CC: Menagerie Coffee

Subject: Menagerie Coffee
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Old City Philadelphia for years has been a bit of a coffee wasteland, with but a few spots of decent rapport slinging coffee in a 3-4 block radius of Independence Hall. Fortunately, the times are a-changing and visiting history buffs need no longer schlep long distances for a great cup.

The brightest of new coffee establishments in the Old City arena is Menagerie Coffee. Located on 3rd St a few spots south of Market St, this coffeehouse not only boasts a great location, but a beautiful space as well. Decorated in sleek woods and pleasant lighting, there's a spot for everyone in this well-designed shop. The coffee of course is what adds the majestic, TGI Friday-level flair, with beans from Annapolis' Ceremony Coffee AND Minneapolis' Dogwood Coffee, both roasters not seen enough in this region.

Sauntering in, I ordered an espresso of Dogwood's Neon (I love that it's literally labeled "neon" on the menu instead of "espresso") and a pourover of Ceremony's Ethiopia Worka. The espresso, pulled short with brown crema, offered up notes of lemon, cherry soda, cocoa, basil and arugula amidst a full body and a velvety mouthfeel. The Worka pourover was a heavenly uppercut of fruit, specifically strawberry jam and passion fruit, with supporting flavors of maple syrup and shredded wheat amidst a light body.

To state the obvious, Menagerie Coffee offers a menagerie of great coffee options. Let not another moment delay your arrival.
   

CC: Cake and the Beanstalk

Subject: Cake and the Beanstalk
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Certain retail spaces seem to be perpetual coffeehouses, as if the space can harbor no other type of business. One such place is a shop on Locust between 11th and 12th that over the years has held at least two shops prior to the current tenants. Chalking up the past cafes' failure to poor quality (the coffee was swill as I remember in both cases), the current resident coffeehouse seems to be a place looking to serve quality products, a place called Cake and the Beanstalk.

Wandering over one overcast day, I found C & the B running full tilt, with a house full of chipper regulars and an atmosphere ever-bubbling. The brightly decorated cafe straddles two rooms, with the bar in the first and the seating in the second, with the seating room feeling immensely more open and airy compared to the first.

As for coffee, they offer Counter Culture staples, that day the Farmhouse for drip and the Toscano for the espresso. The Farmhouse tapped out cherry, shredded wheat, caramel, almond and a little malt ball, proving sweet with medium body. The espresso, pulled short with a light brown/blonde crema, smacked of cocoa, a little lemon and some sage, making for a slightly astringent pull that could be slightly tweaked, but was overall pretty good. I feel its also necessary to mention that true to their name, they have various cakes-by-the-slice for sale.

Thus, it is one of my prayers that the beanstalk thrives and that it continues to grow and refine its technique. If you happen to be in neighborhood (a lot of traffic seems to be for the copious amount of hospitals that are nearby), climb up the beanstalk for some coffee and cake.

Chick-fil-A and Thrive Coffee

There's nothing like a stop at a top-tier coffeehouse for a cup of fresh, quality coffee. But sadly, this luxury is often something restricted to city centers and random caffeinated oases. Suburbia is all but devoid of good coffee outfits.

Thus, many a coffee geek has often been stuck in a bind where fast food or gas stations are but his/her only recourse for a cup of joe, a choice that often results in settling for "meh" coffee at best and, barely digestible swill at worst.

But how the tide seems to be changing. Chick-fil-A, a fast food eatery barely known to even carry coffee, recently began a partnership with Thrive Farmers Coffee and S & D Coffee to bring direct trade coffee through the chicken-driven giant. Apparently working also with a few big names in the coffee industry like Tracy Allen, it seems Chick-fil-A was actually doing their due diligence to make sure that well-sourced coffee didn't end up losing the battle in the roasting and brewing processes.

