Posted Tue Jul 9, 2002, 12:45pm Subject: Good espresso drinks in NYC?
Hard to believe that a major city with so much great dining and everything else under the sun would have a dearth of good espresso joints but it seems to be the case. For obvious reasons I've written off Starbucks, Timothy's and World Coffee. Rumor has it that Cafe Gitane is good but reading it appears that it's quite the trendy scene and I hesitate to wade through that stuff at my age just for some good espresso. I've tried Cafe Reggio and La Lanterna (both on MacDougal Street) on repeat occasions and although each has its own appeal I was highly unimpressed with the espresso drinks. Chelsea Coffeehouse at 21st and 7th Ave makes a decent cup but there's almost no place to sit - it's really just for take-out. There's also a place that serves some awesome Italian espresso in beautiful cups and includes a piece of phenomenal Belgian chocolate with every espresso drink but it's down in the financial district (maybe near 50 Broad? can't recall the name of it but I know Goldman Sachs has a big building right across the street and it's a few block southeast of the Wall St subway station).
Sooo... how about someplace else? Any ideas? I'm all ears.
Subject: Higher Grounds, NYC From: Eric Sakowski <ski@fakedomain.com> Newsgroups: alt.coffee
I finally managed to make the pilgrimage to Higher Grounds in NYC, the place favorably reviewed in the New York Times a month or so ago. Absolute best espresso I've ever had in a cafe. 1000 times better than any espresso I've ever had in a cafe :)
The reviewer for NYT said that the crema was a khaki color -- not mine. He must've been there on an off day, and he still liked it. My double was red-brown with the dark mottled 'tiger stripe' effect. Great body, great mellow flavor, no real high notes. The pf was wiped clean with a rag, then whirr, clickety clickety...he must've hit the doser arm 20 or 30 times. Quick swipe with the hand to level it off, and then he must not have liked it because he ground some more and dosed on top of it, and levelled again. Tamped w/ a Reg Barber. The barista did not use a levelling tamp, just a solid tamp that looked to be around 30 lbs, a light tap, and a few twists with a little force but not much that I could see. The pour was perfect, narrow straight lines occasionally breaking into fast droplets. And the barista monitored the entire pour very closely. Handed me my cup and started to turn away, but stopped when I immediately took a sip and asked me how I liked it. Needless to say, I was ecstatic. When I told him it was the best espresso I'd ever had in a cafe, he merely nodded, said "Thanks brother". The cost? $2.00, and then I was so happy I put another buck in the already overflowing tip box. The caffeine gave me just the right buzz for haggling with the merchants in Chinatown later in the day, I got some *great* deals :)
Definitely worth the trip out to 9th and C. Thanks to Steven Bookman for finding the exact location and posting it, which I will now repost:
Higher Grounds Cafe 700 East 9th Street #2 New York, NY 10009-5309
Open 7am to 8pm Sunday/Monday Open 7am to 10pm Tuesday-Saturday
Posted Sat Sep 7, 2002, 5:46am Subject: Re: Good espresso drinks in NYC?
Thanks for the tip George. I rarely get much further over than Houston and 2nd (to the wonderful Sunshine Rialto for a movie - best bet is to waddle in after devouring a Jonah Schimmel knish next door :-}
I figured there had to be a couple places in NYC that were really good but $cks is so darn predominate that there seems to be less room for others than there should be. I read in chowhound that Cafe Gitane has awesome espresso but it appears to be a young, oh so cooler than thou scene with large clouds of cigarette smoke to boot. I'll have ot leave that oen until I can get there mid-afternoon when it's quiet. I've been meaning to check out some restaurants over on Ave A - now I have another good excuse!
gregorio Senior Member Joined: 25 Sep 2002 Posts: 36 Location: Philadelphia Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: wega EVD w/rotary pump Grinder: mini mazzer Drip: not since the penicillin... Roaster: whirly-pop
Posted Sat Oct 26, 2002, 9:34pm Subject: Re: Good espresso drinks in NYC?
Well, I made it up to Higher Grounds down on Ave "C", and I'm not trying to dispute the other reviews posted here and elsewhere, but I didn't find it incredible. I will admit that it was better than standard fare in any random coffeehouse, but as we all know, that's not saying much. I will give them another chance if I find myself back on the lower east side, just to rule out an occasional bad day behind the bar, but the two cups I had were not exactly deserving of some of the superlatives I have read. The coffee had an overall decent taste, with good crema, not great crema but good, and seemed to be dutifully prepared. But I also found it to be rather thin for a ristretto, and a bit too sharp and winey for my taste. I admit to being a disciple of the "Southern Italian" school, where chocolatety, rounded overtones are the order of the day, but I can appreciate the quality of a flute as well as an oboe. Don’t get me wrong....I think anyone who is actually putting out effort at a retail level to turn out a decent cup should be supported, and I wouldn't want to dissuade anyone from making a visit there, but you may not want to inflate your expectations, as I venture to say that many of us are getting better coffee home.
Posted Wed Feb 12, 2003, 9:19pm Subject: Re: Good espresso drinks in NYC?
Try the Halcyon in Booklyn....227 Smith St. Its decent and fun...they use vivace espresso from Seattle. They have DJs everynight and alittle record shop toward the back...its pretty funky. -C.D.
Shavata Senior Member Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 43 Location: Austin,TX Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Searching Grinder: Searching Drip: One cup Roaster: HG & DB
Posted Mon Nov 29, 2004, 9:17am Subject: Re: Good espresso drinks in NYC?
Is there a damn good reason that the greatest culinary city in the US is an espresso wasteland? Why is there not one Doma, Zoka,Intelligentsia, etc in that town?
Posted Mon Nov 29, 2004, 9:28am Subject: Re: Good espresso drinks in NYC?
Have you tried Joe on Waverly Place, or 9th Street Coffee on ave C, or Gimme Coffee in Brooklyn? These are 3 of the best in the city and are equal to or even a notch above anything that Seattle or Chicago has.
Posted Sat Dec 4, 2004, 10:30am Subject: Re: Good espresso drinks in NYC?
Actually ...higher grounds is now -ninth street espresso-... and as far as St. Hellen...it was decent but bland. Suprising since they get there beans from Vivace. -CD
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