What's a Coffee Commentary?Subject: Spotted Horse Cafe
Location visited: Belgrade, MT
Free WiFi ? : maybe
Rating: 3+ [see key]
Urban sprawl back in the Northeast US usually appears to me as something that has happened; a process that took place centuries (usually decades) ago and only now do I see the effects of past urban and industrial centers. But out here in Montana, the population and spread of settlements sits still so sparse that such towns as Belgrade stands obviously as a dependent of "big city" Bozeman. Still thriving today as a "suburb", the town has a great deal of character, complete with the old-timey feel.
One particular place that seems frozen in time is the town's coffeehouse, The Spotted Horse Cafe, located right near the main intersection. Business has gone continually for 30 years now (if not longer) which definitely puts the original owners as ahead of their time. But despite their years of operation, it seems they haven't changed much since their inception (who charges $0.50 for cream?).
The venue has a saloon bar with a large mirror behind it, heavily dominating the pizzazz-less interior (granted they might be going for that old west, neutral color look). The largest detractor was that the place reeked of onions (they served a full menu, which brings it back to the age old question of whether a coffeehouse should do so with such risks...).
The coffee of their choice was Montana Coffee Traders and when brewed fresh, tasted decent (their brewing methods seemed up to par). The espresso was OK, but after taking an initial sip, I asked the barista for cream, to which she insisted on adding, and ended up diluting it heavily (sigh). I didn't catch the tea or chai.
To put it simply, the Spotted Horse Cafe may have been a pioneer in specialty coffee, but I would recommend they update some of their practices. It's one thing to have history, but it's another matter to not alter with the times. Nonetheless, if you're in the Bozeman area (especially if you fly into the airport), take a side stop to try out the java at the Spotted Horse in nearby Belgrade. If anything, it's a nostalgic cup of coffee.
What's a Coffee Commentary?Subject: Coffee Labs Roasters
Location visited: Tarrytown, NY
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]
Updated 7/31/08
Few places are fun to navigate in the rain, but I would have to say that the area between Mahwah, NJ and White Plains, NY are currently my least favorite (purely for navigational reasons; I like the area for many other aspects).
One such rainy night, on the way to a romantic dinner with the girlfriend (later that night to become fiancee'), we passed through Tarrytown. Ironically, we missed our reservation and went to hunt out other fare in town (with no luck), but we found Coffee Labs Roasters open amidst a fairly dead Main St.
Still being ravenous and not wanting to dawdle too long before we headed out to find food elsewhere, I quickly stopped in to grab some java (we also had a long drive home afterwards) and being second nature, took some mental notes on the place.
As I walked up, I could hear the sounds of local talent, and realized it was an Open Mic. Undeterred, I waded through the crowd to the front counter. The shop was very small (at least it seemed so with all the teenagers crammed in) and very, very loud (one should not have to scream to order). The place had no real unique aesthetics and seemed kind of bland as far as the environment went. The icing on the proverbial cake proved to be the drum roaster that literally sat in the middle of the shop (granted it might have been the only place you can put it, but at the sacrifice of openness and flow?)
As given in the name, they roast their own coffee and seem to focus on single origin coffees (i.e. less blends). The coffee itself tasted a little bland in my opinion but since I was in a hurry, I can't really vouch for it either way.
The espresso tasted fair though the barista who pulled the shot definitely had little experience under her belt. No matter, the shots came out pretty tasty.
Taking two drinks to go, the girlfriend and I got back on our way to finding food (we ended up settling for Wendy's b/c it was getting late) and heading south. Coffee Labs provided a good beverage but I can't really say I was floored, as I had read such praise of them in many a past forum. Maybe the next time I cross the Tappan Zee, I'll give it a second try.
Updated 7/31/08
This update is actually one that was to be posted some time ago but due to an error on mine or Blogger's part, never showed up on this post. My bad for not checking my work...
I managed to make my second visit to Tarrytown on a beautiful warm afternoon and had a significantly better experience. The store was not packed out, the baristas were uber friendly, and the coffee faired much better. While I didn't take specific notes on this particular occasion (a rare occasion where I was without the implements), I noted later that the coffee was significantly better this time around and the espresso still displayed fairly amazing.
What's a Coffee Commentary?Subject: House of Coffee
Location visited: Lahaska, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 3+ [see key]
Among the many Christmas traditions my family holds, one of them is to visit a small retail outfit called Peddler's Village nestled in Bucks County, somewhere west of Trenton and north of Philly. Though I haven't been there aside from the December/January time period, it looks like a lovely place for all seasons.
As any village knows, a decent coffee establishment is quite essential. Fortunately, Peddler's Village has its own coffeehouse called (quite originally) House of Coffee, located relatively in the center (I think) of it all. The interior divides into two rooms, one for whole bean sales and one for their coffee bar. Having come here mostly annually for the past 6-7 years, the inside hasn't changed much and kinda comes across functional but very blah, with few colorful accents.
