind seems to hold a bit of potential but they have some progress to make before they get there. Granted, they are holding strong in a barren land so for the area's sake I'm hoping they get their feet on the right path. To end on a positive note, if you're in the area of downtown Mt. Holly, stop in to keep the place going, plus you won't find anything better nearby.