Showing posts with label mighty leaf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mighty leaf. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 04, 2011

CC: Pound Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?


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.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

CC: The Coffee Plant

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject:
Coffee Plant
Location visited: Portland, OR
[downtown location]
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating:
5+ [
see key]



Downtowns rarely seem to have good coffeehouses. Blame it on the rent, but of the many cities I've had the pleasure of visiting, only a handful sport decent coffee.

Naturally, Portland is one of such exceptions, sporting quite a few within the downtown vicinity. My most recent Portland downtown encounter was a place called the Coffee Plant. Operated by dedicated locals to provide a coffee oasis amidst the downtown bustle, this cafe has been going strong since 2003.

I blew in one blustery afternoon to their oasis. The cafe has a mini-mall entrance as well as a street entry, both leading to their two story interior, speckled with an old tile floor and arrayed with a nice assortment of seating.

Coffee Plant uses local Stumptown for their coffee. That afternoon I ordered shots of Hairbender and a drip of Honduras Finca El Puente. The drip held notes of deep cocoa, honey, wheat, tobacco a tingle of granola and a smack of whiskey; a swell coffee though it was a bit stale that day. The espresso, pulled short with nice crema, blasted dark chocolate porter, paprika, lemon, almond and a smudge of black cherry (all together, great). The tea came from Stumptown and Mighty Leaf.

Aside from the freshness of their drip that day, Coffee Plant proved the refreshing watering hole they aim to be. If you're in downtown Portland, take root at the Coffee Plant.

Sunday, August 01, 2010

CC: Jaho Coffee & Tea

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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Salem, MA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating:
4+ [
see key]



Few cities hold onto their negative past (on purpose) as well as Salem. The witch trials of old bear many a harsh reminder (such as how frenzied fear can cause people to kill their neighbors), yet aside from the power of learning, the power of tourism holds even larger sway. It is to this that I owe my several visits to the town.

This last trip, I had more on my agenda then the local history, as a local coffee establishment called Jaho Coffee & Tea had captured my attention with rumors of good coffee. After taking in some of the puritanical sights, we made our way to the old maritime wharf where the coffeehouse rests. The cafe is a multi-leveled shop with an array of seating and a lounge-like atmosphere.

Of Jaho's coffees (they roast their own), I tried their Rwandan via drip. A medium roast, it sampled saucy, sweet, with a bit of ginger and a noticeable stale/cardboard quality (pretty obvious to be from an old pot). The espresso, prepared short and with a good head of crema, displayed bright and bitter contrasts up front, a little chocolate, some salt, sugar and a tinge of five spice. The espresso seemed prepared fairly well and the espresso blend decent (though both seemed like they had more potential then how it showed up in my cup). The tea is Mighty Leaf.

In wrapping up my experience, I found Jaho to be at least a fair coffee presence and at best, not well represented that day. Yet another place to wait to revisit for a more definitive ruling.

If you're in town (hopefully not for a trial), try the brew at Jaho.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

CC: Atomic Cafe

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject:
Atomic Cafe
Location visited: Beverly, MA
Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating:
5+ [
see key]



It is not often I get to have a good meal with a distant friend; it always seems that you see old pals in large groups so catching up is hard. Yet occasionally I find circumstances that allow for a more low-numbered rendezvous, such as in my latest trip to Boston, as I was elated to get together with an old pal who happens to be a fellow coffee fanatic.

We decided to meet for lunch and coffee at a place not far from his routine, a place called Atomic Cafe. The entity has been on my radar for a while but circumstances often prevented the visit, so I was pleased with the choice at least for the coffee (I had heard nothing of their food, but I'll risk it).

That early afternoon, we (my wife and two other friends also attended) pulled into a metered street spot and made our way to the red awning of Atomic Cafe. The interior is comfy, with booths straight ahead, tables throughout (outside as well) and a large bustle of people all nestled in (what I recall as) a sea of red and slightly retro decor.

