Part coffeehouse, part gift shop, part art gallery, part hangout: Flying M.

If you were to ask residents of downtown Boise what the top 10 popular hang out places are, Flying M would make all of their lists.
Flying M has been around since 1992, and brewing their own coffee since ‘95. They have two locations: the Flying M Coffeehouse located on West Idaho St. downtown, and the Flying M Coffee Garage located on 2nd Street South in Nampa. I can’t vouch for their Nampa site, as I haven’t made the trek out there yet, but reviews speak for themselves.

This review is based primarily on what I’ve experienced at their downtown location.

When I was but a wee lad I remember Flying M being the “cool place” for my older sister and her friends to hang out. Not much has changed – Flying M remains one of Boise’s most centralized meeting places. The chances of you running into someone you know at Flying M are pretty dang good. Not to mention pre-scheduled meetings: many people spend a couple hours just chatting it up with friends they haven’t seen in a while, or grabbing a quick business meeting with colleagues.

Flying M’s coffee, self described:

Flying M Coffee produces one espresso blend – a full-bodied, medium roasted blend rich with crema.  Flying M Espresso Blend has been served since 1995 at the Boise location and several other locally owned coffee shops and restaurants.  Flying M also roasts a House Blend, consisting of a French roast paired with a medium roast Indonesian producing a powerful, bittersweet cup.

In more descriptive terms, their coffee-art laden brew is smooth and light on the acidity. The mocha I grabbed on my last visit was great; just remember that they’re not big on their shots. While some coffee shops, such as Dawson’s and Dutch Bros. boast as many as three shots to a 16oz – with four if you’re in for the extra kick – Flying M seems to focus more on taste. Their menu is interesting if not a little unusual, their sizes being 8oz, 12oz, 16oz (with one, one, and two shots included, respectively.) Most coffee shops these days have a 12oz, 16oz, 20oz menu while still others go higher. I’m inclined to think, however, that Flying M is inherently not a follower of trends. Rather, they seem to be home to the very people who start trends.

Besides coffee, Flying M hosts a gift shop, an art gallery (see pics), free wi-fi, music events, their own bakery, and an atmosphere that makes your extrovert come out.

If you haven’t tried Flying M yet, come see what you’re missing. It’s 100% Boise, and 100% worth it.

The Coffee Guy

To Bean or Not to Bean?

The Human Bean opened its first store in Ashland, Oregon, in 1998. Early success and positive customer reception encouraged us to open additional locations throughout Southern Oregon during the next five years. We now own and operate twelve corporate stores with plans for modest corporate store growth in the Pacific Northwest. The most significant growth of the brand has occurred through franchising.

The Human Bean is the one drive thru I’ve really wanted to do a review about. I’ve heard great things about their coffee and their franchise, and thought it was time to give them a try and write an analysis about my experience.

As I pulled up to the coffee shop I gave the stand a look over. Visually appealing, clever logo, even cleverer name. Their menu didn’t shout anything too spectacular, but it covered the basics and added a couple specialty drinks- not uncommon. Giving it a quick scan, I decided on a 16oz double shot mocha. Beginning to pull forward I glanced at the ordering window. Laden with stickers of brands, it showed that they are proud of their sponsors and product producers. The barista stepped forward, opened the window, and asked me what I wanted.

That’s when it started going downhill.

In my experience, more then half of the coffee experience is the environment. I could get the best brew on earth, but if the staff serving it is rude and impolite, the coffee is probably going to taste weak and dusty.
Drive thru coffee shops are unique in that they have only minutes to set the atmosphere, make the coffee, and give the customer a good experience. Typically drive thru coffee shops, whether they be locally owned or a corporately managed, will only employ baristas who are full of energy and exploding with happiness. Hopefully this barista will influence the customer in such a way that will turn them into a returning customer, then a regular.

