Jo Jack's Espresso Bar and Cafe in Portsmouth,Va

So today's review is on Jo Jack's Espresso Bar and Cafe. A cafe in Portsmouth,Va. It's a coffee shop/sandwich shop so you can come here for a coffee or for a good lunch. I've actually come here for lunch before and it was yummy. I've been wanting to check out their coffee (since that is of course what I do) so here I am.

When i arrived, the place was actually pretty busy. They have a drive-thru as well as a dining area but it's not like one where you talk into a speaker, you just pull up to a window and get waited on there. The dining area is pretty big. It has about 5 four top tables, two bars with about 4 stools each and a few two top tables. But what they don't have? Outlets. You would think at the bars at least, where the people that are likely to sit there are alone, there would be a lot of outlets so people can plug in their laptops. Most people that come into coffee houses alone come with either a laptop or a book, some form of entertainment. I had to find a chair right by the bathrooms, it was the only place I could find with an available outlet. But since there are so many tables, I am kind of in the way.

I think I came during their lunch rush but they seemed to be organized about the chaos that was going on. I saw 4 girls working, one of which I think is the owner (always nice to see). One girl running food and drinks, one making the food, one taking orders and one doing the drive thru and checking in on the customers in the dining area. To be honest, the whole time I was here they stayed pretty busy. There was a constant influx of people coming in for the most part. At one point some guy (the manager? owner?) came out from the office and started running food.

I ordered a soy iced vanilla latte.



They have the hand tamping espresso machine here as well. I don't think I would have ordered anything with espresso if it was a super auto. The portafilters were rinsed and drying on the counter. Always a good sign. If you leave them in the machine after you use them, the machine creates a sort of vacuum and sucks up some of the used grinds into the machine gunking it up through time and slowing down your espresso shot.

So i ordered my drink, I was given a plastic number and told to have a seat and my drink would be brought out to me. This was a first for me. But I can only imagine it was because the lack of "waiting area". Most coffee shops have a kind of lingering area for you after you order your drinks. This one didn't really so I guess I can understand the seating thing. What I couldn't understand was the 5 min wait I had for my drink. Now I know any experienced barista could make my drink in 60 seconds or less. I also understand that there were people ahead of me. But 5 minutes? At one point I thought they forgot about me and I was going to check on my drink. But then the girl brought it out and I was just happy to have coffee in my hand.

The coffee? It was good. I think there was only 2 shots in it though. I would have preferred 3 to this size. And the cost? $5.50. I thought that was a lot. It was only 16oz and I know I asked for soy so that is a charge as well but I was a but shocked at the price. I looked at the menu and they ARE a bit pricey with all their drinks. But looking around the majority of the customers are business men and women on their lunch break. The sound of high heels echo on the hardwood floors and men in tacky starched ties and polished shoes milled about chatting on their cell phones. The rest of the customer base consists of older women having lunch with their friends and the occasional bored housewife busy texting away. Not a single person my age is in here. No angsty pierced teenagers in need of their premature caffeine fix or high school barbies wanting her low fat frappuchino. Nope. Just Brooks Brothers and old lady must. Needless to say I am standing out in the crowd. But you know what? Money is money. And in this day and age any small business that is still booming like this place deserves props.

The staff seem to really enjoy their job, there was always someone walking the floor checking on everyone and even at one point someone came and picked up my straw wrapper to throw it away for me.

The ambiance? Well it's kind of a mix of corporate america and indie cafe style. You have the hardwood floors and chalkboard in the corner, the walls are rather bare other than the occasional framed picture of coffee. All the tables are a dark wood with a few cushy chairs on the wall. It's not cozy. It doesn't seem like a place I could curl up and hang out for a while. I think it's focused more of the lunch aspect than the coffee. And their lunches are good but maybe it could be more equal.



