Folsom Street Coffee Company

Location: Folsom Street, Boulder Colorado.

Sorry no pictures of this one yet. Forgot the camera today. Boo.
But it's not about the pictures right? ....right?

It's an oddly brilliant day in Boulder Colorado. Bright, clear, and 60+ degrees in the dead of winter make it an ideal day to test cappuccinos. Actually, I think any day would be ideal to test cappuccinos. I'm not exactly picky when it comes to weather. In fact, I really like cold, dreary, snowy days. Point being, I am going to drink a cappuccino at Folsom Street Coffee Company today.

I arrive on my motorbike to find no parking, the bane of the modern commuters existence. Fortunately, being on a motorcycle makes any small amount of space a suitable spot to dismount. As I approach the door to the foyer of the coffee shop I am greeted by the delicious smell of coffee beans being ground, brewed, infused, poured, and served. I enter the foyer and the smell is all the sweeter. I walk into Folsom Street to see the reason why I have to park between two dumpsters. It's packed. Every chair has an ass, and it seems that for every 3 asses, 2 of them have a computer, and are furiously typing away. I walk up to the bar, which is fairly confusing because the place you pick up your drink looks like the place you would order your drink, and the place you would order your drink looks like the place you would stand if you were bored. A quick glance around with the intent of finding some signage to solve my problem of position reveals...nothing. My only cue is the line of people looking bored standing in the place I mentioned earlier that one might stand while performing the act of boredom. I get in the line of boredom. The air I get from the employees is one I would expect of a shop twice as full as this one. They look up seldomly and rush about behind the bar performing various unseen tasks. Maybe it's training day. After hurriedly taking my order and receiving my payment, the cashier scuttles off to do something that surely is imperative to the operation of this café.

Now the wait. If I knew exactly what I was waiting for the wait would seem less. Instead I am haunted by the stinging reality that I may receive an awful piece of cappuccino that will make me wish I had ordered a cup of drip. You see, for me a cappuccino is a piece of art work. In musical terms I could liken it to a beautiful number by a trio of violin, viola, and cello. So when I receive a terrible cappuccino it's as if I've asked for this sweet sweet piece of melancholy classical music and I've been handed a song by a talentless hack like...say...Jet.

As I stand in line waiting for my piece of art work I see something that makes my spirits soar. Perfect micro-foam is being POURED into the lattes and mochas being made before my drink. WITH LATTE ART! I even watched as the barista poured a rosetta into a latte and then covered it with whipped cream per the customers order. I am encouraged, but try not to let my emotions get too carried away. It's my cappuccinos turn. The conductor taps his baton, then his arms begin to sway. The shot is poured into the waiting cup with saucer. It looks a little short but the crema looks good. Then I take note of something I'd noticed before, but hadn't paid much mind to. The barista pours milk from the pitcher he'd just used to make a mocha into another pitcher and begins to swirl. Normally I wouldn't mind this so much except that I remember milk being poured from the pitcher before the mocha and 1 thought comes to mind. Burned milk. This milk has been steamed and re-steamed. It's as though the cello forgot to tune himself before beginning. The tones are very low and so less noticeable, but they are still there all the same. But, the show must go on. The swirling of the pitcher is encouraging and so is the fact the barista begins to pour the milk and foam into the cup. And then it happens. The viola has just broken a string. A giant clump of bubbly foam plops out of the pitcher in to cup causing a splash. This iceberg of foam isn't quite deserving of the bubble-bath award, but it's no microfoam. My heart sinks a little as I grab a demitasse from the cup of spoons next to me on the counter and take my forlorned string movement out to the patio.

The Capp:

Overall presentation: pretty good. A nice white cup is accompanied by a modernesque egg-shaped saucer. I have included my own demitasse spoon from the counter and it's time to dig into the technicalities:

First the cup. A perfect cappuccino cup will be between 6 and 8 ounces. This cup is easily 9 or 10. It's a little too big for a cappuccino and little too small for a latte. It's not a terrible grievance, but little things add up.

Next we will examine the proportions. A perfect cappuccino will have 1/3 espresso 1/3 milk, and 1/3 foam. I firmly grasp my demitasse and part the foam from the edge of the cup. There is at least enough foam. Typically cappuccinos will go without the full amount of foam. This cappuccino, however, has the opposite affliction. The cup is easily half full of foam. No doubt due to the leftover glob of foam that fell out on the pour. No matter. We still have the taste to go. By sight it looks like there is a good espresso/milk ratio. Now the taste.

