Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Caffe Amici

Location: 161 Montgomery St., San Francisco

Reviewed: November 20, 2007

Espresso: My shot was served to me in a wide-brimmed ceramic cup with an oversized, but otherwise matching, saucer. The total volume was around 1.5oz. The crema was a pale tan color and initially thick but dissipated rapidly. There was little aroma, leading to little taste other than stale notes with some bitterness in the aftertaste.

Atmosphere: Amici is a very small, bright, and well-lit shop of narrow rectangular proportion. Not much seating.

Verdict: Essentially shrug-worthy.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Trouble Coffee

Location: 4033 Judah Ave., San Francisco

Reviewed: October 28, 2007

Espresso: Trouble serves Eccocaffe beans, and at least on the day I was there, they were pouring a single-origin Brazil. My shot was ground-to-order and served in a nearly-full wide-mouthed cup, probably just over 2oz. in total capacity. The crema was of moderate thickness and was an even dark brown. It was full-bodied and tasted of caramel, chocolate, and cinnamon.

Atmosphere: This is a really tiny little place. There are precisely three stools upon which to sit and no tables whatsoever.

Verdict: A welcome addition to the neighborhood.