I noticed several things shortly after ordering my drink. First, the barista (a college-aged female) didn’t look very excited. Granted, it’s a Sunday, it’s cold outside, and the booth looked pretty crammed. I probably wouldn’t want to be in her place. That being said, she was already putting a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended).
To make things worse, she didn’t talk to me while making my drink. Again, giving her the benefit of the doubt, she may have been focusing on making a good coffee. After a couple moments of awkward silence, I attempted to strike up some small talk.
“So, what kind of coffee do you guys use?”
“Coffee…like, regular coffee or espresso?” she said.
“Espresso.” I replied
“Farm Friendly Direct.” is what I think she said. It was a little hard to hear her above the whir of the steaming milk.
“Oh, ok. Cool.” I replied.

After a couple more moments of silence:
“So, what kind of roast is that?” I asked.
She paused,
“Is it like a medium roast?” I asked, prompting her.
“Yeah, I think it’s a medium roast.” She replied, after some hesitation.

At that point it became clear that the barista really wasn’t sure what kind of coffee she was serving me.

Now, please don’t misread what I’m trying to say. This one barista may not be the standard that The Human Bean normally employs. In fact, she may have simply been having an off day.
The fact of the matter is that I really wasn’t impressed with the service.

So, those are the cons. What are the pros?

My coffee was made quickly, and served with a chocolate covered coffee bean. If nothing else, I left with a sweet present to snack on. I didn’t get a chance to try the coffee until I got home, but here’s my review:

Not entirely strong. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if The Human Bean does use a medium espresso blend. In fact, here’s what their website says:

Our signature blend combines Indonesian, Central American, and African beans to create espresso that is smooth with a hint of berries and a bright finish.  It’s great for mocha’s and flavored lattes.

Well, it really was pretty good in a mocha. I’m not a huge fan of weak coffee, but I did enjoy this particular drink. The mocha was well made: smooth beginning, hints of the espresso with a strong chocolate note to accompany. Both notes rang clear through the end of the sip, and as they hit my palette the orchestra erupted into the climax of the song. The finish was smooth, like the beginning, with the classic mocha aftertaste: bittersweet, with thick saliva containing leftovers as if to remind me of what I’m drinking. Truthfully, I did enjoy my mocha.

Will I visit The Human Bean again? Probably, if only to give it a second chance.
I wasn’t impressed with the service, and the coffee was ok, but in all honesty I think the real problem of The Human Bean for me boils down to one thing: it’s a franchise. Their website says that their real growth started when they franchised. Fiscally, I understand this. But relationally? My first impression was negative. The barista didn’t talk to me, and what questions I did ask were responded to with hesitation and slight ignorance. To me, this equation has a couple variables that are off. My call is that somewhere in the franchising of the “local” Human Bean, something vital was lost. The customer care. Now, while it’s true that franchises can get their mojo back, I always am sad to see such great potential lost at the hands of untrained baristas, automatic espresso machines, and fancy logos.

My hope is that next time I visit The Human Bean, they’ll prove me wrong.

What’s been your experience with coffee franchises? Do you like The Human Bean? Comment and let me know!

The Coffee Guy

Starbucks is getting its Mojo Back

I’m not a fan of Starbucks. In general, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the Siren Image, I think of a big chain trying to smash smaller coffee houses. That being said, for this commentary, I will try to keep my preconceived opinions to a minimum and report some of the interesting facts I’ve observed about this coffee giant in the recent past.

First, some context.

Starbucks has always presented one major pro to me, and one major con.

Pro: No matter where you go, Starbucks makes their product the same. Like it or not, it’s the same coffee, same barista training, same (or very similar) automatic espresso machines that pull the same shots the same way every time. I’ve had Starbucks in Virginia, California, and here in Idaho- and trust me, they’re exactly the same (I have yet to try them overseas, but I don’t doubt I would report the same thing.)
Key word: same.

Con: Unlike many local coffeehouses, the product Starbucks has to offer is sub-par with few exceptions. Layman’s terms: their coffee really isn’t completely and utterly fantastic. Many coffee snobs may disagree with me on this- but I think we could find a common ground:
In the grand scheme of things, even the lightest of Starbucks’ blends tastes dark in comparison to, say, a freshly roasted medium blend from Dawson’s. The common coffee drinker may say it tastes “burnt” or “over-roasted.” Although there are people who like this dark taste, it’s clear that Starbucks does one product, and they do it the same every time. They may put a different label on it, make the bag red for Christmas, and put some flavor in it, but each of their coffees is essentially the same: dark.
Key word: same.