I spoon a little foam into my mouth and am not surprised. As expected, the foam has a slightly burned taste to it. I take a sip of the espresso and milk and let it sit in my mouth a bit. What am I tasting? Peanut Butter and Jelly? Really? That's odd. I swallow the sip. Fairly smooth. Yep, there it is. Remember I noticed the shot was a little short? The espresso has a left a slightly burned aftertaste. Probably partly the fault of the over steamed milk as well. The burned taste is not terribly overwhelming. A few more scrutinizing sips and it all comes together. I can't tell if it's because this is the first cappuccino of the day, or because it's mostly palatable, but I finish my evaluation, light up my Rocky Patel Edge maduro and actually enjoy the rest of the drink. The cigar helps to alleviate the burned flavor.

We have heard that the owner is very meticulous about his espresso. Now if only his baristi could carry this on.

Re-Capp

Price: $2.71

Presentation: Decent. Cup to large, but it's a nice one. Saucer is cool. I have to get my own spoon...but they have them.

Proportions: A bit too dry.

Taste: slightly burned, but overall not bad. Strangely reminiscent of a PBJ.

Atmosphere: Comfortable. Roomy. Business casual.

Overall: I'd say this is a good experience. I'd like to come back some time when it's not “busy” to experience Folsom Street at it's relaxed best.

Bookend

Location: Pearl Street, Boulder

After an afternoon of jitters from bad cappuccino after another, we were pleasantly surprised to find something that actually resembled the drink we were looking for, and a great atmosphere to end the day (we really need to learn to pace ourselves or our hearts will seize like an oil-thirsty engine inside a month). The Book End sits on Boulders busy Pearl Street Mall, and an open brick entryway joins it with the Boulder Book Store. The place was busy, and in the duration of our time there, the line backed up a good 8 – 10 people a couple of times. This is no surprise considering its location. It is a decently-sized shop with great comfortably low lighting, lofted ceilings, bare brick walls, large wooden bar and bar shelves decorated with vintage canisters, and our favorite feature: A fully glass front that folds open on a nice day. Unfortunately today is around 50 degrees, which for winter weather is nice, but a bit chilly to have a wall of windows open.

The place looks clean but not sterile, the pastry case is simple but contains attractive pastries made in-house. The two women on staff are modestly dressed business casual and are friendly, but obviously concentrating on getting things done considering the level of business they were doing.

Now on to the important stuff...The coffee:

The Cap:

We ordered our “Single shot cappuccino for here”. After evaluating the machinery (a La Marzzocco) and an auto grind/tamp thingy (negative points for that one, but we're not leaving), my waited as I went to hunt for a place to sit.

The clientèle is a good mix of ages and interests, and there are several tourists from the mall intermingled. One can't really stereo-type the patrons here.

About 10 minutes later, it came up and we were relieved by what we saw. Although obviously spooned (definite negative pointage), we were reacquainted with the legendary, yet rare beast: Micro foam. What? We were starting to forget that it even existed.

It came in a simple, 8 oz matching white cup and saucer, no demi-tasse. The foam is pretty nice, but the shot is a bit off. The shots probably needed to be timed, but considering how busy they were, we will lend some understanding. We know how it goes.

The Re-Cap

Price: $2.70 + tax

Presentation: correct-sized cup, saucer, but no spoon.

Foam: Although spooned in, still beautiful.

Taste: grind seems off, but we will forgive.

Proportions: good.

Atmosphere: great. These people knew what they were doing. It captures the coffee shop feel very well.

Overall:
We really wanted it to be great, and it was almost there. The shot is what got them here, but we'd still give it a second chance and would definitely recommend going here at LEAST for the atmosphere, pastries and location.

Espresso Roma Café, Liquid Culture

Location: The Hill, Boulder Colorado

Let's begin with what the signs suggest on both store front walls of this corner café:

“Espresso Roma Café”-

This name denotes the owners desire to make people think of their café as rooted in the quintessential tradition of the eternal city. Scooters, hand gestures, spaghetti, and Audrey Hepburn are readily accessed and projected from our cache of American-harbored stereotypes. This coffee must be wonderful if it is from Roma, right?

“Liquid Culture”-

A phrase meant to further insinuate that within the café is practiced the art of infusing, incorporating, and presenting espresso that is essential to Italian culture. Or, perhaps it's meant to suggest a certain camaraderie or sense of community bustles inside this great corner café and overflows out on to the tables and chairs in the fenced-off patio outside.