Only launching this new coffee today in a few test markets throughout the country, I was fortunate enough to live in one of them (Philadelphia/NJ) and hence, I got a call from a local marketing director to try out the coffee before it hit the streets. Showing up one afternoon, my eye caught a Wilbur Curtis pot brewer (was either a CBHS or ThermoPro G4) set up with digital timers set to expire after an hour of brewing (at which point, they dump the old coffee, clean and rebrew). While any tool can be misused, the equipment at least has potential to continually make good coffee.

Center stage in this roll out is Chick-fil-A's new drip coffee. There was little information on the specifics of the origin that comprise the blend (region, farm, etc) but the fact that it's all Thrive Farmer beans at least narrows the scope. Coming piping hot in a sleeved paper cup, the drip coffee (after it cooled a bit) smacked of chocolate nibs, Oreos, sugar cookies, heavy cream, pretzel and slight basil, all within a medium body. The brew surprised me exceedingly, as it was bursting with sweet, luscious flavors and barely had any bitterness or displeasing aftertastes (a firm 4+ in my book).

In addition, they are offering a cold brew iced coffee. Coming pre-concocted, simply needing to be diluted, the concentrate can be made with adding water or adding milk. Only wanting to try out the coffee black, I asked they just use water in making my iced coffee. Once again, I found myself impressed. Prominent notes of malt, vanilla and cream dominated this brew, with only a slight offset of romaine lettuce, proving overall smooth and rich.

At this time, Chick-fil-A is leaving the question of espresso to another day, a move I find admirable, given the flippant attitude most other fast food giants give to the art of 'spro. And with the rich quality and flavor that they have in their new drip and cold brew coffee, I think they need not rush.

Thus, starting today, if you're in one of the test markets for this new brew, you can add Chick-fil-A to your list of places that serves decent coffee. Sure my preference is always for a cup of joe from a local, highly-reputed coffee establishment (i.e. those would be the 5+ and 6+ on my blog) but it's comforting to know that when I wander the coffee deserts of the country, Chick-fil-A has my back with responsibly-sourced and actually enjoyable coffee.


note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback. 

CC: Leotah's Place Coffeehouse

Subject: Leotah's Place Coffeehouse
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Sometimes wandering around the streets of Philadelphia turns up a few gems. One day while I was in the neighborhood of Fishtown, I happened upon a corner cafe called Leotah's Place Coffeehouse. While at first cautious due to my unfamiliarity with the place, a quick perusal of their coffee showed promise, as they use local Green Street Coffee Roasters.

Walking into the cafe, I felt very at home in the inviting, bohemian environment. I ordered the Colombia, Granja La Esperanza for my single origin espresso and a drip of the Mexican Oxaca. The espresso came out tasty, smacking of raspberry, green apple, ripe cherry tomato, with a a touch of basil, pepper and sage on the back end, proving bright with a bit of a bitter accent on the end. The drip of Mexican reverberated smooth and lively, with notes of caramel, corn, romaine drenched in a sweet balsamic, birch and some date. Both infusions were delicious with only minor improvements that could be made in their execution.

For a mid-afternoon gamble, I was pleasantly surprised with the great assets of Leotah's Place. If you happen to be in the area or looking for a warm shop in which to sup, seek out this corner coffeehouse in Philly.

CC: Rival Bros

Subject: Rival Bros
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating: 6+ [see key]

As I've remarked many times before, I sure love a good coffee truck. There's nothing like a vehicle completely outfitted with top-level coffee equipment, quality beans and an able barista, able to go where the wind (and city permits) allow. 

Taking the usual coffee truck operation to the next level by roasting their own beans, Rival Bros came onto the Philadelphia scene recently with strong promise of stupendous, locally-roasted coffee straight out of a mobile joy machine.

Sadly, in all of their existence I've only been able to reach their encampment twice; once on First Friday (when I snapped the shot above) and the most recent, a week or so ago at 33rd and Arch on the Drexel University campus.

