2331 Calvert Street, DC
I had two opposite experiences at Open City recently. The first, excellent. The second, un-excellent. Even in my earlier posts on Open City and Tryst (same owners) I complained of inconsistent quality.
Open City and Tryst both brag of excellence and expertise in coffee, but they haven't been nearly selective enough with the training or hiring of their baristas.
First cup in many months, December 11 to be exact, exuded excellence. Two weeks later we returned to the area to visit the zoo on an unusually warm, winter day. I sent my first cappuccino back since it was both weak and burnt. The make-up cup was mearly ok, but the whole experience disappointing.
The Royale breakfast plate is incredible.... and perfect when super-super hungry. The non-breakfast food is not worth the money, and has been verified on 3 separate visits.
We will eventually try their pizza on gluten-free pizza night.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Pastry XPO
8190 Strawberry Lane, Falls Church, VA
Medium Iced Latte $4.15
Pastry XPO is now my off-campus work location, though I only get off-campus about once per month. The wi-fi is faster and easier to connect to than any other coffee shop I've ever been to. The iced latte is now my standard drink, even in the dead of winter. It's always appropriately powerful, never overly acidic (i.e. acid from the beans only, not poorly maintained machine as can be quite common at other shops).
As mentioned in a previous blog, the coffee is Illy and consistently well-prepared. Milk is of reasonably good quality.
Atmosphere isn't brilliant, but there is enough white noise to focus on my work. Lighting is a bit too fluorescent-y for me. The shop now faces into a major construction zone.
Parking is easy: free parking in garage near shop entrance.
Medium Iced Latte $4.15
Pastry XPO is now my off-campus work location, though I only get off-campus about once per month. The wi-fi is faster and easier to connect to than any other coffee shop I've ever been to. The iced latte is now my standard drink, even in the dead of winter. It's always appropriately powerful, never overly acidic (i.e. acid from the beans only, not poorly maintained machine as can be quite common at other shops).
As mentioned in a previous blog, the coffee is Illy and consistently well-prepared. Milk is of reasonably good quality.
Atmosphere isn't brilliant, but there is enough white noise to focus on my work. Lighting is a bit too fluorescent-y for me. The shop now faces into a major construction zone.
Parking is easy: free parking in garage near shop entrance.
Northside Social Coffee and Wine
3211 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA
Medium cappuccino $3.50 (actually a "small", but larger than many other shops' medium)
Northside has become our standard as we've returned at least 3 times per month over the past year. So far no other coffee establishment in the DC metro area has been able to exceed Northside's consistently excellent cappuccinos.
I've always said that the best food is simple and composed only of high-quality ingredients. Each layer of any coffee beverage from Northside is been perfected. The espresso, from Counterculture beans, is round and complex with nutty/caramel/cocoa/citrus overtones. Acid is well-balanced. It stands well above the milk, but at the same time, the milk complements the coffee and grants it an attractive mouthfeel. Milk is sourced from a small dairy in PA and not ultrapasteurized! Oh man, that milk tastes like real milk. The baristas steam the milk just enough to fluff it softly, then pour over the espresso to make the pretty leaf/fan design.
I have a habit of sprinkling just a bit of raw sugar over the top so I can have micro crunchies when I finally reach the bottom of the cup. Little girl loves to scoop as much white foam as she can get (though it does dissolve into the coffee relatively quickly -- I'm perfectly ok with that).
The food is always quite good, though heavily salted. Breakfast sandwiches are spot-on (Polyfarm eggs), but prepare yourself for a small serving for the price. Bacon and sausage are both housemade.
I'm trying to remember entering Northside and instantly spotting an available table. Maybe once or twice, but certainly not on a weekend. I find myself sliding into a seat just as someone else is leaving ("doing the hover"), and nearly always very close to other patrons. Oh well, the eavesdropping is much more interesting at Northside than at many other places.
Northside is owned by same owners as Libery Tavern across the street. A good synergy.
Medium cappuccino $3.50 (actually a "small", but larger than many other shops' medium)
Northside has become our standard as we've returned at least 3 times per month over the past year. So far no other coffee establishment in the DC metro area has been able to exceed Northside's consistently excellent cappuccinos.
I've always said that the best food is simple and composed only of high-quality ingredients. Each layer of any coffee beverage from Northside is been perfected. The espresso, from Counterculture beans, is round and complex with nutty/caramel/cocoa/citrus overtones. Acid is well-balanced. It stands well above the milk, but at the same time, the milk complements the coffee and grants it an attractive mouthfeel. Milk is sourced from a small dairy in PA and not ultrapasteurized! Oh man, that milk tastes like real milk. The baristas steam the milk just enough to fluff it softly, then pour over the espresso to make the pretty leaf/fan design.
I have a habit of sprinkling just a bit of raw sugar over the top so I can have micro crunchies when I finally reach the bottom of the cup. Little girl loves to scoop as much white foam as she can get (though it does dissolve into the coffee relatively quickly -- I'm perfectly ok with that).
The food is always quite good, though heavily salted. Breakfast sandwiches are spot-on (Polyfarm eggs), but prepare yourself for a small serving for the price. Bacon and sausage are both housemade.