Starbucks has found their niche market, and if I had to distill it into one word I would say this: travelers. Whether it be business people who fly cross-state as part of their job, or merely someone making their commute to work in the morning, Starbucks is an ideal choice for men and women on the go. People who are on their way somewhere or late for something (say, a very important date) need something quick, easy, and dependable. Starbucks offers all three, and at a price people will pay. I don’t particularly like their coffee, but I do think their business model is brilliant.

And with that lead in, I’m now going to explore an observation I’ve been making for the last few weeks.

It appears to me that Starbucks is beginning to look further than their current niche market.
I think they’re actually trying to become your friendly neighborhood coffeehouse.

Impossible? Check this out.

Taken from a handout I received at my local Starbucks:

Introducing My Starbucks Rewards, a new program that rewards you the more you come in.
Free drinks. Free syrups. Free soymilk. Free Wi-Fi. And best of all, free to join.

Really? Really.

All you have to do is register your Starbucks Card, use it to pay for coffee and treats, and watch your rewards grow.

You’ll soon be hearing, “This one’s on the house.”

Ready? Right this way…

(link added)

The pamphlet goes on to explain how each time you go in to a Starbucks, order a drink, and swipe your card, you get one “Star”. Five Stars gets you to the Green Level (2 hours free Wi-Fi, Free refills on brewed coffee, etc.) 30 Stars get’s you to the Gold Level (Same rewards as Green Level+Personalized card & Welcome packet, free drink every 15 additional Stars.)

That’s right folks, Starbucks has a punch card now. They’re like your friend with benefits (ok, bad analogy…)

So what’s so special about a big name corporation getting what Dutch Bros. or Moxie Java has had since the 6th Century? It shows that they’re adapting. They’re looking to make life easier for you. Heck, it’s cool that they’re thinking about you, the customer, at all!

That, in my book, speaks loads about the head honchos of Starbucks. They’re thinking outside the box, trying to bring new people into their stores, and changing up their game plan to do so. Adaptability is a great skill in the coffee biz, and that’s compounded the bigger the business is. It’ll be interesting to see how this adaption will affect the sales of Starbucks.

Now…if only they’d adapt their product and make it taste good!*

What are your thoughts about Starbucks getting its mojo back? Will you participate? Comment and let me know!

The Coffee Guy

*Although I dislike a majority of Starbucks’ products, I do enjoy one of their mochas from time to time.

The Legend of KK

Once upon a time there was a man.
This man was no mere mortal: his looks made women swoon and men insecure. His attitude was glass-half-full. He was the type of guy to appear on Got Milk? commercials, and to star in those commercials as himself.

With all of his outward appearances, this man, we’ll call him KK, had a special hidden power which only those closest to him knew. This power did many things, most of which are indescribable with mere words. Suffice it to say, they were energizing and invigorating in nature, and went amazing with his already great looks and zeal for life.

KK swept the nation: people loved him everywhere he went. Every time he moved somewhere, he’d get disciples of his own to hold the fort down when he moved on. These disciples were good-natured happy people with a passion for everything KK stood for.

When KK came to Idaho, he was met with the usual: people camping out waiting for him to reveal himself, fans with hats that had his name on them, and many people salivating at the very thought of him. Most of them were thinking of his outward appearances and the traits he was most famous for. Only select few were waiting for his hidden ability to reveal itself. And on that day when KK finally did reveal himself, people were met with satisfied expectations.

I remember that day vividly. I wasn’t at the actual event when KK came out to meet with people, but I saw it on the news and heard about it from my friends and family. People had literally been camping outside the building where KK was going to be speaking for days on end. Although I wasn’t there on the day everything happened, I witnessed the after effects for months to come. In fact, every monday night I would hit up the place KK had spoken and talked with people. I saw his words demonstrated by the actions of his disciples, and I was impressed with the qualities he was known for.