Alright. We're set up. We are now envisioning this
little piece of Italian paradise right smack dab in the middle of little 'ol Boulder Colorado. Now let's walk inside. Reality bites us in the ass much the way the serpents of Poseidon do Laocoon and his sons in their frozen agony inside the Vatican museum. Instead of being greeted warmly with the pleasant aroma of delicious delicious coffee, we are accosted with the smell of a fellow who gave up personal hygiene for lent three years ago. We are acknowledged, less than hospitably, by a poor young woman who is most certainly impoverished beyond our understanding so that she can not even buy a shirt suitable for covering her belly that slides sweatily across the counter repeatedly as she works. Dedication to the cause prevents us from stumbling back out across the completely destroyed and grimy wood floor, and we order the single-shot cappuccino we came for.

The Cap

The order being placed and the wasted $2.50 transaction having been completed, of course the remaining 50¢ being deposited on the tip plate, we take a seat at one of the 5out of 6 open tables inside the cafe and begin to take notes. A psychological phenomena of snobbish consumerism ensues. The forthcoming cappuccino is going to be terrible. It doesn't matter if it actually is or is not, it's going to be. Even to a fledgling connoisseur of this vast world of refined vice, the entire experience has been ruined. This is just another, if not less than the standard, college town coffee shop. As we hear the milk being un-ritualistically slaughtered in the background, we discuss the obvious aforementioned shortcomings of the shop. The drink arrives and I think to myself, if this cup smelled of lavender I might just get in and soak for a bit. The foam would easily make a wonderful bubble-bath. I do my best to be fair and take a sip. Expecting a rather cleansing acid wash to flow over my tongue I am almost pleasantly surprised to find the espresso, with only a mild burned flavor, only slightly abrades my palate. I express the predictable dissatisfaction, we leave the cup half full in the bus bin, and take our leave.

Thank god that is over.

And as we walk down the street to our next destination I sigh and remark, “I need some water after that....no wait...whiskey.”

The Re-Cap

• Price: $2.50

• Presentation: Terrible. Broken cup, no saucer, no spoon.

• Proportions: hard to tell. 1 inch layer of bubbles moot the point of proportions

• Taste: Espresso un-remarkable. Milk nearly turned and burned.

• Atmosphere: Dirty

Overall: Caffeine administration device. Good for masking the alcohol/puke taste in your mouth as you take the stumble of shame home after a night you'd rather forget.

Caffe Sole

Location: Table Mesa, Boulder Colorado

After back-tracking and driving around for an extra 10 minutes, we finally found it in a little strip mall tucked behind King Soopers. This is sad considering I have an impeccable sense of direction and have been here at least 20 times in the past. This can't be optimal for business.

The place is pretty large with a main room where the entrance and the bar are located, and then a side room with extra seating. There was a good attempt to create a decently comfortable atmosphere with warm yellow paint and some nondescript photos of some local artist hung on the walls. The furniture looks a bit Village Inn. There was ample seating inside and out. Although tucked behind a

supermarket, there was still a great view of the mountains, and since it was a nice day, many people and dogs alike were mingling outside.

The staff is very "Boulder" with the relaxed, slightly hippy unshaven thing going on. The dude I talked to was knowledgeable about their coffee and totally friendly and helpful. He even introduced me to their unique way of brewing coffee. I still need to figure out what the hell it is called, but it's made the mad scientist way over a burner in a beaker thing.

They had what looked like the usual spread of Spruce confections and Aunt Kay's gluten free breads. They also had some coffee cakes that I didn't recognize, but it all looked pretty decent.

The Cap

The cappuccino came in a sturdy 6 oz cup and matching saucer with a very sturdy demi-tasse (we both love a good sturdy utensil), and although it didn't exactly have micro foam, it wasn't a bubble bath either and lo...a Rosetta. 20 points. Very impressed by the effort.

It was definitely on the wet side, but the temperature was good and the espresso had a very nice flavor: smooth, well balanced and almost chocolaty.

Re-Cap

• Price: 2.36 (+ tax)

• Presentation: all the components there plus the Rosetta. Extra pointage.

• Proportions: a little too wet to be a true cappuccino.

• Taste: Very good

• Atmosphere: decent, but not really notable.

Overall: Worth the trip. Let's say...15 points....based on a mysterious point system only I can know.