Well all in all I did like this place. But I don't know if I will be back. My coffee was good and the people here were nothing but nice but it's just not my type of place. I like the cozy warm coffee houses where the baristas love their coffee. The "barista suggestions" on the wall were lame. Nothing creative in the least. Almond mocha with a cutesy name, blah blah blah. Give me someone who knows how to make a dirty chai or loves their perfect espresso shot. I get the feeling these people will be around here for a while. They're in a good location and they cater very well to their customers. I just don't think I am going to be one of them...

Chocollage in Norfolk,Va

Everyone thought I gave up on this blog didn't they? Well unemployment adds a whole new level of boredom to life so I thought there is no better time to get this blog back up and running than now. Today's coffee house is Chocollage, nestled in the heart of downtown Norfolk this coffee shop/bakery has gotten nothing but good reviews from their customers so I thought it was a good place to get back on track with my blogging.

To be honest, it wasn't so much hard to find, but hard to park. There is only street parking in this area and so I had to go down quite a few blocks to find a place to park and just hike it back. I'm not complaining, it's actually a very nice area. Complete with houses I could never afford with the streets lined with BMWs and oversized SUVs, beauty always comes with a price.



I walked in and the first thing I noticed was the smell. Oh the sweet smell of a fresh baked goods mixed with fresh coffee, I was instantly in a state of euphoria. The espresso machine they have is a "old fashioned" one (people tend to refer to these machines as old fashioned when in reality they are the only espresso machines worth a crap. If you walk into a coffee house with a super automatic espresso machine, might as well walk right back out..unless you like the taste of burnt turd), but it looks well taken care of. I thought about ordering something with espresso but then I thought about my budget. I decided when I got back into planning for this blog, that I would stick to either hot or iced coffee for the most part. It would just get way too expensive to get into anything fancier. I'd be broke just doing this blog. If I get an espresso based drink every OTHER time I go to a coffee shop then I can save some money. The heart of any coffee shop is both their well timed espresso shots, as well as their regular coffee. It can be the crappiest espresso ever but if you put enough milk and flavor in it, you can cover up any bad taste (believe me, I know...I worked in a hospital coffee shop).

Anyway I just ordered an iced coffee and a black and white cookie from the young girl that was working at the counter. For both it was only a little over $3, so my wallet was ecstatic about that:) Really pretty much all of the coffee drinks are reasonably priced. $3.50 for a breve or $3.20 for a mocha. They also make macchiatos the traditional way..f*ck you starbucks. The rest of the place was dead and truth be told only 4 other customers came in while i was here. I thought that was a bit odd for a Saturday but oh well. Their loss.



My coffee? It was good. I can always tell how good a coffee is based on how much cream and sugar I have to put in it to make it drinkable. I only put in 2 small creamers and no sweeteners. It was kind of odd she put it in a hot coffee cup but I did ask for the biggest cup she had and I noted that the biggest cold cup was only 16oz and the hot cup is 20oz so in the end I guess it doesn't matter what kind of cup it comes in as long as it tastes good. My black and white cookie? Now before I answer this, keep in mind I love cookies ALMOST as much as I love coffee so my standards are pretty high. The cookie...is GOOD. Like, really REALLY good. Obviously very fresh and because of the icing it was kept in a refrigerated case. They serve lunch here as well. Your typical cafe food, soup and quiche and a good selection of sandwiches. I'd probably come back for lunch if it wasn't so far away. If I lived in the area I can see myself not only coming here often but putting on at least 20lbs from the food.


Ok the downsides to this place (I have to be honest right?) First off..parking. I know it's hard in areas like this but parking 5 blocks down and walking isn't my idea of fun. Then again, maybe I DO need to walk off this cookie. Second? Sounds small but there is no music. Just the sound of silence and the occasion tap tap tapping of the barista as she texts away on her phone. Even if its just some soft classical it would be kind of nice. Third? Outlets. There is only one and it's in the corner. I am literally right next to the fridge hiding away in the corner typing away on my laptop. I kind of feel like I am being punished. And lastly the WIFI...I am pretty sure I am stealing off someone else's wifi at the moment.The network they're on was sucky (linksys) so I had to jump on someone elses. Thank you Motorola!!!