It wasn’t until last week when I discovered his hidden power.

And so I found out about Krispy Kreme’s coffee. I’ve been through this famous donut shop time after time and have never tried their Joe thinking it to be “fast food coffee.” Last week, I finally grabbed a mocha. And man was I impressed. The coffee is a generic roast to be sure, nothing surprising there. Mass produced coffee is nothing special. The freshness of the coffee, however, and the ingredients that were used to create the mocha masterpiece I experienced was what really made me happy. That, and the amazing donuts to go along with it totally make me wonder how I ever even experienced KK without its coffee.

What’s your experience with Krispy Kreme’s coffee been? Were you a part of the madness when it first opened?

The Coffee Guy

Thanksgiving and Coffee

Thanksgiving: a day friends and family share in a holiday marked with tradition and community. A day when people can come together, share conversations, laughs, and excellent food with each other. A day when, despite Uncle Ernie’s bad odor and Aunt Bertha’s horrendously long and boring stories, family can love on each other.

So, why write about it on a coffee blog?
I have a theory: I think Thanksgiving and coffee are connected in more way’s then one. Let’s examine these similarities.

Thanksgiving- Wake up and turn on the TV to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Coffee- Wake up to turn the coffee pot on and then watch the clock hoping you won’t be late for work.

Thanksgiving- Relax all day long, tell stories, and smell food cooking.
Coffee- Relax during each individual sip, savor the stories each burst of flavor tells your mouth, and smell the aroma.

Thanksgiving- Sit down at a large table with friends, give thanks for life and for the food, and eat like there’s no tomorrow.
Coffee- Take a seat at the local coffee shop, crack the laptop and get on Facebook, thank god there’s free internet, and drink the delicious mocha set before you.

Thanksgiving- All the guys head to the T.V. room while the ladies clean up the kitchen. They turn on the game, and let the good times roll.
Coffee- Leave your empty cup for the barista to clean up, head to your car, start the engine, then weave in and out of traffic with your espresso-buzz to thank.

Thanksgiving- Males: Spend the night reminiscing, growing sleepy as the tryptophan kicks in, and eventually wishing everyone good night.
Females: Spend the night reminiscing, decide to stay up all night because you’ll be getting up at 3am for Black Friday anyways, and stop by your local coffee shop on the way to said shopping.
Coffee- Males: Drink their coffee either extremely black, or extremely sweet (no middle ground), crash due to caffeine overload regardless of what drink they chose, and eventually fall asleep on the couch later that night while watching their favorite episode of Friends.
Females: Stay up all night so they can go shopping at Black Friday. On their way they order their coffee skinny, 3 shots but half calf, an extra shot of syrup, extra hot, double cupped, and with two small black straws.

I hope everybody has a Happy Thanksgiving, and a great Black Friday!

The Coffee Guy

Bringing the art of coffee to Idaho: Rembrandt’s

I’m a local to Idaho. I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve slept in the mountains, walked the streets, and made great memories. I’ve spent countless hours hanging out downtown, rafted the river multiple days in a row, and have grown up eating Delsa’s Ice Cream.

But somehow, in all this, I’ve missed Rembrandt’s Coffee House in Eagle.

I’m not sure exactly how this happened – I’m a guru for local gems! How could I have missed a place so integral to the heart of local coffee shops?

Rembrandt’s Coffee House is an extremely unique place. Chances are, if you’re a local to Idaho and are reading this blog, you’ve been there and you know what I mean.
Located in what used to be an old church building, Rembrandt’s is homey to the heart. Walking in, I found myself  confronted not with posters of BUY BUY BUY! but rather with a genuine warmth. The place is lit with the kind of lights that remind one of embers after a fire has died down. The walls are decorated with abstract and beautiful paintings. The place is drenched in history, I could feel it leaking out of the golden colored walls. Walking up to the cash register, I realized that although good coffee is a definite goal here, the real aim of Rembrandt’s is to inspire community among people. This was made even clearer when, after I was done ordering my coffee, I turned around to take a seat. The ‘sanctuary-turned-living-room’ is filled with couches, chairs, coffee tables; and plenty of each. The couches aren’t your run-of-the-mill crapperware either- they’re genuinely comfy cozy sofas! Rembrandt’s is quality from the door to the floor, that none can argue.

