Cafe Noir

Location: 365 Calle Principal, Monterey

Reviewed: October 12, 2007

Espresso: Noir uses the famed Black Cat blend from Intelligentsia, and they do an okay job with it. My ground-to-order pour had a thin medium-brown crema that dissipated quite rapidly (this was probably helped along by the wide-brimmed cup they served the shot in). It was full-bodied and mild, and I couldn't pick out much more than that (see below).

Atmosphere: Cafe Noir is located inside the lobby of the Osio Theatre. Although this sounds like a convenient location for a cafe, there is one horrible happenstance: you can smell the popcorn! The butter and salt aromas completely obliterate any scents that you might otherwise be picking up from your espresso. Perhaps if they served in a snifter so that you could stick your nose down into it, it would be alright. I do have to give them kudos for the restored 1960's era Faema that they use.

Verdict: I'll possibly even go back, but popcorn and coffee do not go together well!

eMocha Cafe

Location: 231 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose

Reviewed: January 22, 2007

Espresso: eMocha is a wholesale customer of Blue Bottle. All espressos are served as double ristretto, according to a sign on the counter. My shot was ~1.75oz., and so the claim is essentially true. The shot had lots of crema, which persisted throughout the cup. The crema was on the medium-pale side, although it was flecked with darker spots. The shot primarily had a smoky, bittersweet butterscotch flavour. It was however, very slightly on the sour side; it also seemed to lack a certain intensity that I've come to expect (although my experience with Blue Bottle coffees is admittedly somewhat limited). They've only been open for three months and freely admit to still being in the teething stage.

Atmosphere: eMocha is a very small shop, which effectively means it's pretty much a take-out only location. There are two tables inside and a couple more on the sidewalk.

Verdict: Not bad at all.

Coffee Creek

Location: 2601 Oakdale Rd., Modesto

Reviewed: June 24, 2006

Espresso: Coffee Creek uses Taylor Maid Farms as their coffee supplier. It is of note that the barista did everything correctly. Ground to order, tamped, etc. It was served a little on the long side (probably just over 2.5oz. for a double), and had a slight paler dot in an otherwise darker, mottled brown head. The crema was thick and long-lasting. The cup had an aroma of vanilla and caramel, but the taste in the cup was overwhelmingly sweet and fruity.

Atmosphere: The Creek is a smallish shop in a large stripmall. Although there is ample outdoor seating, it wasn't getting much use on this quite warm Saturday morning. Inside, it was quite crowded. The interior layout is in an L-shape and features standard cafe tables at two heights (the taller ones being along the wall).

Verdict: Quite good; anyone who is in Modesto should stop in.

Lowry's Irish Coffee House

Location: 350 W. Julian St., San Jose

Reviewed: June 5, 2006

Espresso: My request for an espresso turned up a good degree of consternation when the cash register reproduced my request as "Espresso - 16oz."! I immediately sought to clarify the misunderstanding with the barista, who assured me the drink would not be that large. Her reassurance was better than nominal, but the shot was still way too long at nearly 4oz. (presumably a double). The crema was medium-pale, uniform in tone, and quite thin. Table service didn't help, and it was starting to break by the time I picked up the cup to take a sip. The flavours in the cup were quite subdued; it was medium-bodied, balanced, and didn't taste like much at all. This is likely due to the grinds sitting in the doser for however long they'd been there. A wholesale customer of Barefoot, though I'm not certain which blend they use.

Atmosphere: Lowry's is an open and well-lit shop with a high ceiling and interesting chandeliers. The walls are painted variously a medium burnt-orange or a darkish moss-like green (the overall scheme looks much better than it sounds). There is a large TV on the far wall that is usually set to CNN.

Verdict: It is my understanding that the 2oz. single/4oz. double is pretty normal in Ireland, so at least they have some claim at authenticity.

Cafe Siena

Location: 26 E. Main St., Los Gatos

Reviewed: April 21, 2006

Espresso: My shot was served as a proper single (~1.25oz) in a ceramic cup. When the person taking my order responded to my request "for here" with the word "excellent" I had some degree of hope; unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to expectation. The crema was pale and thin; the primary tastes were dark fruit and milk chocolate. Body was medium, and acidity was high. Overall, it was slightly bittersweet.