But all in all I am very happy with my visit here. The barista was very friendly and helpful and the owner kind of reminded me of my grandma:) I'd recommend it to anyone who was looking for a cozy independent coffee house or bakery in Norfolk. I think the old fashioned bakeries need to make a comeback. No more going to your local grocery store for your child's birthday cake. Even if it is a little bit out of the way for you, this place is well worth the trouble.

Additional Note..

Ok ok I KNOW I am trying to work on my anger issues but the previously mentioned group of biddies just left and didn't even attempt to take their piles of plates and mugs to the counter. Just left them there. *sigh* People like that need to be punished by working in customer service for a week, just to see what it's like.

Phoebus Coffee House- Hampton,Va

Well I'm a big liar and I decided not to review the previously mentioned Cavanaugh's Cafe and Bakery. Mainly because while I DO plan on going there and getting some of their raved about pastries, it's mostly a bakery and oh yea they serve coffee too. I wanted to keep my blog more geared towards Coffeehouses. If I start to blur the lines with places that i decide to review pretty soon I'll be going to Cracker Barrel to blog about their coffee. And it's a slippery slope from there. Can you imagine? Next up...7-11 Coffee....

Anyway I went to Phoebus Coffeehouse in Hampton,Va. I have actually been here before but I was with a friend and didn't have my laptop but since it was a good experience the first time I thought I would come back to be more analytical about this place.

Well first I should mention just a few things. First off this place was visited by Al Jazeera on election day. If you were on CNN that day you could have caught a glimpse of this place. Basically Virginia is a battleground state (duh) and the national news wanted to come here because of that. I can only guess they chose this place because it's in the heart of a little section of town called Phoebus (obviously) and the town itself could not possibly be any more quaint. Coming here there was a little boy playing the guitar in the front of his family's store, waving at passers by. And as I walked in the door I saw Santa ordering a coffee, how much more damn adorable can you get??

This place is possibly one of the biggest coffee places I have ever been to. More long than wide, it seems the dining area stretches far beyond the front door. The floors are a nice shiny wood, and the walls painted a cheery orange shade that makes the place look like it's full of sunshine. I don't hear any music but I am sure at some point (maybe at night) they pipe tunes through the echoing walls. The front of the store has wonderful antique looking windows and the ceilings sport track lighting (but not the tacky euro trash kind, the kind that you don't even notice until you look up and see it's just a soft lighting made to enhance the feel of sun and light and airiness of the place). The menus hanging on the walls are hand made, advertising not only their coffees but the fact they serve a breakfast and lunch menu that seems to call to my empty stomach. But I opted for some yummy chocolate chip cookies (you all know I can't pass up cookies) and a large regular coffee. I thought about getting my usual soy vanilla latte but that is what i got last time and it was delicious so I wanted to try one of their coffees. They have about 5 to choose from. Well for me it's about 4 because one of them is a decaf and lets me serious people...I ordered my coffee and cookies (a combination made in heaven) and chatted up the barista while I waited. She seemed super nice and talkative, not at all forced or fake and I really appreciated that. She actually reminded me of myself a little. I chose a Guatamala Antigua roast (decided to drink it black too..PATRICK) and found my seat. The place is king of divided a little into 3 rooms. Of course there are no walls or doorways, but it just feels like 3 separate rooms with different feels. I thought if I went all the way to the back I'd be able to have some peace and quiet. *ahem* NO. 5 minutes into my blog, I hadn't even had a chance to take a sip of my steaming hot coffee when a group of women (teachers?) came in for lunch. Complete with idle middle aged women talk about nothing, with voices that are WAY too loud for a coffeehouse. I have learned my lesson to put some headphones in my laptop bag for next time. Oh I wish i could tune them out a little. Voices that crawl under my skin and want to throw my hot coffee in one of their faces. Argh there I go getting angry again. But how can 6 women that talk all at once understand each other?