Atomic roasts their own and given the vast array of sitting pump pots, I chose a coffee from Bali, a bright coffee thick with apple and molasses, a dash of nutmeg, the essence of mojito and some sweet cream on the end; to put it simply, a good cup. For the espresso, you can pick one of their three espresso blends, and based on my friend's recommendation, I chose their Cosmopolitan. On the surface, the shots were pulled short and had decent crema whereas underneath, it embodied a zesty lemon, cinnamon, cranberry and fairly strong bitterness (a little too much bitterness it seemed), all with a little milk chocolate on the end. The tea is Mighty Leaf.

Given the experience, I must say I was satisfied with the rendezvous. My lunch was appetizing, the banter of old friends was well-received and the coffee operation seemed pretty on target.

If you're in the North Shore area, give Atomic Cafe a go.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

CC: Progressive Coffee House

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Progressive Coffee House
Location visited: Glassboro, NJ
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]



*CLOSED as of 7.29.10*

Alma maters, no matter how aggressive their alumni office is for money, will always carry a spot in an alumnus' heart. The same I would say would go for the location of the school (with a few exceptions I'm sure).

Recently, I had the pleasure to visit Glassboro, NJ where I spent much of my young adult life at college. While I was there, the town sadly had not a single coffeehouse of worth (though there were a few tries) but now that the town is trying to revive the downtown, a new coffeehouse named the Progressive Coffee House decided to open their doors in the place of an old bakery on High Street.

When I first heard of it, I kind of had my doubts as to their motivation, mainly I wondered what did "progressive" mean (was it politically tied, environmentally entrenched, or just a coffeehouse that plans to move forward?) but upon further investigation, I saw no evidence of any of my guesses except that they liked their name (soooo much merchandise).

The exterior preserves the original look of the place, using an old marquee-looking projection to display their sign and they kept the windows simple and big. The interior was quite different from the old bakery, as it was awash with bright reds, oranges and yellows surrounding a spacious counter and a sea of red leather couches (they had tables too).

The coffee comes from Kaffe Magnum Opus, a coffee roaster out of South Jersey that I've had mixed experiences with (I also become suspicious of roasters that sell more flavored coffee than not). But putting all past experience aside, I gave Progressive's House Blend a try and found it, to my delight, to be a bright, smooth and earthy coffee. The espresso proved a fair pull, with char sadly overshadowing a citrusy-cocoa flavor (drinkable). Their tea is Mighty Leaf.

Given the future plans for the town of Glassboro, I am happy that the town finally has a coffeehouse of decency. I think with a little work, Progressive could progress very well but for now I think their challenge will be getting Rowan University students to walk off-campus (in my day, it didn't really happen). If you're in the area, I would recommend a stop.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

CC: Bean Exchange

What's a Coffee Commentary?

Subject:
Bean Exchange
Location visited: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 3+ [see key]



A
ny native Philadelphian knows of the rich history the city holds but few people really know all the various stories and random facts of the age-old city. I personally love to wander as a curious native, learning of places of (relatively) ancient lore where great men and women stepped out of their comfort zones to do what was needed in shaping this nation.

So it was to my delight that I learned of the London Coffeehouse, a place of 18th century Philadelphia that was a hub of business and politics that closed its doors forever shortly after the Revolution (apparently it couldn't compete with the City Tavern). I'm not sure where the original location is or if the building still stands, but it turns out that there is a coffeehouse called the Bean Exchange that stands as a commemoration to the long gone establishment.

The Bean Exchange sits on Bainbridge in a lovely corner brick building, with the name emblazoned proudly along the length of the building. The warm colonial interior has various tables running conveniently the length of the long space.

The coffee is a brand called Lacas, which according to the BE barista is a quality "Greek" coffee (website says nothing along those lines). The house blend was decent, embodying only a very noticeable spiciness. The espresso was also mediocre, not having much body or pizazz. The tea is Mighty Leaf.

While I'm glad to have come across Bean Exchange for its historical commemoration, it doesn't really add much to the Philadelphia coffee scene. Nonetheless, if you like a dose of American antiquity with your java, stop on in.