Pulling up to the intersection near the Buckley Green, there was plenty of meter parking for those looking to pull over for a nice respite (though I'm sure more of their patronage arrives on foot). I approached and ordered a pourover of the Ethiopia Aylele – YCFCU and an espresso of their Whistle and Cuss blend. The pourover of Ethiopian roused even the dead amongst my taste buds, with notes of Stella D'oro breakfast biscuits, succulent steak, fuji apple, honey and roasted red pepper, proving to be a beautifully savory and sweet coffee with a nice medium body. The espresso, pulled short with a brown crema, greeted with an uppercut of lemon, cocoa, ginger soda, red bean paste roll, a touch of salt and a nice milkiness. Both drinks proved to be worthy of an exaggerated curtsey. 

While Rival Bros is definitely not a truck found on the same routine every week, they're easy enough to find via their twitter. Thus, when you're in Philadelphia, hunt down the likes of the Rival Bros. 

CC: Pure Fare

Subject: Pure Fare

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating: 6+ [see key]

Coffee has always seemed to have a love/hate relationships amongst nutritionists. Over the years, I've heard from the mouths of experts that coffee will eventually kill me and then out of other seasoned oral cavities of others, I hear that coffee is one of the best foods I could ingest. Since studies never seem to agree, I have taken the time-tested stance of keeping my intake moderate and my outlook positive. 

But it certainly helps the positive image of coffee when venues that emphasize healthy and sustainable habits also encourage regular consumption of quality coffee. One such outfit in the fair city of Philadelphia is Pure Fare, a cafe and market where folks can grab a fit lunch and cup of Blue Bottle coffee amidst their busy schedule. 

I made my way over to Pure Fare one day when I was in the neighborhood for an errand. I headed to their 21st St location which has a minimal sign and store presence, with nice open windows leading your gaze into the long cafe. Within, the venue has a large communal table in the middle, a cozy atmosphere that felt like a cross between Reading Terminal Market and a small cafe, complete with two counters on each end: one for coffee and the other for food. 

Not in the mood for food, I silently approached the coffee counter and ordered an espresso of Blue Bottle's Hayes Valley Espresso blend and a pourover of their Bella Donovan. The espresso held notes of cocoa, ginger, lemon zest, deep prune, a touch of vanilla and sage, all in a heavy body. Overall, I was pleased with the shots, having a sweet and voluptuous manner about it. The pourover sang of juniper berries, grapefruit, wheat, cornflakes, lettuce and subtle blueberry within a medium body. Also a delicious infusion well worth the wait for the careful pour. 

While their food also looked visually scrumptious, I can heartily vouch for a good showing of their coffee. If you happen to be in Philly and in need of a meal and some great coffee, make your way to one of Pure Fare's locations. 

 

Mugged: Rwanda [One Village]

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Subject: One Village Coffee 

Mugged: Rwanda Gatare Station Bourbon

Rating: 4+ [see key]

Despite living and frequently traveling around the Philadelphia area, I've had surprisingly few dealings with One Village Coffee. Based out of Souderton north of the city, One Village has often served up decent beans in the times I've found them. Hence when an opportunity recently presented itself to sample their wares at home, I jumped at the chance. 

The first of the two coffees sent was their Rwanda Gatare Station Bourbon, a light roasted, wet-processed coffee that I sampled by pourover, siphon and french press infusions. 

The drip produced a brew that poured out a mild strawberry milkshake, Nesquick, some hay, corn chip, black tea and deep cherry on the back end. The resulting coffee was a flavorful yet mellow brew.

The french press demonstrated strawberry, wheat, a bit of cream and a nice tang of lemon. The brightest of the three cups, this infusion also held the least nuance.

The siphon rallied with more of a honey sweetness as well as heavy notes of cream, bran and twigs, along with flecks of sesame seed, well done steak and scotch amidst a medium body. A much more pungent concoction with a few odd notes, but overall still tasty.

To concisely put it, this Rwandan offered a good coffee that held my interest throughout. Give this Rwandan a go if you can get your mitts on it.  


note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.

CC: Elixr Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Elixr Coffee

Location: Philadelphia, PAFree WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]



 *LOCATION HAS CHANGED SINCE REVIEW*

I always find it pleasing when a great coffeehouse takes the place of a former, lackluster establishment. Hausbrandt once had a Philly coffeehouse that ran a decent leg, but after a while it fizzled. Following its closure, the former shell on 15th street remained abandoned.

