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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: London, UK
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]
Market day is one of my favorite days. I'm no expert as to the frequency of markets all over the UK, but there sure seemed like a lot of street markets in London, and I basked in every second I had in them.
Climpson and Sons, a London coffee roaster and cafe that carries on the name of an old butcher operation, happened to be located in the bustling Broadway Market. I made my way there amidst intermittent drizzle and the enterprising stalls to their jam-packed cafe on a warm Saturday afternoon. The interior utilized every ounce of seating room as possible (inside and out) and had a simple yet sharp overall feel to it.
Given the culture in London coffeehouses to stick primarily to espresso, Climpson serves up a large series of espresso-based drinks but not the other types of coffee infusions (to my knowledge at least). I ordered an espresso, pulled short and with a good head of crema, that held notes of sour lemon, a bit of cocoa, creamy hints of raspberry, rye bread, sesame and a little bitterness. My only slight concern was that the espresso seemed pulled a little too hot (temperature) and the espresso was served in a paper cup (since it was market day, the given volume prohibits house glasses to be of much use); neither truly abhorrent signs but still, slight detractions from the experience. I failed to note the tea.
Despite the wondrous Broadway Market experience, I kind of wish I had come on a non-market day as I feel it would have been better with less people coursing by and in the cafe. Plus, their whole bean coffee on their shelves looked delicious and I really would have loved to try some of their coffees out via non-espresso means.
Thus, if you're in the city, stop into Climpson and Sons.
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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Salem, MA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]
Few cities hold onto their negative past (on purpose) as well as Salem. The witch trials of old bear many a harsh reminder (such as how frenzied fear can cause people to kill their neighbors), yet aside from the power of learning, the power of tourism holds even larger sway. It is to this that I owe my several visits to the town.
This last trip, I had more on my agenda then the local history, as a local coffee establishment called Jaho Coffee & Tea had captured my attention with rumors of good coffee. After taking in some of the puritanical sights, we made our way to the old maritime wharf where the coffeehouse rests. The cafe is a multi-leveled shop with an array of seating and a lounge-like atmosphere.
Of Jaho's coffees (they roast their own), I tried their Rwandan via drip. A medium roast, it sampled saucy, sweet, with a bit of ginger and a noticeable stale/cardboard quality (pretty obvious to be from an old pot). The espresso, prepared short and with a good head of crema, displayed bright and bitter contrasts up front, a little chocolate, some salt, sugar and a tinge of five spice. The espresso seemed prepared fairly well and the espresso blend decent (though both seemed like they had more potential then how it showed up in my cup). The tea is Mighty Leaf.
In wrapping up my experience, I found Jaho to be at least a fair coffee presence and at best, not well represented that day. Yet another place to wait to revisit for a more definitive ruling.
If you're in town (hopefully not for a trial), try the brew at Jaho.
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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.
What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: London, UK
