Kawfy Senior Member Joined: 25 Dec 2005 Posts: 8 Location: Howell, NJ Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sat Jan 21, 2006, 10:03pm Subject: Re: Decent coffee in New York.
I just tried out 5 of those. I think SiCaffe shut down. But anyway, I had a day of being severely caffeinated, and would like to report my fair opinion. Keep in mind, I'm not that experienced yet with espresso, although I do brew my own. I plan to go to Charlotte in April and take a coffee cupping course. If you've seen reviews of these shops before and are tired of them, I apologize but I figure most want this info :)
Casa Cupcake Cafe - at 40th St and 9th Ave. Walked right over there from the Port Authority. I went in here, ordered the espresso, and watched the nice man (I think the owner) behind the counter work. He took the time to prewarm the portafilter and demitasse cup, so I looked forward to the espresso double shot (Coming from NJ, trust me, just that is enough) and then I saw him tamp with decent force and start brewing. The shot came out somewhat sweet, with no hint of bitterness. I was happy, but in retrospect, I think the espresso perhaps was a bit weaker than it should have been. Might've cut it off about 3 seconds sooner. Still enjoyable.
Gimme! Coffee - at 495 Lorimer St, between Grand St. and Powers St, in Brooklyn (I took the L there then marched north on Lorimer St. for a couple minutes) This oddly named shop was the toughest to get to, being hidden in Brooklyn. I was aware they defaulted to the triple ristretto, served in a thick-walled cup. They seemed to press a bit harder on the grinds than I'm used to, and pulling the shot seemed to be a restrained alternating of dripping and drizzling. The crema looked brown with a splotch of dark brown in the middle, reminding me of hot cocoa. I'm used to the more flowing, swirly crema. Well, I enjoyed it. Certainly noticeably bitter, but still pleasant and meaty, representing the flavors of their roast. Ultimately, taste is what matters most, so I conclude they know what they're doing.
Blue Spoon Coffee - at Chambers St, between Church and Broadway. I took either the A or the C subway to Chambers St. This shop, open just 3 months as of mid January, 2006, closes at 5pm, so it kept me on a bit of a schedule. They use Intelligentsia coffee, and Heather, the comely owner at the counter, was certainly pleasant to chat with. Well, the double shot of espresso I got could have been a bit meatier I think, although the taste and crema of well-made espresso was there, and she certainly had a love for the business.
Ninth Street Espresso - 9th street, between Avenue B and C. I took the L subway to 14th St. and walked from 1st Ave. What supposed to be the gold standard of espresso in New York, even according to the owner at Casa, turned out to be my favorite. The triple ristretto I got from Ninth Street Espresso looked similar to Gimme's offering, but it turned out to be ... how to describe it.. a bit smoother. I enjoyed both but if it wasn't for all the espresso I already drank that day, I would have had another there.
Joe The Art of Coffee - 13th St. and 5th Ave. I took the 2 or 3 subway to 14th Street. Out of all the baristas, I was honestly most impressed with the blonde-haired one named Jessica here. She served me a shot that was pleasing, and although not quite as meaty as the Ninth Street espresso, still had some body, was flavorful, and not bitter. When I mentioned I was extremely caffeinated because that was my 5th double/triple shot of espresso that day, Jessica asserted to me that she could have done better, and I should not judge them based on espresso pulled when their machine was being temperamental. It's refreshing to see a barista demanding perfection of herself. Next time I'm in the area, I will make sure she's at the counter with a repaired espresso machine and I'll post an update here :)
On a side note, I found two very nice restaurants too.. one is Cafe Glechik, a Russian restaurant on Coney Island Ave just north of Brighton Beach Ave in Brooklyn, and the other is called "Fish", a seafood place in Manhattan near where Jones Ave meets Bleeker St.
A good day in the city, but I'm going to try to sleep now, somehow.
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