Enter the phoenix of Elixr Coffee. Having just opened up in January (by a partnership that includes an Eagles' Winston Justice), this outfit moved in strong, distributing PT's Coffee out of Kansas and taking their coffee quite seriously.

I made my way over one leisurely afternoon to sample their wares. The interior is very homey, with a nice arrangement of furniture (with a lot of bar seating), and a tv playing barista championships while customers sip and work. I ordered a cup of the Finca El Molino, El Salvador via drip and an espresso (the coffee used for my shots was not named). The drip produced a light-bodied, honey-filled cup with some wheat, cherry, jasmine, almond cookie and sassafras (delicious). The espresso, pulled short with a marbled crema, sang of spicy cocoa, a prominent saltiness, lemon candy, whiskey, cookie dough and syrupy mouth feel (also quite good). The tea I did not note.

Elixr was the medicine that Philly needed. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, pop in.

CC: Shot Tower Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Shot Tower Coffee

Location: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


My cousin moved to South Philly a couple months ago and while I envy not her daily hunt for street parking or the inconvenience of grocery shopping, I do covet the fact that she lives within walking distance of several great coffeehouses.

One coffeehouse newcomer is as new as my cousin's lease, a corner cafe called Shot Tower Coffee. The coffeehouse has made a local splash as Philly's newest Stumptown Coffee slinging operation bent on quality. I made my way over one Saturday to the corner of 6th and Christian to find them in a brick building with olive trim around large windows. Inside, the space is spiffy, with nice decor, seating along the windows and a massive table to the right of the door.

I ordered an espresso of Stumptown's Colombia Los Gauchos and a drip of their Burundi Kinyovu. The espresso, pulled short with marbled crema, sang of spicy cherry, chocolate cake, salt, ginger snap and jasmine (delicious!). The drip held notes of straw, caramel, butter, spinach, apple, sassafras and a subtle earthiness amidst a nice body (also delicious). The tea is Rishi.

Thus, while I will probably not be moving into South Philadelphia any time soon, I have a few good reasons to visit my cousin, with Shot Tower standing at the top of the list. If you're in the city, give Shot Tower a try.

CC: Bodhi Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Bodhi Coffee

Location visited: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


South Street Philadelphia, while overrated in some ways and unbeknown in others, holds a lot of great memories for me. I remember late nights walking the streets of Philadelphia, getting a slice of pizza and hanging out in a late night cafe talking theology with good friends.

Alas, it's been many a year since I've been able to stay out past midnight but fortunately, South St is picking up some great establishments that are wondrous at any time of the day. One is a German place called Brauhaus Schmitz (amazing roll mops, wursts and pork) which I highly recommend on a nice day for lunch or dinner. The other place of recent existence is a coffeehouse called Bodhi Coffee.

Technically, Bodhi exists closer to Pine St on South 2nd but it's clearly connected to the South St foot traffic. The shop is a narrow venue with but a few spots to plop down (in and outside) but since they use the space wisely, its more cozy than cramped. Bodhi kicks out Stumptown Coffee, serving coffee via pourover and standard drip as well as espresso in a no nonsense fashion. I ordered a cup of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Adado and an espresso of Hairbender. The Adado offered notes of bright blueberry, wheat, little blackberry tart and cocoa amidst a light but potent brew. The espresso, pulled short with a marbled crema, delivered ginger, dark cocoa, sea salt, bell pepper, black pepper and a nice sweetness. The tea is House of Tea.

I have to say that Bodhi fills a niche that has long been vacant in the vicinity and to top it off, they do it quite well. Whether South Street is a regular hang out or an occasional stop, swing by Bodhi for some delicious coffee.