They roast the coffee fresh, seeming to focus on both single origins and blends. I've had a variation of experiences with their drip (6-7 years) and since my tastes have fluctuated in that time, I figured I'd pay extra attention this time. Fortunately, they were brewing a medium (not dark) roast, which tasted pretty good that day. Unfortunately, I didn't get to try anything else. Thumbs up for now (my only concern lies in how dark their decafs are, though I've noticed decafs being extra dark in other establishments...).
The espresso was quite another story. My doubleshot held a severe bite that I didn't care for in the least. The baristas seemed skilled so maybe the espresso blend simply just lacks the necessary pizzazz?
I didn't catch the tea while I was there, though according to the website, it seems they do their own tea as well. Looks good; it'll have to be a drink another day (only 3 hundred-something days til Christmas!).
At the end of the day, I would say that the place serves the Peddler's Village niche of a decent coffee establishment. Despite the role House of Coffee has played in my Christmas visits, I still can't say I'm impressed with their operation. Nonetheless, make sure to pop in and try it out if you're by the village (you don't need to wait til Christmas).
What's a Coffee Commentary?Subject: Venus Rising Espresso House
Location visited: Butte, MT
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]
Every town has its highlights, the things that make the town really unique. But in West Montana, it seems that Butte (pronounced byute) has some odder claims to fame then most. For one, it has a mile-deep polluted hole full of highly acidic water, all as a result of copper strip mining (which still goes on today). The town was also home to one of the last legal red light districts, the Venus Alley, finally closed down in the 1970s with Reno, Nevada's.
Oddly enough, I managed to find a coffeehouse named (seemingly) after the old red light district, called Venus Rising Espresso House. Giving them the benefit of the doubt that they're not a front to bring back the old brothels, I and a couple colleagues checked the place out. The decor was very very bohemian, with a full art gallery in the back and a very random (yet well-placed) layout of furniture and art all throughout the place. The bar was an old saloon bar, complete with the huge mirror behind it.
They brew Montana Coffee Traders, which has been good at some places and poor at others but as always, I decided to give it a crack here in Butte. Stored in air pots, the coffee came off decent.
The espresso played out as a very odd anomaly. The espresso the first time I stopped relayed horribly blah and watery (poor baristaship mainly) but then the next trip, the doubleshot hit the spot, coming off fairly smooth though (still not phenomenol) due to much better baristas the second time.
The tea was Montana Tea and Spice Traders, a series of tea I finally got to taste only to find them mediocre and not very tasty (*tear*). I had higher hopes...
Overall, if you find yourself in Butte staring at a large hole full of copper water, I would take a side-trip to Venus Rising in "old" Butte.
'
What's a Coffee Commentary?Subject: Joe
(formerly Joe the Art of Coffee)
Location visited: Manhattan, NY
(9 E 13 st)Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]
*Update 3/17/09
I think cities scare most people. The traffic is horrible, people seem to have a bit more of a bite to them, and navigation can be not so much fun when you're unfamiliar with the surroundings. Even though I now feel quite at home in the urban environment, I confess that even I struggled with the unease of walking in such a concrete behemoth (especially when you're the one in the group with the best bearings of where you are...).
Oddly enough, I think the wonder and unique aspects of NYC manages to outweigh peoples' trepidation for the urban environments. Maybe its the superior public transit or the overwhelming options awaiting people, but whatever it is, NYC does not lack a heavy flow of non-city dwellers.
On one particular trip, I arrived with my darling to run various errands and check out a couple of other things. One place in particular I wanted to visit was a place called Joe the Art of Coffee (which from hence forth in this post will be referred to as JTAOC), mainly because they had earned a reputation of boldly laying down a quality coffee and espresso foundation in a previously inept land of java-ignorance.
After making a quick cut through Washington Square and NYU we made our way up to 13 St to find the place, which I found easily b/c I had the address (you could see that all the way from the corner whereas the signage you had to be on top of to see). The exterior was nice but the interior was something else. The decor was very bright, the furniture quite compact, and the seating on all kinds of levels (to fit more of the masses, of which there were many, I assume). The coolest part of the whole place was the fire ladder the staff take to get to the offices.
The coffee came from a New England coffee supplier called Barrington Coffee Roasters, which when in the hands of JTAOC poured a decent cup of coffee (though try not to ask too many questions when they're busy; one or two of the baristas can be a bit short). The espresso was also a pleasing treat, with some of the barista skillty being among some of the finest I'd seen in Manhattan.
Overall, I like the outfit a lot though I wonder what their influx of crowdedness looks like on a daily basis. If anything, that would deter me regular trips if I lived nearby (it's no fun to be rushed, though I understand they need the business). If you're in lower Manhattan, definitely keep a sharp eye out for a JTAOC (they have 3 locations).
*Update 3/17/09
Joe the Art of Coffee has shortened their name to Joe and changed their coffee to Ecco Caffe.