Anyway back to the coffee...it's good. Tastes fresh and my cookie is...so...good... I can't even put it into words. Ahhh....wait what was i saying? Ah yes the COFFEE. Anyway it's really good. REALLY good. Mental note...look up words that make me sound smarter other than grunting a "really good" to describe my cup full of God's Heaven. It's kind of nutty but not overwhelming, a smooth darker roast that I would definitely order again.

This place was definitely worth the drive and if it was closer I could easily become a regular here.

Phoebus is owned by a woman by the name of Anne Doop who has a wonderful quote on her website stating the reason she started this place saying “A person shouldn’t have to learn another language - even if it's made up - to order a cup of coffee”. My thoughts exactly Anne...my thoughts exactly.

Economy or crap coffee???

I just saw that Maui Wowie, the coffee place I previously reviewed has gone under. Also my previous employer Coffease has hung up their "Out of Business" signs as well. I can't help but wonder is it the cruel economy these days or the fact their coffee was horrible, or in the case of Coffease, customer service was sub par. It's sad in any event. I can't even gloat. Because behind these businesses were people that wanted to make them work. It's a bitch either way...

Long time no see my friends..

Going to review some places this weekend:
Cavanaugh's Cafe and Bakery in Hampton,Va as well as
Jim's Bean in Chesapeake Va (though I can't find anything on them but their address so my plan B is Chocollage in Norfolk,va)

Stay Tuned!!!

beach brew coffee co.

Ok I know I haven't posted anything in this blog in a while. Mostly it was a money situation. I had a hard enough time keeping gas in my tank this past month and trying to get together the money to drive around virginia wasn't part of my list of important things for me. But I'm back in the saddle and reviewing this place in Virginia Beach, Beach Brew.

First off I had never heard of this place, and really I hadn't heard anything from word of mouth about it from my friends in the coffee world. So I was curious to see what this place was all about. I thought from the name maybe it would be at the ocean front, but it's tucked away behind this nondescript shopping plaza and if I didn't know it was here, there is no way I would just "happen" by. Since it's also *behind* all the shops, not even visable from the street. Since I am coming from work, where I just got done sucking down 2 cups of coffee (not actually thinking ahead that maybe I should have saved some room for some more coffee for my review) I wasn't in the mood for anything heavy so I just got a plain coffee. The place, to be honest, (and this is all about honesty), smells funny. I think they might be making some panini sandwiches or something but I definitely didn't smell coffee when I walked in. Though the place is cute enough. Hand painted walls, complete with orange suns and blue spirals, each wall a different color made it quaint and unique. The barista seemed nice enough, though all he did was hand me an empty cup since again, all I ordered was coffee. I still put a dollar in the tip cup since I always tip my barista regardless of what they make for me, or don't make. There are yummy pastries in the display case, though it was a little sparse. Two shelves of syrups lined the walls and I find myself staring at flavors that i had never even heard of. Though the syrup brand itself is on the cheap side. All of the tables and chairs match, black on black, which looks nice in it's simplicity. A corner has the classic coffeehouse couches and comfy chairs and on one wall it has coffees for sale, though it looks like you bag them yourself which is a little odd. And on one side note, while I was ordering my coffee i noticed there was someone sleeping in the corner. Like an employee, just catching some shut eye I guess. I don't know, maybe I am being picky but I would like to think, if you're on the clock and in uniform you should be conscious.

I couldn't spend a lot of time there since it seems I picked a day some school was doing a class project where they were filming scenes so there was a big group of kids with racks of clothes, people yelling directions and some dude filming it all. I felt really uncomfortable so I left a lot earlier than I wanted to. I did think it was a little rude and if they were going to be doing something like that, they should do it after hours so they wouldn't disturb the customers.

But all in all the coffee was yummy and if there wasn't this whole production going on around me, then I might have enjoyed myself a little more. I don't think I will go again, just because i am never in that area. It's totally out of the way for me. But if for some reason I AM in the area again, I think I would stop again. I'm curious about their espresso drinks.

So in conclusion, I'm not over the moon about this place, but it is worth a stop.