CC: Town Hall Coffee Co

Subject: Town Hall Coffee Co
Location visited: Merion Station, PA and Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


Updated 12.29.13 (see bottom)

It is all about patience. Things always seem to happen slowly but if you can wait it out, usually your fortitude will win out. This particular view has helped much in watching the Delaware Valley area develop a quality coffee scene. Back in 2006 when I started this blog, there was literally nothing great in Philadelphia and only one decent place in NJ (Delaware still has nothing stellar!).

But almost five years later, the region has greatly blossomed, with the latest flower being Town Hall Coffee Co. Opening their doors in the beautiful area near St. Joe's University, Town Hall exists as a moderately-sized cafe with gorgeous Edison bulb light fixtures, various seating and an overall pleasant aura.

The coffee offered is highly varied, with coffee from Ritual, Old Queens, Counter Culture, New Harvest and Intelligentsia. They offer most of their coffees brewed via pour over, so I went with Ritual's Costa Rican Halsar de Zacaro. The coffee delivered notes of honeydew, cherry wheat, caramel, graham cracker, a touch of cinnamon and a little milk chocolate; a simply surreal coffee as far as rich flavor and smoothness.

As for my espresso, I went with the current offering of Gimme Coffee's Brazil Santo Andre. Pulled short with a blondish, marbly crema, the 'spro produced notes of root beer and cocoa, a little ginger, some raspberry and a deep body. Overall, a scrumptious infusion.

The tea is Premium Steap as well as others.

Needless to say, if you happen to be in the area, Town Hall Coffee Co is worth the detour.


*Update 12.29.13*
Recently visited their new Philadelphia location. Same great quality in a very spiffy shop on Chestnut. Definitely worth a stop.

CC: Hobbs Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Hobbs Coffee

Location visited: Swarthmore, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]


Despite traversing Philadelphia so many times, there always seems to be a distant suburb of it that I have to unearth. My latest strike is the cute, college town of Swarthmore. A little bit off my route one day, I stumbled upon a new coffeehouse that had popped up on the main street. Titled Hobbs Coffee, it looked promising from what I could decipher and with a little bit of a weird means (my GPS likes to take scenic tours), I finally found my way.

Hobbs sits in a corner shop right next to the Septa train stop with nice, open windows. The inner domain consisted of a very open space with nice wood floors, a comfortable arrangement of furniture and decent lighting.

The coffee comes from local Chestnut Hill Coffee Company, a good operation putting forth good coffee. I had the Rwandan that fateful day, a drip that fared a tad darker then I would like but still displayed decent flavors of strawberry jam as well as a complimenting nuttiness and earthiness. The espresso, pulled short with good crema, had the qualities of lemon, sugar cane, bits of bitter cocoa and some milky molasses on the end. The tea is Equal Exchange.

Though I wasn't a gargantuan fan of the Rwandan (too dark for me) or that they wouldn't serve a bagel after breakfast hours (why put a time limit on something that has a shelf life?), Hobbs showed a pretty high level of quality (at the least) with their espresso and choice of coffee roaster. With a few little improvements, they have potential to really be top notch.

If you happen to be near Swarthmore, give Hobbs Coffee a try.

CC: Hub Bub Coffee

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Subject: Hub Bub Coffee
Locations visited: Philadelphia, PA, various
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


Updated 12.30.13 (see below)

Philly's newest coffee development has finally brought the city a true mobile coffee venue. Hub Bub Coffee, a coffee truck that just drove onto the scene in October, serves up the all-too-popular coffee of Stumptown and even before the initial opening, the operation had accrued quite a bit of publicity.

Since the truck often parks on 38th and Spruce on the weekdays, I tried making a stop on a recent Friday but unfortunately, my plan failed. So I tried a Saturday, tracking Hub Bub's location via twitter since the truck wanders to different spots on the weekends. And after walking a few blocks on a windy day of shopping and merriment, I caught sight of the big red coffee machine.

The truck is beautifully simple enough; menu and order window on the passenger side with a shiny metal interior full of all the necessary coffee tools (fastened to the counter I believe).