Standing in line to grab my coffee, I realized I knew the barista who would be making my coffee! I found this ironic; here I was trying to do an unbiased review of a local coffeehouse when someone I knew would be making the very coffee I would be reviewing. Yet, it seemed appropriate. If the goal of Rembrandt’s is truly to inspire community, how is this better demonstrated then by me knowing the person serving my drink? I found it comforting to know this place is for locals, by locals.

I got a Pumpkin Spice Breve – a favorite since the trees have turned colors and leaves have fallen. The 16oz double-shot brewwas served “for here” in a large ceramic coffee cup. This, again, added to the community, almost family, feel. On top of that, the coffee, which I had ordered “just a little dry,” had beautiful coffee art on the foam! I felt like I would be destroying an incredible painting just by drinking! And yet, I found the true art to be beneath the beautiful froth.

The coffee was truly good. Because I got a flavored drink, I can’t attest to the house blend, but all the same I enjoyed what I did have. The start was smooth and clean – nothing to distract the flavor. As the liquid moved its way to the middle of my mouth, just touching my palette, I found myself enjoying a curious taste- almost as if this was a mysterious fruit I hadn’t tasted before. I wouldn’t call it bad by any count, but it was different. The final decent of the coffee to the back of my mouth was again clean, with a sweet aftertaste similar to what you might find in an apple, or pear. The finish was a little weaker then the start, with a bit of an odd aftertaste. That being said, it did leave me wanting more, and that’s all that really matters in my book. I finished the cup, and really was satisfied with the product.

The truly remarkable thing about Rembrandt’s Coffee House is that the atmosphere yearns for community. Although undoubtedly a rare event, I’d hate to be there on an evening when the seats are empty and the air still. It’s the type of place I’d love to walk in to and order “the usual.”

People talking, working, thinking, reading, and pondering are really what makes Rembrandt’s Coffee house the type of place I will come back to.
And return I will, if only to savor the sweet environment- oh, and a cup of coffee.

But really, how in the world did I miss this for so long?

The Coffee Guy

East Coast Coffee Part Two: “Since 1927: Caffe Reggio”

This is a continuation from my trip to the East Coast. Check here and here for more.

Past all the bars, avoiding the busy New York traffic; all of a sudden there it was.
A friend had led me and my dad to this spot saying that it was a great meeting place. Seeing so many bars on the route didn’t set well with me, but as soon as I saw this place I knew he was right.

Caffe Reggio boasts being around since the ’20’s. Not a bad thing to boast considering most “old” coffee places you’ll find were started in the mid ’70’s. Their awning sign, however, boasted that they serve the “Original Cappuccino.” We’ll have to see about that.

Walking inside, a rustic sight met my eyes. The small building had room for about 20 comfortable people, but was cramming about double that into the sardine-like seating. The awesome thing was that nearly every seat was taken! I noted this before grabbing a seat myself. Unlike the hip, Mac-loving crowd I had seen at Think Coffee, Caffe Reggio was filled with older men and women. The type of people that were there to enjoy a night stroll and a good book. Many had friends with them and were chatting so that the room was filled with a dull roar.
Looking at the menu, a beautiful list of espresso drinks smiled back at me:

That’s right folks, this place is legit. No “kahuna kapow mochas” or “double chocolate artery clogger breves” to be found here. Only straight up, Italian style espresso.
And yet, as promising as the menu looked, I still had to do a review. So, I ordered a hazelnut cappuccino from the barista and sat back to fully admire my surroundings.

