Showing posts with label west chester. Show all posts
Showing posts with label west chester. Show all posts

Monday, September 11, 2017

West Chester Coffee & Ice Cream Bar




Subject: West Chester Coffee and Ice Cream Bar
Location: West Chester, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Many people find it odd that my wife does not really care for coffee. Maybe it was God's way of balancing out my great coffee affections, but every time we go to a coffee shop, she simply declines a drink and stands to the side, not even desiring a latte or spot of tea.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Mugged: El Salvador [Golden Valley Farms]



What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject: Golden Valley Farms Coffee Roasters
Coffee Mugged: El Salvador Santa Teresa Bourbon
Rating: 3+ [see key]


W
ell-roasted coffee that gives back in some way is the best kind of coffee. Sadly, too often coffee roasters that mean well can't roast and so, many buy lousy coffee in the name of social justice.

Yet decent coffee that possesses sustainable components do exist. One particular new one to me was a coffee sent to me from Golden Valley Coffee Roasters out of West Chester, PA. Golden Valley has a strong Bird Friendly push and recommended their medium roast El Salvador, so I was thrilled to give it a try.

I brewed the coffee via french press, vacuum press and drip. The french press delivered a fair brew with the taste of buttered bread and some nice sweet notes followed with a little spice. The drip cranked out a similar cup with a little more bitterness. But the vacuum press really drew out the sweet notes, reminiscent of berries, plus the buttery aspect and a bit of spice; overall, the best cup.

To put it in a nutshell, the El Salvador proved decent. If you're looking for a fair coffee that's good for the birds, try Golden Valley Farms.


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

Sunday, December 17, 2006

CC: Cream & Sugar Cafe


What's a Coffee Commentary?


Subject: Cream & Sugar Cafe
[ NOT a branch of Brew Ha Ha!
]
Location visited: West Chester, PA
Free WiFi ? : i think so

Rating: 3+ [see key]


J
ust the past Monday, my girlfriend and I made our way to Longwood Gardens to behold their lovely Christmas display, a time-honored tradition in my life for the past ten years or so (though LG went a-wall this year and really spiked their admission and cafe prices so the night was a whole lot more wallet-crippling then usual). But as we were traveling to LG from the King of Prussia mall (we decided to make a day of distant PA activities), we decided to stop in West Chester to kill some time and see if we could find anything interesting to hold our interests until dark.

After a couple blocks of taking in the quaint little town, I found something that caught my eye on lovely Gay St, a place dubbed the Cream and Sugar Cafe. Having only once meandered the streets of West Chester, I was surprised I hadn't bumped into this cafe sooner (I think last time I may have too quickly pegged it a wanna-be coffeehouse and walked on).

The place was typical, with big store windows and a decent amount of seating. It looked a tad run down with nothing aesthetically that really grabbed my attention. I realize now that some of the neglect may result from being part of a somewhat large chain (Brew Ha Ha!), where their multiple stores may all demand more upkeep then they generate in revenue.
*To also oddly note, I would have never made the connection of C & S cafe to Brew Ha Ha! had I not tried to find the website. Unless I overlooked a Brew Ha Ha! sign or something, why in the world would they cover it up?

Cream and Sugar as well as all Brew Ha Ha! cafes serve La Colombe, a predictable choice for a near Philly establishment though also a disappointing one. The coffee ended up as expected; very dark and not too tasty at all.

The espresso, which didn't seem to be affected by the barista's skills, held the typical La Colombe bite but I must admit it wasn't as bad as my many other La Colombe experiences (maybe a different espresso blend?).

The tea was Republic of Tea, an always welcome and quality addition to an establishment. I didn't get a chance to find or try the chai.

To put it simply, I really wasn't impressed with the C & S cafe. They "seem" dedicated to quality and yet, I am not convinced. Fortunately for the cafe, it's in a thriving college town and even though the coffee culture keeps reaching younger and younger, it seems most collegiates remain oblivious to good coffee. I wonder what the West Chester-ians think...

*Update 8/16/07
Turns out this was an independent operation at the time of my visit (and still is to this day) and hence any association with Brew Ha Ha! was but a matter of confusion.