I requested a cup of the day's drip, Stumptown's Guatemala Finca El Injerto. The coffee had a pleasant earthiness with notes of bourbon (fitting, given it's a Bourbon Varietal), sugar cane and a little sweet cigar and black tea. The espresso, unavoidably served in a paper cup (the mobile coffee truck that can solve this dilemma should get an award!), was pulled well and had a good showing to boot; good crema, dark body with pleasant chocolate and lime flavors ending with a sweet whiskey-esque bite. The tea is Republic of Tea.

On the whole, I thoroughly dug my trip to Hub Bub. If you happen to be near U Penn on the weekdays or you're looking for a weekend treasure hunt, go to Hub Bub.


*Update 12.30.13*

In the recent past, I've made it to their Logan Square and Spruce St locations. Both bring the Hub Bub quality to the gorgeous brick and mortar structures the city so richly loves.

CC: Ultimo Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Ultimo Coffee

Location visited: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


Urban planning has become something I've grown tremendously interested in over the years. I love taking a retrospective look at how a city formed and than trying to gaze ahead to the many possibilities for its future.

Marrying my love for coffee with my interest in city evolution, I occasionally like to postulate the role of a coffeehouse in a community. One (relatively) new place that I find quite intriguing is coffeehouse called Ultimo Coffee. Located in South Philadelphia, Ultimo sits in a section of the city that attracts far less visitors than the sections to the north. Plus the coffeehouse exists in what seems largely residential, a plus if the neighborhood likes you and a death knell if not.

But regardless of the why, I was personally drawn by the what; a coffeehouse receiving some strong acclaim for their attention to quality.

One sunny afternoon, I pulled up to their corner establishment with its big open windows, including a big glass garage door (they probably open it on warm days). Within, the place held a lot of character: a simple decor, plenty of vintage wood furniture and a bunch of supermarket fridges that house a nice array of beer to go (an unorthodox but genius facet to the traditional coffeehouse model).

Ultimo offers Counter Culture Coffee, a more and more common coffee around Philly. I ordered a cup of Finca El Puente via pourover, which featured a buttery and saucy cup with hints of cigar, dark cherry and a heavy taste despite a light body. The espresso, shots of Espresso Aficianado pulled well, proved bright with touches of bittersweet chocolate and blackberry, complete with a velvety sweetness on the end. The tea is Rishi.

Given the lovely experience, I'm very curious as to the future (and hopefully success) of Ultimo. Good coffee can do great things.

If you're passing by, I would recommend making the detour for Ultimo.

CC: Lovers and Madmen

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Lovers and Madmen Coffee Lounge

Location visited: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]


The University City district of Philadelphia has always been a cool place to walk around, especially the U Penn area (Drexel is getting better). But despite the old charm and variety of things to do, the area has always lacked a great coffeehouse...until recently.

Word reached my ears that a coffeehouse serving Counter Culture Coffee called Lovers and Madmen had alighted on 40th St. Such news called for a quick side trip to confirm, so the next time I had a free day, I took the wife and a few friends out for a short field trip.

Lovers and Madmen possesses quite an noticeable street presence, as the cafe is painted a very bright blue with a stripe of red across the top. On the inside, the cafe continues the blue theme with compliments of brown and a silver ceiling. Together with the color scheme, the open windows and nice array of furniture truly makes for a nice place to hang or work.

I ordered Counter Culture's Moka Java via French Press. The coffee proved surprisingly dark with hints of cherry, Riesling and lemongrass. The espresso, pulled short, had the flavor of vanilla and cinnamon, with a milky texture and a slight bit of dark bitterness. The tea is free leaf and from what my friend claims, their chai tasted marvelous.

So, the good news of good coffee west of the Schuykill is true. Give Lovers and Madmen a try if you're nearby.

Mugged: Los Milagros [Crescent Moon]

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What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject: Crescent Moon Coffee & Tea
Coffee Mugged: El Salvador Los Milagros
Rating: 5+ [see key]




Good coffee produced from a quality farm always hits jolly on the spot. Many times, the desire to do right for the coffee producers and harvesters falls under the tires of horrific roasting (so many coffee companies dedicated to social justice never seem to roast well) and hence, so often the hunt for quality taste overwhelms the quest for coffee traded fairly.

