Coffee To The People

Location: 1206 Masonic Ave., San Francisco

Reviewed: May 14. 2006

Espresso: CTTP uses a grinder (I think a Swift) with an autogrind and tamp feature, so at least the coffee was freshly ground. They also brewed directly into the cup. However, the barista simply pushed the auto button on the machine and let it brew unattended. The resultant shot was way too long (pushing 2oz. for a single, and with the other half of the pour going into the drip tray, it was decidedly a single). The lungo pour resulted in a pale yellow-ish crema that, although initially quite thick, dissipated somewhat quickly. The shot was thin and slightly astringent. The primary taste was something that I just couldn't quite pin down. It was somewhere between cedar and anise with hints of sassafras thrown in. Quite unusual, and it might have been an interesting cup if it had been poured correctly.

Atmosphere: CTTP is a large shop just off Haight St. It's fairly clean and open. A plethora of various sorts of stickers representing the political viewpoints of (presumably) the owners and most of the clientele are affixed to everthing. It doesn't actually look as bad as it sounds. Free wifi is well taken advantage of.

Verdict: All they really have to do is pull a proper length shot, and the coffee wouldn't be all that bad.