Infusion

Location: 1628 K St., Sacramento

Reviewed: September 1, 2006

Espresso: My single shot was served in the appropriate ~1oz. volume. The barista did everything correctly: ground, tamped, etc. The only issue was that his cooling flush of the grouphead may have been insufficient or maybe the machine is set at too high a temperature. My shot was extremely hot and the crema appeared to have suffered as a result. It was mostly an even brown but had darker spots around the edges. It was also very thin, although the wide-brimmed cup may have contributed to this. The cup was otherwise very cool: white, about 2.5oz. capacity, and square in shape (with matching saucer). The temperature of the shot also definitely affected the taste, but it had nutty and fruity hints throughout the cup.

Atmosphere: Infusion is a large shop with multiple rooms and at least one patio. Bright and airy, it seems like a nice place to hang out. Light wood tones predominate. Supposedly, they have infamous seating in the form of "hanging bubble chairs". I did not see these, although I didn't look around much because I was in a bit of a hurry.

Verdict: The espresso wasn't as bad as I probably made it sound, and all they really need is a bit cooler temperature.