Atmosphere: Siena is a pretty cool place. There is a concrete floor, high open ceiling, large picture windows along the two sides of the shop that face the street. A collection of what appear to possibly be copies of Italian family coats of arms hang scattered throughout the facility.

Verdict: Cool place, coffee could be better, but it wasn't bad.

Cool Beans Coffee

Location: 171 Branham Ln., San Jose

Reviewed: March 11, 2006

Espresso: Cool Beans is a wholesale customer of Barefoot Coffee Roasters. Although it was not specifically stated, I highly suspect that they were pouring the Sweetness blend this particular day. The shot (I asked for a single, though I suspect I was given a double) was a lungo of ~2.75oz. The crema was thin and dissipated rapidly; it was medium to pale in color. The shot was suprisingly not bitter, being almost sweet and having a somewhat berry-like flavour.

Atmosphere: Cool Beans is located in a busy strip mall; it is a small, narrow location. The walls are painted a shade of burnt yellow with some reddish highlights in places. Notably, there are no standard cafe tables and chairs; instead, the shop features large (and comfortable) armchairs with various styles of endtables. There is also a built-in cushioned bench-seat along one wall.

Verdict: Espresso was suprisingly ok, although it could certainly have been better, and a very cool location.

Willow Glen Coffee Roasting Co.

Location: 1383 Lincoln Ave., San Jose

Reviewed: December 19, 2005

Espresso: My single was pulled very long, being ~2.5 oz. It had a fairly thick, albeit hazlenut-colored, pale crema which dissipated fairly rapidly. It was medium-bodied and fairly bright. Bitterness was the primary taste sensation in the cup, although there was some dark spice lurking in there as well. It is of note that the shot was on the hot side (indicating a possibly idle machine) and that the barista ground about half the shot while dosing. There is, then, a possibility of a better shot at a time when the shop and machine are busy.

Atmosphere: WG Coffee is located in two storefronts linked by a doorway near the front of the shop. There is an eclectic variation of local art on the walls and a black & white checkered floor (which reminded me of an ice cream parlor). Live jazz and blues are common on weekends.

Verdict: With the possibility of a slightly better shot when busy, I'd probably stop in on a weekend evening for the live music and a cappuccino.

Cafe Aragon

Location: 856 N. 13th St., San Jose

Reviewed: December 11, 2005

Espresso: Aragon is a wholesale customer of Barefoot Coffee Roasters and uses their Element 114 blend. At Aragon, my shot was pulled longer than I'm used to (a single reached nearly 2oz.). As a result of this, the crema was paler than it should have been, and the heavy body for which this blend is known was somewhat reduced. Nonetheless, the shot was not bitter. The barista did things right, preheating the cup, pouring directly into it, and grinding the shot individually. The single shot shouldn't have been served in a cappuccino-sized cup, however.

Atmosphere: Aragon is a very large shop, but other than a nice tile floor, it made little impression on me. Parking is difficult on the street, and it took me a little while to realize that there is a lot behind the shop.

Verdict: Worth a stop if you're in the North SJ area; alternately, if you like lungos, this could be your place.

St. James Coffee Co.

Location: 1683 Branham Ln., San Jose

Reviewed: December 4, 2005

Espresso: My "single" was served in a nearly full cup of ~2-2.5oz. The crema was pale and thin. The cup was thin-bodied and slightly bitter. Beyond that, the taste was somewhat intriguing: there was a distinct anise flavor sitting on top of a caramelly base. It is interesting to note here that the barista actually did most things correctly, preheating the cup (and the shot pitchers, which were unfortunately used) and tamping firmly (with an Espro click tamp, the first I've ever seen). I didn't notice if the shot was actually ground to order, but I did take note that the pull took about the right length of time.

Atmosphere: St. James is a small shop located at the corner of a strip mall. There are but a few tables and two armchairs. Free wifi is offered, and the yellow/orange coloring scheme makes the place feel warm and inviting, particularly on a cold December day.

