onocoffee Senior Member Joined: 5 Sep 2002 Posts: 730 Location: Towson, Maryland Expertise: Just starting
Espresso: La Marzocco Linea 2AV, 3AV &... Grinder: 4 Mazzer Major Autos, Compak... Vac Pot: That crazy Bodum eSantos Drip: Bunn CWT Twin, Bunn Water... Roaster: Petroncini The Crumb
Posted Wed Jul 28, 2004, 6:24pm Subject: Re: Is there any good Cafe's in Hawaii?
When I'm in Honolulu, I usually head over to Coffee Talk on Waialae Avenue in the Kaimuki neighborhood. The coffee is pretty decent, they're open late and they have free wireless internet access. I've spent many a night working on projects there.
The Honolulu Coffee Company in Ala Moana Shopping Center (third floor store not the cart) has at least one barista that seems to know what she's doing. She made some pretty good drinks for me earlier this year when I was there. The location in the Moana Surfrider - I don't know about that one - I had quite an "experience" there and won't go back. You can search through my postings for the details.
If you're into cigars, The Smoking Bean on South King Street and Keeaumoku Street is a nice place to go. Decent espresso and a nice selection of cigars. Try the Tatuaje and tell Jason I said hello.
If you're into comic books, The Sanctuary on Kapiolani Blvd serves espresso in the back. It's a funky scene with the usual comic book store clientele.
When on the North Shore there's Coffee Gallery in Haleiwa. It's a quaint little shop with decent drinks and they do their own roasting on site.
There are a few more cafes in Waikiki but I've never been to them so I can't really tell you much about them.
tom_b Senior Member Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Posts: 537 Location: Maui, Hawaii
Espresso: Rancilio Silvia/PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MCF Roaster: USPS/Popper
Posted Mon Aug 9, 2004, 1:30pm Subject: Re: Is there any good Cafe's in Hawaii?
Hawaii is not the best scene for espresso. Great drip, if it's Hawaii beans roasted by one of the better roasters, but not espresso.
All green beans imported into the state have to be fumigated, to protect the coffee industry from coffee diseases. Since espresso blends need beans from elsewhere to round out the flavor, this is not good, based on my limited attempts in locating a good espresso blend for home use, and sampling espresso at places that roast. I think fumigation hurts the taste a lot; really noticeably as opposed to organic vs pesticide sprayed beans, which are hard to differentiate taste-wise. Cafes that want to offer a better product, and that do their own roasting, have this as a limitation in making espresso, while the average cafe (like the rest of the world) uses stale beans in shots that run fast. A shop that wants to provide a better product is in a quandry - shipping by air unfumigated roasted espresso blends is a big cost, when commercial leases and many other costs here are exorbinantly high already.
Another byproduct of this situation is that blends of Hawaii beans roasted in the state use the fumigated centrals, etc. for blending, so we're not exactly promoting quality of coffee taste in the bulk of what we produce here, which is bad for the industry. If we blended with non-fumigated beans we'd have a better product, and we'd sell more, but (and it's a big butt) the danger of foreign coffee diseases is too great.
Home roasters can't (well, in my limited lookings) even get non-Hawaii green in small quantities, so i've missed out on home roasting for espresso, and mail order via priority mail instead, at an average of $15 lb shipped, which takes 2 days occasionally, 6 days mostly, and sometimes 9, 10.. 11..
onocoffee Senior Member Joined: 5 Sep 2002 Posts: 730 Location: Towson, Maryland Expertise: Just starting
Espresso: La Marzocco Linea 2AV, 3AV &... Grinder: 4 Mazzer Major Autos, Compak... Vac Pot: That crazy Bodum eSantos Drip: Bunn CWT Twin, Bunn Water... Roaster: Petroncini The Crumb
Posted Mon Aug 9, 2004, 2:44pm Subject: Re: Is there any good Cafe's in Hawaii?
Tom-
Has anyone tried working the Hawaiian-grown beans as a Single Origin Espresso?
Within some of the pro barista circles there has been quite a bit of discussion concerning SOS (single origin shot) espresso and I would guess that someone somewhere in the islands is currently growing a bean that would be great for espresso.
Personally I would have tried working a Kona as an SOS but at $35/pound it's pretty expensive to waste while you're dialing in the grinder! But I'm curious to know how the other (Kauai, Molokai, etc) coffees would fare as SOS.
Posted Mon Aug 9, 2004, 3:02pm Subject: Re: Is there any good Cafe's in Hawaii?
I'm not Tom, but I've heard that Cea & Bob Smith of Smithfarms Kona is great as a S.O.S., & @ $11/lb green too! This price hasn't changed either since I 1st found out about Smithfarms around Sept/00. I've not used it in espresso, but it's the best kona I have ever tasted!!
It's "Estate Grade Run", a combination of Extra Fancy, Fancy & No. 1 Grades as they naturally occur @ the farm.
tom_b Senior Member Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Posts: 537 Location: Maui, Hawaii
Espresso: Rancilio Silvia/PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MCF Roaster: USPS/Popper
Posted Mon Aug 9, 2004, 3:54pm Subject: Re: Is there any good Cafe's in Hawaii?
Hey Ono, you know better than I perhaps, I haven't been at this for so long. What did CG say about Kona - too delicate for espresso? Thems my feelings so far. HI beans are like other island beans, as long as not over-roasted make a good smooth cup, but lack the complexity, the gusto of a balanced espresso blend. I use a light roasted Hana bean when I'm in between mail ordered beans, it is also my wife's standard bean. Mostly I use Hawaiian beans at work for drip. But you're right, there could be some beans around the state that'd be great, and Craig's right too - should try smithfarms.. :) tom
onocoffee Senior Member Joined: 5 Sep 2002 Posts: 730 Location: Towson, Maryland Expertise: Just starting
Espresso: La Marzocco Linea 2AV, 3AV &... Grinder: 4 Mazzer Major Autos, Compak... Vac Pot: That crazy Bodum eSantos Drip: Bunn CWT Twin, Bunn Water... Roaster: Petroncini The Crumb
Posted Mon Aug 9, 2004, 8:49pm Subject: Re: Is there any good Cafe's in Hawaii?
Tom-
Hana bean? They're growing coffee in Hana? Can you tell me a little more about the bean and the grower? Sounds fascinating.
Actually, I'll be in Honolulu next week for a trade show. Don't think I'll have the time to swing out to Maui though but would love to try some of the Hana beans.
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