I'm trying to remember entering Northside and instantly spotting an available table. Maybe once or twice, but certainly not on a weekend. I find myself sliding into a seat just as someone else is leaving ("doing the hover"), and nearly always very close to other patrons. Oh well, the eavesdropping is much more interesting at Northside than at many other places.
Northside is owned by same owners as Libery Tavern across the street. A good synergy.
Mayorga Coffee
801 Pleasant Drive #100, Rockville, MD
Medium cappuccino $3.75
I've had "cappuccino" from Mayorga in the Reagan National Airport a few times, and only out of desperation. Never was it worthwhile. Small, and of course in a paper cup, it always tasted watery, acidic, and slightly burnt. And, as I remember, nearly $5.
Today we visited the Rockville shop hoping for something better. We did not succeed. They did, at least, have 2 ceramic mugs available, but were designed for drip coffee. The bottom of the mug was larger than the top... reminicent of the 1980's era computer keyboard bugs, thus pushing thick, stick foam as high as in paper cup. It wasn't quite right. It was sort of like homemade cappuccino made in a friend's rental cabin.
The roast of the beans was full, and slightly burnt. Subtle flavors did not exist. Milk was normal, hyper-pastreurized supermarket milk, which overwhelmed some of the burnt overtones, actually. The foam was stiff, as mentioned above.
I rate it equal to airport Starbucks, thus not too flattering for Mayorga.
This particular shop is set in a new "urban" development on the edge of suburbian Rockville. "Sterile" is what I said while getting out of the car. The layout of the shop is inefficient and has little seating. The workarea is circle-shaped, with the coffee grinder blocking the barista's view of incoming customers. We had to study a while to figure out where to go to place an order. While nearly every one of the few (very small) tables was full, there was no vibe at all.
It was a zombie cafe not worth waking the dead for.
Medium cappuccino $3.75
I've had "cappuccino" from Mayorga in the Reagan National Airport a few times, and only out of desperation. Never was it worthwhile. Small, and of course in a paper cup, it always tasted watery, acidic, and slightly burnt. And, as I remember, nearly $5.
Today we visited the Rockville shop hoping for something better. We did not succeed. They did, at least, have 2 ceramic mugs available, but were designed for drip coffee. The bottom of the mug was larger than the top... reminicent of the 1980's era computer keyboard bugs, thus pushing thick, stick foam as high as in paper cup. It wasn't quite right. It was sort of like homemade cappuccino made in a friend's rental cabin.
The roast of the beans was full, and slightly burnt. Subtle flavors did not exist. Milk was normal, hyper-pastreurized supermarket milk, which overwhelmed some of the burnt overtones, actually. The foam was stiff, as mentioned above.
I rate it equal to airport Starbucks, thus not too flattering for Mayorga.
This particular shop is set in a new "urban" development on the edge of suburbian Rockville. "Sterile" is what I said while getting out of the car. The layout of the shop is inefficient and has little seating. The workarea is circle-shaped, with the coffee grinder blocking the barista's view of incoming customers. We had to study a while to figure out where to go to place an order. While nearly every one of the few (very small) tables was full, there was no vibe at all.
It was a zombie cafe not worth waking the dead for.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Rappahannock Coffee
Location: 2406 Columbia Pike, Arlington
I was hoping for so much more at Rappahannock Coffee. The drink menus really looked great, and they even offered machiato, which tends to be a good sign. Espresso-based drinks are served in paper cups (they do have ceramic mugs for drip coffee -- the cylindrical kind), and are really weak. Two big dings. In a blind tasting I'm not sure I would have know there was espresso in my medium cappuccino. And I can't review what I can't taste.
Medium cappucino: $3.25
Hubby ordered the double machiato and was equally disappointed. In fact, he just texted from Minnesota to tell me that was drinking McCafe while on the road (recommended only in desperate situations), and that McCafe was better than Rappahannock. So there you have it.
The venue is OK. It's a nearly-stand alone shop decorated in art-deco. The layout is sort of early 1990's coffee shop.
3 or 4 other patrons were also in the shop, mid-afternoon. Free wi-fi.
Vib Level: OK, some interesting conversations to eavesdrop on.
Parking: Easy -- parking spaces available behind the building.
I was hoping for so much more at Rappahannock Coffee. The drink menus really looked great, and they even offered machiato, which tends to be a good sign. Espresso-based drinks are served in paper cups (they do have ceramic mugs for drip coffee -- the cylindrical kind), and are really weak. Two big dings. In a blind tasting I'm not sure I would have know there was espresso in my medium cappuccino. And I can't review what I can't taste.
Medium cappucino: $3.25
Hubby ordered the double machiato and was equally disappointed. In fact, he just texted from Minnesota to tell me that was drinking McCafe while on the road (recommended only in desperate situations), and that McCafe was better than Rappahannock. So there you have it.
The venue is OK. It's a nearly-stand alone shop decorated in art-deco. The layout is sort of early 1990's coffee shop.
3 or 4 other patrons were also in the shop, mid-afternoon. Free wi-fi.
Vib Level: OK, some interesting conversations to eavesdrop on.
