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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Pittsburgh, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]
Too often, coffeehouses seem locked into small retail spaces with no parking. Sure, the reasons can be rooted to lots of things like wanting to be trendy, needing cheaper rent or a fear of minivans. But in my simple observations, we exist as a country deeply in love with personal transportation and suburbia, thus it would seem to make sense for more quality cafes to move out of the city.
While I was in Pittsburgh, I was pleased to find the area had one such specimen right off Washington Rd/Route 19 in a cute shopping center mostly to itself. Blue Horse Coffee was its name, a venue that had lured me with news of superb coffee from Counter Culture as well as some skill with the portafilter. The building itself towered with high ceilings and was adorned inside with a Native American fashion (emphasis on horses) including lots of blues, tans and adobe.
This particular morning, the cafe was practically empty and so unimpeded, I ponied up to the counter and ordered a cup of their house, Crooks Corner House Blend, via drip, as well as a double espresso. The Crooks Corner backed in with notes of caramel, sunflower seed, cocoa, some almond (both in nutty and bitter characteristics) and some noticeable staleness. While the coffee had a good amount of positives, the bitterness and stale aspects definitely took away from it. The espresso, pulled small/medium with thin crema, proved a little too hot off the extraction and held flavors of bitter chocolate, lemon, sugar and a dark body. It seemed my espresso was average. The tea is Two Leaves and a Bud.
While I am happy to find another example of a well-respected suburban cafe, I was not floored with their coffee infusions (Counter Culture's product is usually up on their quality control). I either hit Blue Horse's baristas on a really bad day or they have a loyal following of over-hypers. I hope to make it back (relatively) soon to give it a second try.
If you happen to be in the area, give Blue Horse a ride; maybe you'll have better fortunes.
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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Milwaukee, WI
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]
My final stop in lovely Milwaukee was a place called Roast Coffee Company. Having need for a good coffee stop for the road, Roast seemed like a fitting final stop for my short time in Milwaukee, as they have displayed their yearning for excellence through hosting numerous Barista jams over the years.
Roast occupies a street-corner cafe near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus. Inside, the cafe possessed a very mellow atmosphere, with lots of earth tones, a copper ceiling, an older tile floor and oodles of seating.
I ordered a cup of Rwandan 100% Bourbon (from Anodyne Coffee Roasters) via pump pot. The coffee proved sweet, like a honeycrisp apple with hints of grain, caramel and a medium body, though it also had a stale quality that reduced the cup to less than wonderful. The espresso, a quality short pull with nice crema, smacked of dark cocoa, a little lemon, sugar, cinnamon and chocolate milk on the end. The tea is Rishi free leaf.
Despite the older drip, the experience at Roast seemed to be splendid. I left a happier man then whence I arrived. Give Roast a swirl if you're nearby.
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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: London, UK
Free WiFi ? : no
Rating: 6+ [see key]
Unique ideas often come with unique possibilities. When Square Mile Coffee opened up new kind of coffee venue, one centered on the coffee like a Porsche in a showroom, it definitely made for a new concept. Instead of patrons coming to a cafe for a quick cup-to-go or to sit and utilize the WIFI, this venue would expertly showcase coffee much like a Magic Bullet commercial (just replace the corny "1...2....3" sales pitch with pure coffee nerd-dom).
This new type of coffee display was dubbed the Penny University, situated in a small retail space in Shoreditch where the furniture was minimal and the coffee is all infused sans-espresso machine (i.e. they filter, siphon...just not espresso). Upon my visit, the place was brimming much more like a cocktail party, with the patrons energetically engaging the baristas in coffee banter (versus the typical keep-to-yourself environment of a cafe).
After studying my options, I caught a barista's attention and ordered a filtered cup (brewed in a Hario) of La Linda Tolima from Colombia. It was made with great care and then with additional grace, was presented in a perfectly-sized glass carafe with a ceramic cup. I noted some nice chocolate flavors, a little caramel apple, some grass, cashew and a bit of cream. The coffee proved deliciously balanced and well-infused.