Verdict: An interesting flavor profile, and perhaps a better barista could eliminate some of the issues with the shot. If that were to occur, it would be a great place to sit and study or read for pleasure.

Bay Street Coffee

Location: 754 The Alameda, San Jose.

Reviewed: Sept. 12, 2005

Espresso: Other than some fruity notes, the espresso served me at Bay Street was wholly uninspiring. The crema was thin, white, and wispy. It was handed to me suspiciously quickly, causing me to wonder if I had been served 1/2 of the previous order.

Atmosphere: Bay Street is a small shop located in a mixed-development (thus there are apartments above) near downtown SJ. The interior of the place is slightly odd, as the corner location causes the shop to be layed-out in a narrow "L"-shape. The floor is in a tile pattern, although it appeared to be of a concrete-like material. The walls are painted in a seafoam green color, which looks much better than it sounds. Free wireless didn't seem to be working.

Verdict: The walls are cool, and the barista was cute; there is otherwise little to recommend this place, except as an alternative to evil corporate coffee a few blocks away.

Global Blends

Location: 650 Castro St., Mountain View

Reviewed: September 1, 2005

Espresso: Global Blends serves a variety of espressos from specialty roasters along the west coast. On this particular morning, they were serving Tigerwalk from Equator Coffee. The shot was a ristretto pull and had a nice balance. It was mild and medium-bodied with hints of orange and caramel. The crema was dark, although thin.

Atmosphere: Global is a very small location; as such, it can get very noisy when there are only a few people there. Despite the size, however, it doesn't feel particularly cramped unless crowded. There are a couple of large, cushy armchairs near the window up front. The rest of the cafe has fairly standard tables; the chairs have cushions, which is a nice touch. A large map of the world on the back wall adds a touch of conformity with the name.

Verdict: The small size of the shop makes this more of a get in and get your buzz sort of place than really a location to hang out. This is a shame, really, as they are located in arguably the coolest neighborhood in Silicon Valley.

Plantation Coffee Co.

Location: 2717 Coffee Road, Modesto

Reviewed: August 28, 2005

Espresso: Plantation’s supplier has just developed a new espresso blend in the last few months. The roast is just a little darker than a traditional Northern Italian blend. It’s balanced, mellow, and neither bitter nor sweet with very low acidity and medium to heavy body; the finish is slightly chocolate. The crema was a medium to dark brown, but displayed no reddish hint.

I had noticed some pictures of latte art (including a very impressive double) on the wall, and inquired about it, turns out that the barista who pulled my shot was the artist; his name is Chris, and he’s a very passionate guy when it comes to coffee. He was using a triple basket to pull “doubles” (i.e. triple ristretti). There was a naked portafilter on the machine, and I asked specifically if he could use it for my shot. Since the new espresso blend is nearly in the diametrically opposed direction from the lighter-bodied, sweeter blends that perform better in the naked portafilter, this may not have been the best idea (but I was just so excited to see it there). The beans were approximately six days out of the roaster. The shot was served in a fairly wide, but not very tall cup. I have noticed that this configuration can lead to early crema dissipation, but nothing of the sort occurred in this case.

Atmosphere: Plantation has a light and open feel thanks to two entire walls of the shop being glass (they are on the corner of their building); the high ceiling and the lightly colored walls along the other two sides aid this effect. Tables are at two different heights, but the higher variety are positioned in a narrow corridor along the longer windowed wall, and separated from the rest of the café by the centrally located peninsular bar which protrudes from the kitchen. There are also barstools along the other side of the bar, so you can sit there and watch the baristi work if you feel so inclined. Many of the tables have either chessboards or polar projection maps on their surface. There is also outdoor seating, which is located on either side of the shop, and, fortunately, ample shade is provided thanks to overhangs on the building.

They have a few beers on tap, a wine list, and a variety of food items. A brunch is served on Sundays, which seemed to be quite a draw this particular day. As a result, the café was fairly noisy, but I was able to seclude myself somewhat from this noise and sit with my book for an hour or so. I did have to tune out the widescreen television, which seems to be a recent addition, but as the volume was not loud at all, this provided no real difficulty.

Verdict: Good coffee and a great place to hang out. It is a little small, and the non-central location might be a drawback.