Parking: Easy -- parking spaces available behind the building.
Pastry Xpo
Location: Strawberry Lane, Falls Church (Merrifield Town Center, just off Gallows Road)
Pleasant surpises await at Pastry Xpo, a new confectionary in the Merrifield Town Center. A smart layout makes each patron walk past countless, sugary goodies on the way to the coffee bar in the back. We resisted goodies on our first visit so I could focus more on the espresso.
I was pleasantly surprised with my cappuccino. First, they offer ceramic cups. Second, the coffee and machine is Illy. The coffee was a fine quality: nutty with cocoa-like qualities, though not mind-blowing. (Certainly exceeded the average paper-cup-only establishment coffee.) The milk foam was dense and creamy. The "to stay" cappuccino is $2.85 and about 8 oz.
Pastry Xpo also offers lunch items, including salads, sandwiches, and Lebanese specialties. Lunch items appeared to be expensive for what you get, in terms of volume (example: small portion of lentils and rice with side salad for $9.99).
The inside of the cafe is modern and inviting, though very quiet. Feels more like a casual restaurant than coffee or desert bar.
Vib Level: Essentially none
Parking: Easy -- free covered parking, or park in lot in front of the cafe
Pleasant surpises await at Pastry Xpo, a new confectionary in the Merrifield Town Center. A smart layout makes each patron walk past countless, sugary goodies on the way to the coffee bar in the back. We resisted goodies on our first visit so I could focus more on the espresso.
I was pleasantly surprised with my cappuccino. First, they offer ceramic cups. Second, the coffee and machine is Illy. The coffee was a fine quality: nutty with cocoa-like qualities, though not mind-blowing. (Certainly exceeded the average paper-cup-only establishment coffee.) The milk foam was dense and creamy. The "to stay" cappuccino is $2.85 and about 8 oz.
Pastry Xpo also offers lunch items, including salads, sandwiches, and Lebanese specialties. Lunch items appeared to be expensive for what you get, in terms of volume (example: small portion of lentils and rice with side salad for $9.99).
The inside of the cafe is modern and inviting, though very quiet. Feels more like a casual restaurant than coffee or desert bar.
Vib Level: Essentially none
Parking: Easy -- free covered parking, or park in lot in front of the cafe
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Grounded Coffee
Location: 6919 Telegraph Road, Alexandria
Grounded Coffee is a French pastry / American espresso shop based in a small strip mall in Alexandria. Right off I'll say that Grounded has the best coffee I've found in the VA suburbs... so far. And, their pastries take me right back to France and Austria; they're fantastic and reasonably priced at $2.45 per croissant (plain, chocolate, apple, almond).
I've sampled the cappuccino 3 times. Two out of three times it's been very good: strong, complex, nutty, and the milk appropriately foamy. The third time it was burnt and watery. Hint: make sure one of the girls pulls your coffee. They have ceramic mugs, but you must request one upfront. The teenies always reach for paper out of (bad) habit. And, be prepared to explain what cup is deemed for your drink. Always much confusion here, which the owner has had to explain to her help each time.
While the lighting is florescent and all that, their is ample space with plenty of indoor and outdoor tables (outdoor is fully shaded, though along the sidewalk that overlooks the parking lot) and 3 leather sofas. Wi-fi is available and free. Decor is fairly minimalist, clean, and timeless.
They have a very nice play area for toddlers, and... gasp... a real changing table in the women's bathroom. (I have to note that since my 5 month old is alway en tow with me.)
Sandwiches, soup, salads, muffins, smoothies also available.
I like Grounded. Our friends plan to make it a regular stop on Sunday mornings. They liked the pastries and coffee as well (drip coffee in this case), and their toddler son loved the toy trains in the play area.
Grounded Coffee is a French pastry / American espresso shop based in a small strip mall in Alexandria. Right off I'll say that Grounded has the best coffee I've found in the VA suburbs... so far. And, their pastries take me right back to France and Austria; they're fantastic and reasonably priced at $2.45 per croissant (plain, chocolate, apple, almond).
I've sampled the cappuccino 3 times. Two out of three times it's been very good: strong, complex, nutty, and the milk appropriately foamy. The third time it was burnt and watery. Hint: make sure one of the girls pulls your coffee. They have ceramic mugs, but you must request one upfront. The teenies always reach for paper out of (bad) habit. And, be prepared to explain what cup is deemed for your drink. Always much confusion here, which the owner has had to explain to her help each time.
While the lighting is florescent and all that, their is ample space with plenty of indoor and outdoor tables (outdoor is fully shaded, though along the sidewalk that overlooks the parking lot) and 3 leather sofas. Wi-fi is available and free. Decor is fairly minimalist, clean, and timeless.
They have a very nice play area for toddlers, and... gasp... a real changing table in the women's bathroom. (I have to note that since my 5 month old is alway en tow with me.)
Sandwiches, soup, salads, muffins, smoothies also available.
I like Grounded. Our friends plan to make it a regular stop on Sunday mornings. They liked the pastries and coffee as well (drip coffee in this case), and their toddler son loved the toy trains in the play area.
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