But coffees such as Crescent Moon Coffee & Tea's El Salvador Los Milagros restore my hope that just coffee can be roasted just right. The coffee comes from a woman-owned cooperative that is also USDA organic and bird friendly. I first took notice of it on an Independent Coffee Cooperative flier and made a point to try it out.

Fortunately, I landed a pound and excitedly made my way home to try it out. I had it via french press, vacuum press and drip, each one a bit different but all of them similarly wonderful. The french press proved the most luminous, with a strong taste of honey and hints of flowering grass and apple with a subtle earthiness. The vacuum press and drip also produced similar results, both equally refreshing and lovely.

Overall, I savored every cup of Los Milagros and am glad to see such a tremendous coffee offered all over Philadelphia. If you're looking for a good sustainable Central American coffee, give Crescent Moon's Los Milagros a try.

CC: Darling's Cafe & Famous Cheesecakes

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Darling's Cafe & Famous Cheesecakes
Location visited: Philadelphia, PA
(20th St location)
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 3+ [see key]


Enigmatic as it is, I love cheescake but don't care for cream cheese. It could be that I prefer a spread of peanut butter on my bagel to a smear of cream cheese, and guacamole or salsa instead of a high-calorie taco dip (sorry mom). But for an odd reason, when the combination of ingredients that produce a good slice of cheesecake is laid at my fingers, I'm all over it.

And what else would go well with a good slice of cheesecake besides a good cup of coffee? I surrender that I can think of little else. Especially when it's good, local cheesecake.

Apparently the folks at Darling's Cafe & Famous Cheesecakes agree, as to my surprise amidst my first visit I found they had a full coffee menu. Sadly, they serve La Colombe, a moderate-to-fair Philadelphia roaster. The coffee followed suit as it was smoothly bland and had a bit of an off-taste (not to mention a wee bit stale, but that's on the barista). The espresso fared a little better, as it had hints of cocoa and lemon, but overall the shot was quite charred. The cheesecake most fortuitously twas delicious; I felt morose that I hadn't a better coffee to ingest it with.

Walking out of the cute little cafe, I made a note to stop by Darling's the next time I'm in need of a cheesecake. But unless things change with the coffee operation, I'll probably be pairing it with coffee of better pedigree.

If you're nearby Philly, give Darling's Cheesecakes a try.

CC: La.Va Cafe

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What's does "CC" mean?


Subject: La.Va Cafe
Location visited: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 3+ [see key]



Though I greatly enjoy long urban hikes, it's rare when good company, good surroundings and good weather cooperate. Sure you plan for the best, but sometimes you just get stuck with a bitter cold day, four morose companions, and a list of horrible tips coming to fruition as a day spent wandering amidst closed stores.

And then once in a while everything works out just right, such as this past month when I was walking with friends in Philadelphia. We had a small outing planned: lunch at the Reading Terminal, coffee and then a stop at the Mutter Museum. The forecast showed cold temperatures and snow, but that only characterized half the day, as about 2 PM we encountered beautiful skies, a warm breeze and a beautiful neighborhood along the Schuylkill River.

Thankfully, the nice experience lasted throughout the rest of the day, even into the early evening when we were ready to head home. On our walk out, I spotted a sharp-looking corner coffeehouse with large windows called La.Va Cafe and deduced that given our fortune thus far, it could be a nice spot to stretch our legs and grab a quick cup of coffee.

The interior stretches out into a vaulted space with warm decor and classy furniture. The coffee comes from La Colombe and upon sipping their drip, sadly my usual fears were realized as I noted the same tastes of a typical (disappointing) La Colombe cup; bland with hints of char. The espresso sipped a little better, as the barista had decent skills and pulled cherry-toned shots though it still possessed a good deal of char on the end. I didn't note the tea, but aside from the coffee they have a very full menu (which I unfortunately didn't get to try).