The building truly was old- probably hadn’t changed much since the ’20’s. The wallpaper was scratched and faded in most areas. Paintings lined the walls all with Italian feels to them. The chairs were wooden, and the lights had a reddish tint to them. If I ever lived in New York, this would be the place I would come to kick back and do some intellectual thinking or have a stimulating conversation. It had an atmosphere of old brilliance.

My coffee came, and the first thing I noticed was the thick layer of milk foam on the top. And I mean THICK. This baby was fluffy like a cloud, and took up about the top 1/3 of the drink. That’s what I call a cappuccino. After doing some dry slurping, I finally reached the coffee. I expected some kind of raw taste with a hint of hazelnut, but that’s not at all what I actually got. My drink was sweet. Like, really sweet. Like, Dutch Bros. sweet. I was rather surprised, and it took me a second to actually process what I was drinking. After a few more drinks, the initial shock wore off and I was able to judge the coffee. It was smooth and crisp with a note of fruitiness about it. Almost definitely Arabica beans. Asking the barista slipped my mind as I got lost in the conversation with those I was with. Here’s what I do recall from the experience however:

The coffee reminded me of a cherry tree: a rough middle with plenty of sweetness to go around. The coffee wasn’t slap-in-the-face hard stuff, but it had a definite kick to it. I was getting jittery sitting down after about half of my drink. The foam provided a nice solid base to go back to, and I was glad I had gone with the cappuccino because of this. Regardless of the quality of their coffee, whoever had made this drink definitely knew how to handle milk. The espresso really wasn’t anything to write home about, but the style of the drink did make it all worth it.

For any New Yorker’s out there, or for those who are planning on traveling there in the future:
Visit Caffe Reggio. This place is dripping with history. You won’t regret meeting the baristas and taking a look around. If you’ve got friends and something to chat about, this is definitely the place to go.

So, great coffee? Nah. Great cappuccino? Yes. Great conversation? Definitely.

The Coffee Guy

Red Letter Books & Cafe

I don’t know about you, but for some reason I have a thing for coffee shop/book store combos. I EVEN will go to a Barnes & Noble despite the Starbucks because of the atmosphere it offers. Don’t get me wrong, I love Dawson’s and Rembrandt’s as they are, but there’s something to be said about an environment rich with literature, while the air is rich with coffee.

Red Letter Books and Cafe is located by the mall on Franklin and Milwaukee. It uses a medium Full Circle fair trade coffee, which they purchase from Rembrandt’s in Eagle (Review here).

To be honest, I’ve heard a lot about Red Letter Cafe, and even drive by it quite a bit, but have never actually walked in a bought a drink. This was a first for me.
Walking in, the first thing I saw was an employee on the phone – not unusual for a book store. What was unusual was his response as soon as I put my foot on the other side of the doorway. Setting the phone on his shoulder, he turned to me and said
“Hey! Welcome!”

My first impression of this coffee shop I’ve never been to was one of feeling not only welcome, but glad I had chosen to come here today. If nothing else, this set Red Letter Books and Cafe apart in my mind right away.

Red Letter’s coffee is delicious. I got a mocha (becoming my standard grading drink) and looked around. The store is set up like a donut – books in the middle, coffee and tables on the outside. My barista was a nice girl with a bright attitude. Again, great on the customer service. After receiving my drink, I grabbed a seat at one of the tables, flipped open my laptop, and checked for internet. Free WiFi, awesome! At this point, I took my first sip of the coffee.

I opened up Firefox on my computer, and signed on to Facebook…then realized I hadn’t actually noticed the coffee. My first thought was that this wasn’t a good thing. After all, shouldn’t good coffee really stick out? Maybe. Dwelling on this thought, it hit me: not noticing anything about a sip of coffee is probably more of a plus then a minus. As a coffee snob, that which will immediately stick out to me in a cup of joe is stuff like off texture, burnt shots, rotten milk, and temperature; in summary: bad stuff. Because nothing stuck out in this sip of my mocha, I can honestly say I found nothing wrong with my coffee. It was…really good! Taking another sip, I could taste the resemblance to Rembrandt’s coffee.