As for other coffee options, they do different brew methods and also offer a plethora of coffee merchandise (including whole beans) but as I mentioned, they don't do espresso.
Yet as with most rarities, the Penny University will be disappearing as of July 30, 2010. As hinted in the press release, it seems this concept may resurface elsewhere but the current incarnation will definitely expire in but a few days. I simply thank my fortunes that within the limited window of their 3 month existence, I was able to sample the spectacle.
Thus, keep an eye peeled for Square Mile Coffee happenings and in the meantime, try out one of the many cafes in London brewing or pulling shots of Square Mile.
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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Somerville, MA
Free WiFi ? : no
Rating: 5+ [see key]
Most coffeehouse spaces within urban environments tend to be getting smaller and more chic with each passing day. I've been to quite a few spots where 'standing room only' would be a generous claim and one place that I had to literally hold my coffee above my head so it wouldn't spill. Now, I will weasel into a bear den for good coffee, but occasionally I like large, open spaces. And Diesel Cafe in the Boston area had much more then open space; they had the seating of a truck stop.
Diesel Cafe is a cafe located right off the Davis T stop (north of Boston) nestled amidst a cute main street area. The front of the cafe opens up in nice weather, which made space for the line of customers moving into their industrial, choc-full-of-local-and-vintage art space.
Diesel serves up Intelligentsia, one of the few spots in the city not serving up local beans. I ordered a cup of the New Guinea via drip, a brew that proved bright with notes of sweet potato, celery, a little unsweetened cocoa, a bit of a dark body and a little staleness (had been in the pot too long I think). The espresso, Intelly's Black Cat blend, was pulled short with fair crema and had the flavors of sweet chocolate milk, lime, a prominent saltiness, cola and some merlot. Overall, the espresso didn't sample like usual Black Cat, but it was still decent. The tea is free leaf.
After camping out in the cafe for a little while, I developed a decent impression of the joint. Sure it could use a few minor refinements (the lighting wasn't the best and the drip shouldn't taste stale) but in the end, it was a good experience. Give Diesel a stop if you're in town.
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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Chicago, IL
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]
Sadly, transparency in people has become more and more a unique rarity, like a responsible oil company (oh smack!) or a cheerful velociraptor. But I caught myself an unprecedented glimpse of such a cryptozoological specimen at a local cafe in Chicago (with a kicking lunch menu), where the young barista confided in me that the cafe's coffee was lackluster and that if I was looking for good coffee, to check out a place called the Star Lounge. As I recovered from my initial shock of such a disarming recommendation, he readily sketched down their web address and with strong enthusiasm, encouraged me to check it out if I wanted to try some amazing coffee.
Well, I certainly wanted to try out some amazing coffee so I suggested the spot as a rendezvous for meeting up with a gaggle of colleagues. In the waning hours of daylight, we made it to the Star Lounge, shimmering in a slightly older storefront on W. Chicago Avenue. Up the stairs to the slightly-elevated-off-the-street viscera (inside), I stood amidst a bustle of patrons nestled amidst orange walls, wood floors, an old bar and some snazzy furniture.
As I stared at their menu, I learned that though Star Lounge roasts their own coffee, they use the name of Dark Matter for their roasting operations (I do love an appropriate astronomical pun). I ordered their Burundi via drip, a juicy yet beef broth-ey coffee with notes of Earl Grey tea and a subtle grassiness in an overall smooth cup. The espresso, pulled short with a pleasing crema and velvety mouth feel, tasted of lemon, dark cocoa, sugar cane and a bit of bitterness. Both the coffee and the espresso proved pleasing with only a tad too much bitterness in the espresso. The tea is free leaf.
In departing, I thought the honest barista's recommendation was not too far off. Star Lounge seems like a great local place looking to refine with time; with a few minor tweaks, the place could really earn a name for itself (especially if all their clientele are as fervent as the chap I first met). If you're in the vicinity, shoot over to Star Lounge.
What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Pittsburgh, PA
