I haven’t covered coffee much so far because it’s taken a while to collate something worth reporting on. However, there has been some magnificence among the trash that’s been served as espresso.
In brooklyn I had one stunning short black, and I mean Danny DeVito short, at Ecopolis Cafe. A dark but subtle Italian roast from Strongtree with nice viscosity.
I was impressed with Toronto’s coffee culture where I had two quality espressos in Kensington Market, a bohemian strip of burrito joints, bars with patios and jamaican “grocery” stores.
Cafe Pamenar was where I had my first REAL short macchiato. Everywhere else has served a bastardised cappucino with an inch of froth still hanging around at the bottom of your cup. If I’m honest, it was what I know as a piccolo latte but that didn’t bother me as it’s been so hard requesting a piccolo.
Not far down a leafy street was I Deal Coffee. Locals chilling on the front patio, friendly service and good biscotti. The shot was pulled near to perfection, not watery and long as has been the case at most places so far.
The machine was something else as well. I’ve never seen and old-school looking La Victoria Arduilo like this before.
I got lucky in Boston. My hostel was around the corner from Pavement Coffee House, where they serve a rotation of local roasters as well as their dependable house from Counter Culture. Comparatively, I much preferred the Apollo espresso they had in the second hopper – fruity blood-orange citrus but with low acidity at the end.
The less I write about the coffee I had in Montreal the better, I was surprised.
The streets of Manhattan are littered with Starbucks but I did discover a small chain with great coffee. I’ve now frequented Joe a few times and every time it’s been good. Perfect milk with the macchiato, a brewed sweet and complex El Salvador single origin and a tasty espresso with loads of body.
A couple of weeks ago I bumped into an ex-Melbournian in Prospect Park who now runs a cafe in Prospect Heights, Milk Bar. Apparently they’ve now set a trend in the area by serving flat whites to locals as well as Aussie expats.
Counter Culture coffee prepared with expertise and fresh and tasty food for breakfast, brunch and lunch, Milk Bar is a warm and friendly place with plenty of regulars. I was offered a job and in another life where I’m living in Brooklyn, I can’t see myself doing anything else.