While La.Va ended my day in a fair manner, the coffee experience could've been better, especially given what seems to be strengths in other areas. Thus, if you're in the neighborhood, give La.Va Cafe a try for a meal and/or some moderate coffee.

CC: Ray's Cafe and Teahouse

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What's does "CC" mean?


Subject: Ray's Cafe and Teahouse
Location visited: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : no
Rating: 3+ [see key]



Vacuum press coffee. Not just a recent fad but a coffee method that's been going on since the 19th century yet for some reason over the years, not a lot of coffee businesses have bothered to use them.

Oddly enough, a small cafe and eatery in Philly's Chinatown called Ray's Cafe and Teahouse has been doing it for years. Ever since I got into coffee research, I've heard various people rave about the amazing coffee obtained from Ray's vacuum presses. Naturally, when my parents wanted to grab lunch in Chinatown, I figured I could kill two birds with one well-aimed stone.

Unfortunately, Ray's was packed when we showed up to their small cafe and we ended up trying out a different spot down the street for lunch. But when we finished our very authentic Chinese meal, we then made a sweep past Ray's so my dear mother and I could get some coffee (mom made the sweep much easier).

The exterior of Ray's demonstrates an ordinary storefront (with lots of pink!) and the inside lays out in a cute cafe setting with dim lighting and a very compact counter. True to form, they have several vacuum presses lined up on their coffee counter and offer quite a selection of coffee, though much of it looked like it came roasted from afar (like their Japenese charcoal-roasted coffee). I had an African coffee (I believe it was Kenyan) and my mother had Ray's Blend. Both were painstakingly prepared in the vacuum press (they knew what they were doing) but to my dismay, the coffee was old. Sure both coffees had a smooth characteristic and little char, but the stale quality made it hard to label. They do also serve espresso, but as the espresso wasn't something that had been mentioned and the espresso machine looked a little inactive, I decided to pass.

Despite the good vacuum press techniques, the not-so-great coffee put a bit of a damper on my experience. If Ray's had fresh coffee from a local roaster, I think the place could really begin to shine even brighter then it already does.

Thus, if you're looking for a good display of vacuum pressing skills, stop on by Ray's.

CC: TBar

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Subject: TBar
Location visited: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]


For several years, I have been searching for a rose petal tea that I sampled in my great uncle's kitchen in San Francisco. The tea had all of the aroma of a rose bush and was complimented by a sweet tartiness and a nice hint of the very flower petals laying at the bottom of my cup. But though I searched for it (even the very company that sold it to my uncle), I could not find a similar match, as all the teas I tried sampled either too much like a fruit punch or too little like a rose.

But a bit of a blessing lead me to the TBar in Philadelphia, a local tea establishment that has a great number of teas as well as a full menu. I had just finished eating a mediocre dish of bangers and mash (I was feeling Irish that night) across the street with my family at Finn McCool's Ale House when I felt the overwhelming urge for a spot of tea (I had seen T Bar coming in). Naturally, as we were about done and ready to leave, I excused myself and ran across the street.

TBar itself sits pretty on the corner of Samson and 12th with tan stone, large windows, and earth-toned awnings. The interior opens into a large space with beautiful furniture and very calm decor.

The menu of the place consisted of all kinds of tea-related drinks (bubble tea, chai, etc.) as well as numerous kinds of free leaf teas. Curious as to the quality of their chai (as most coffeehouses use a powder and it's rare to see it done right), I decided to sample it. The chai proved a beautiful marriage of tea, milk and spices, proving sweet but not at all strong.

The final moment of elation came as I was sniffing through their teas and the woman behind the counter mentioned they had a rose petal/green tea combination. Skeptical at first, as I've done the song and dance before, I asked to smell it and to my delight, it smelled like a tea rose in full bloom. Willing to take a risk, I got a few ounces to go, and later that night my delight was complete as the tea was even better then the one I remembered.

Needless to say, if you're a fan of tea in any way, I would highly recommend stopping by TBar for a cup in-house or a bag (or two) to go. Obviously, I would suggest the Rose Sencha.