Showing posts with label downtown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label downtown. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Weekend Coffee




Subject: Weekend Coffee
Location: Dallas, TX
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Weekends are usually the focal point of a person's week. Outings get planned, ideas become daydreams and recreation gets Grouponed. We are a culture that lives and dies by our weekends.

Friday, June 24, 2011

CC: The Beat Coffeehouse and Records

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What does CC mean?


Subject: The Beat Coffeehouse and Records
Location:
Las Vegas, NV

Free WiFi ? :
yes

Rating:
4+ [see key]




Every downtown has coffee purveyors but not every downtown can boast good coffeehouses. Sadly, the problem still exists even in the biggest of cities, with mass-produced or month-old coffee passing as sophisticated or “gourmet” brews.
Until I arrived in Las Vegas, I had counted their downtown as one long bereft. But I was to be pleasantly surprised.

After dinner one night, I did a random google search that turned up The Beat Coffeehouse and Records in old downtown.
I made my way over for an after dinner foray, finding the Beat on the corner of 6th and Fremont amidst the usual neon lights. The place is becomingly arrayed, with records towards the back and plenty of locals hanging about their pleasingly-arranged furniture.

The coffee is from Colorado River Coffee Roasters, a local roaster I had been looking to try. I ordered an espresso and a drip of the Sumatra. The espresso, pulled to a medium volume with thin crema, held notes of dark cocoa, ginger, corn, cilantro, a bit of char and a tingle of vanilla; an overall fair (though could have been better) pair of shots. The Sumatran bestowed a nutty and earthy cup with notes of graham cracker, wheat and apple amidst a light and smooth body, though it was a tad lackluster. The tea was free leaf and they also serve beer (via keg) and wine.

Walking off into the night, I was thankful for a last minute blessing in the Beat. When you’re downtown in Vegas, shimmy over to the Beat Coffeehouse and Records for some decent coffee.



Monday, October 25, 2010

CC: Public Domain

'
What's does "CC" mean?

Subject:
Public Domain
Location visited: Portland, OR
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating:
6+ [
see key]




A well-decorated shop really goes a long way. I am all about the quality of the coffee but a cafe should breathe life and purpose to the the cafe. On the flip side, when a coffeehouse induces yawning and fringe comas (at worst disgust or horror), it's not only hard to be in the space but in a lot of ways, slightly depressing.

In the land of Portland, they seem to have an abundance of nice venues but by far, the one that really caught me was a little downtown operation called Public Domain. Outfitted in a corner space with splendidly open windows, Public Domain uses its extensive coffee operation (a pair of 2 group espresso machines and 6 grinders) to showcase like a culinary display. The cafe has seating along the windows mostly, the room feels huge amidst a room full of woods, whites and dark grays all lit by well-distributed lighting.

And though the cafe proved gorgeous, the coffee is always where my heart rests, and Public Domain propped my blood pumper up high. PD roasts their own beans (apparently every barista gets a crack at it) and from their selections, I chose their Peru San Ignacio for my espresso and the El Salvador Las Delicias in a french press. The espresso, pulled well with a nice crema, held notes of dark cherry and strong lemon, a little oregano, bittersweet cocoa, a pinch of cinnamon and some white chocolate (a good display of flavors with little detraction). The french press fired off bullets of honey, grass, mint leaves, hops and a dot of chick pea (a lighter coffee with lots of good quality). I did not note their tea.

Though I was able to spend little time in PD's posh shop, I will remember my experience well, given the many pleasantries. If you happen to be downtown, saunter over to Public Domain.