The texture was smooth and clean- no disturbances to distract. It hit my palette and the medium-roast shots revealed themselves as being full in body and well pulled (kudos to my barista). As the brew rolled to the back of my mouth, the chocolate milk made its appearance and the sweet tinge made me glad I had chosen this particular drink. I’m not sure if Red Letter uses chocolate syrup with white milk or pre-mixed chocolate milk, but either way it was well steamed. The temperature was just perfect. The coffee finished similar to how it started: clean. The chocolate left an aftertaste that, upon finishing the drink, made me want to go order another.

The thing that sticks out to me most about Red Letter Books and Cafe is the customer service. The employees are genuinely nice. This alone made my entire experience with Red Letter worth it to me. I will indeed return here.

Come to Red Letter if you have a literary work to crank out, or a person to meet. It’s a perfect place to inspire conversation and stimulate the author in all of us. Also, don’t forget to get a coffee – you won’t be disappointed!

The Coffee Guy

East Coast Coffee Part One: Think New York. Think Manhattan. Think Coffee.

I love traveling: the thrill of the airplane, the wonder of new places, the joy of meeting new people. I’ve been to the East Coast a couple times in the last couple years, however, and so I kinda knew what I was getting in to when I was offered the opportunity to travel this weekend. Although excited to spend time with people I love, a fact kept nagging the back of my mind. A fact I knew, but didn’t want to say. A fact that every coffee snob this side of the Mississippi can relate to:

THERE IS NO GOOD COFFEE IN THE EAST COAST!

Ahem. That is to say, the closest thing you can find to coffee resides in Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. As for the latter, you’ve had your say. As for the former…well just think McDonald’s focused on breakfast. I don’t think anyone in Idaho can completely understand the fascination much of the United States has with DD, but we sure can understand their lack of quality coffee.

Now that I’ve got that on the table, allow me to offer an exception.

Think Coffee uses “fair trade coffee” that’s a dark roast, a smooth taste, and a good environment. I found the one on Mercer street using nothing but my feet and my iPhone. And man am I glad I did.
The baristas are nice enough, while not completely being amiable. The place itself is a rustic environment (think chipped wood, unpainted pillars, and brick walls) and yet at the same time has a degree of elegance (curtains, couches, small library.) Plus, not only do they serve good coffee, they offer an assortment of beer and wine to choose from.

Like I said, the coffee is a dark roast, yet smooth at the same time. Think Starbucks mixed with Dawson’s (although I hate saying those two in the same sentence, let alone relating them.) I got a 16oz triple shot caramel breve. I can’t really taste the caramel (did he forget to put it in?) and the shots seem a little weak (not quite what I’d expect for three in a medium cup) but all the same, it tastes good. It’s full bodied, earthy (probably because of the roast) and has a clean finish. Plus, they served it with coffee art (an unexpected plus.)

The environment is awesome, to be honest. 20-somethings abound, as do Macbooks and iPhones, along with hip clothing and college homework. The place is packed (I couldn’t find an outlet for my compy) and the music is good, the Led Zeppelin barely recognizable due to the hordes of people chatting. Talking about life, work, love, anything. This is the place people come to hang, that much is clear.

I like this place. Next time I’m in Manhattan, I’ll stop by no questions asked. I enjoy the taste, the place, and the even the haste of this New York coffee shop.

So, unexpectedly I found a good taste of heaven here in NYC. Next time I think the Big Apple, I’ll Think Coffee.

The Coffee Guy

Quick Survey: Starbucks

A brief interlude between reviews:

I’m currently working on the first of a series of posts about Starbucks Coffee Company. Although I have my own feelings, notions, and experiences with this world-famous coffee shop that’s just around every corner, I want to get some real feedback.

Some things I would like to include in the first post about Starbucks are reader’s opinions. I want to hear from you:

Do you like Starbucks? Why or why not? Do you have any experiences or stories to expand on your feelings?

Please comment on this post with your response, story, picture, or whatever. I want to hear from you!

Get commenting!
The Coffee Guy