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What's does "CC" mean?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.
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What's does "CC" mean?Location visited: Seattle, WA
(2nd Ave location)
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]
How the bustling cityscape calms to a lucid tranquility on weekend mornings. Especially in a city like Seattle, there is almost a ridiculous impetus to forgo any type of late sleeping in order to best take advantage of the urban peace.
Naturally, I also had my drive to find a good brew in the great coffee-tropolis, and hence I found myself standing at the front doors of Trabant Coffee and Chai first thing on a Saturday morning. The coffeehouse had just opened and my pal and I were the only souls present aside from the lone barista. The cafe is cavernous, with an open yet extremely well-constructed seating arrangement with vintage globe lighting.
I ordered a cup of Guatemalan Finca El Jaibal via their Clover, as well as a shot of Epic Espresso (both coffees from 49th Parallel). The El Jaibal produced nuttiness with a croissant buttery-ness, chocolate chip, some oolong and grain; a great balanced Guatemalan coffee. The Epic demonstrated well, with some cocoa, whiskey kick, pepper, sweet raspberry and a little smoke, all of which was embodied in a short pull with good crema. The tea is free leaf.
The tranquility of the early morning paired well with Trabant's wares. But even if the streets were overburdened with people, I would still make my way back. Get on down to Trabant if ye be in Seattle.
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What's does "CC" mean?Location visited: State College, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]
Central Pennsylvania has always been greatly overlooked in my travels. I have driven across it many times but aside from the scenery along the turnpike, there was little else I managed to see.
That sad trend met its end when I found my way to State College. The quintessential college town, State College surpassed my meager expectations with its bustling streets full of alluring stores and eateries (unlike some other college towns that shan't be named).
But what put my delight into hyperdrive was the presence of Saint's Cafe. Serving up Intelligentsia, Metropolis and Counter Culture, this coffeehouse was the first cafe I had heard of between Philly and Pittsburgh that knew about good coffee (never mind served it).
Parking in the metered lot across the street, I walked over, into their busy yet open cafe full of whites, greens and tans (all influenced by complimentary lighting). The space had an overall warm environment as well as plenty of seating.
I ordered an espresso of (Intelly's) Black Cat and a Clover-brewed Rwandan (also from Intelly). The espresso was pulled pretty well, appearing with a great crema and the flavors of creamy chocolate milk, lemon rind, clove and a bit of pepper. The shots seemed a bit off from normal Black Cat but the quality still proved splendid. The Rwandan displayed mild hops, caramel, wheat grass, raspberry yogurt, a tinge of tobacco and a small measure of fig (i.e. a delicious coffee). The tea is free leaf and Republic of Tea.
My experience with the cafe left me pleased, as the service and product both boded well. Along with Penn State's world-famous creamery (which was practically bursting with fervent customers that day), Saint's Cafe easily produces a good reason for making State College a place to hit soon.
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What's does "CC" mean?Location visited: London, UK
Free WiFi ? : no
Rating: 6+ [see key]
Making my way through the bustling streets of London made me cherish the less crowded areas when I found them. One nice walk in particular was near the Museum of London on my way to a coffee operation called Dose.
Dose first gripped my attention from a video documentary of a coffee crawl (who was in this video or where you can view it, I failed to write it down). What attracted me was their use of guest coffees (aside from their usual roaster of Square Mile) as well as the ambitious push to be "the best coffee in London."
The cafe exists as a simple yet sharp white building with two windows flanking the main entry. Inside, the space is small with efficient seating to either side and a snazzy magnet letter menu.
I started with an espresso from Square Mile (not sure which blend), a short pull with great crema that displayed lemon candy, bitter cocoa, hints of cherry, nutmeg, rum and seltzer. After (smiling and) washing that down with a glass of water, I moved onto an aeropressed Ethiopian Yirgacheffe full wash (also SM). The coffee delivered blackberry and blueberry preserves, wheat grass, grape, a little vanilla and a body similar to french press. Both coffees were delicious and in my euphoria, I forgot to check the tea.
In a nutshell, Dose provided a good dose of great London coffee. While I wouldn't be qualified to designate their rank in London's coffee scene, they are certainly somewhere at the top. Give them a shot for sure.
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What's does "CC" mean?Location visited: Pittsburgh, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]
Needing a decent coffee stop on my way out one morning, I checked my coffee list for nearby coffeehouses and an intriguing place called J'eet showed up. I had not heard much of them except that they splendidly purvey Commonplace Coffee, a roaster of nearby Indiana (that at the time, was in the midst of setting up their own Pburgh cafe in Squirrel Hill).
Always up for the adventure, I made my way through the AM congestion and found a parking spot right before the bright red-and-black, snack bar-esque front window of the cafe. Walking in, I was greeted by a cheerful barista sitting in a long shop that seems built for expediency (inside and outside serving windows) but also had a good amount of seating and a separate sandwich counter in the back.
Said chipper spro slinger served me up a cup of Ethiopian (drip) and an espresso. The Ethiopian lent some flavors of bright blueberry, tart hyacinth, sunflower, a little grass and a bit of molasses (pretty good). The espresso, pulled short with fair crema, held bitter cocoa, lemon, sugar, some pepper and a little whiskey with a dark bite on the end (also pretty good). The tea I did not catch.
To encapsulate my endeavor, I would remark that J'eet not only peddles Commonplace Coffee well, but exists as a fine establishment in the neighborhood. Do make a visit.
What's does "CC" mean?
