Moko Coffee Cleveland,Oh

Address: 1505 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115-2110
Phone: (216) 589-0194
Hours: 7am-5pm Mon-Fri
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor Seating: no
Credit Cards Accepted: yes




I've been meaning to venture into Moko coffee for some time now. Other than the fact that it's only a few blocks away from work, it also boasts being the only coffee shop in town to serve Intelligentsia coffee.

For those of you who don't know, Intelligentsia is a coffee brand that began back in 1995. Their shops are in Chicago, LA and New York. Their Black Cat Espresso is what they are known for, syrupy and sweet it stands out in a league of its own. They use Direct Trade with their coffee producers, traveling to the farms every month out of the year to make sure what is served in each one of their shops is the best both in quality and ethically.





Ok, so back to Moko. They are situated in the heart of Playhouse Square, and because of that, only open Mon-Fri 7am-5pm. Walking in, I was really not impressed. Gotta be honest right?? Maybe this place is relying on the fact that their coffee is amazing and letting everything else fall by the wayside, but for me, I want the whole experience. I want to sit in a comfortable environment while drinking my great coffee. Too much to ask? I think not. Their pastry case was disgusting. It looks like it hadn't been cleaned since they opened back in 2007. There was an old biscotti with several layers of mold on it staring up at me from the bottom shelf just begging to to thrown away. Chad asked for bagels (they were still on display) and they were out. Um, if you're out, you should probably put your display bagels away...just sayin'. Chad ordered an Americano and I ordered a soy latte in a ceramic mug. Well...there were no ceramic mugs so I got paper..wa waaa. Lame. The espresso machine was tiny and sad, and it took him at least 5 minutes to get both of our drinks together. Now, word in the coffee community is they have a La Marzocco espresso machine. But what they had the day I went it, it was definitely not that. Maybe their machine was broken and this was the temporary replacement? I am hoping so. When I tried to watch him make my latte, my stare was caught and I was shot a dirty look. So I was left hoping my shots were coming out correctly, since I was now flying blind. While waiting for our drinks to come out, we wandered around the place a bit. Very cool framed posters from the various shows that have come to the Playhouse lined the walls, and fliers for local events cluttered a corner table. Oh, speaking of corners, there was a corner there that time forgot. There was a fast food 'McDonalds' type garbage can along with boxes and garbage around it. The back door was left open so I could see even their stock room was a disaster.

When we got our drinks, I was happy to see a little heart on my latte.



Sure, it's something basic, but at least it was something.

We sat upstairs in the balcony, which is an awesome seating area. Very quiet and comfy. But again, random empty boxes were thrown in a corner, and what looks like an air vent hole in the wall, just without the vent...so it was just a hole in the wall. A coffee burlap sac was randomly thrown on the wall, as you were walking up the stairs.



We did get a great view from the balcony, as we drank our coffees and people watched.






I actually really loved Chad's Americano. The Black Cat Espresso is amazing, sweet with a maple flavor, completely unlike any of the other espressos around. Chad, didn't like it though. Anything sweet as far as coffees go is a no-go for him. My soy latte was good, perfectly balanced and not too hot. I think he put just a little bit more vanilla that he should have though. When you're espresso is that good, you want people to be able to actually taste it.

In the end, I don't think I will be coming back to Moko. I wasn't comfortable there and while my coffee WAS good, my skirt wasn't blown up like I was expecting it to be. Maybe I would go back just for a regular coffee, just to see how it tastes. But I don't think I would hang out again.

That biscotti still haunts me...

R.I.P Willow Coffee House Lakewood,Oh

Chad came home last week and informed me with sadness that Willow Coffee House had closed its doors. I reviewed Willow some months back, and left feeling as if I had found a Lakewood treasure. Sure, their espresso machine was tiny and I didn't get the feeling the owners loved to geek out on coffee, but it was the atmosphere and the customer service that I loved the most. I have been into many coffee shops in my lifetime, but I can say with complete honesty that none of them could even compete with Willow's decor and atmosphere. You walked in the back room and there was a fountain, the floor was painted to look like a forest pathway and there was foliage on the walls. Willow Coffee was magical. One of the owners was an artist and he merely wanted to have a business that allowed him to do what he loved, be around people and paint. While Chad and I weren't regulars by any means (it was a bit far for us) we went when we could. We knew they were struggling, and it came as no surprise to see them close their doors, but it is still sad. In these trying times, it takes a lot for the small business owner to stay afloat. Willow Coffee House will be missed in my household, they will be missed by the coffee community. Good Luck for the owners future endeavours.

Decidedly Different in Vermilion,Oh

Address: 590 Main St
Vermilion, OH 44089

Phone: (440) 967 4664

Credit Cards: yes

Outdoor seating: yes

Wifi: No

Today was the day of the Woolleybear Festival. For those of you that don't know, it's the biggest one day festival in Ohio. Sure, it's a festival for an insect that just happens to be furry and cute...it's still pretty fun. I ventured into Vermilion, my hometown, for the Woolleybear and of course, had to check out the only coffee shop in the town that I haven't been able to review. That being said, there are only 2 coffee shops in this little town, it's not exactly a hot bed of caffeinated activity.

Decidedly Different is situated right off the main drag in Vermilion. It's about a block away from the lake and it gets a lot of local traffic. There is a coffee shop (Huggy's) across the bridge as well but there doesn't seem to be any sort of competition going on. It's a small town after all.

Now before I write this, it doesn't need to be said that I am a coffee snob. I like to watch my espresso shots come out and make sure they are perfectly timed before I feel comfortable drinking them. If I can hear my milk steaming across the room I feel physically uncomfortable. I am not happy with just a latte. I want a perfect latte, and I want it quickly. Knowing this about myself, I had to try and check my little quirks before I went in. Vermilion is a small town with most residents that are happy with just having a cute coffee shop in town. I am not the typical coffee shop customer and I know that I will need to lower my standards a bit before judging.



First off, the place is really cute. There are a handful of tables and chairs that are the typical mismatchy type that a lot of coffee shops have these days. There is local bakery in the display case like fresh biscotti and delicious brownies with frosting. They had some drip coffee (1 regular, 1 decaf and of course a flavored coffee) as well as the standard espresso menu on the wall. I asked if they had soy milk, and they didn't, they had almond milk. I am not a big fan of almond milk, but due to my intolerance of lactose it was my only option. I also ordered an americano for Chad. The young girl working there was one of the owner's daughter. From what I have read this place is owned by 2 local couples. When I was there I saw 2 women working, and some high school age kids helping out. Everyone was very very nice and helpful. The young girl helping me didn't really have a clue about coffee and even when one of the customers asked how one of the coffees tasted, she couldn't offer any help. If you're not a coffee drinker, and haven't tasted your product I am sure it is a bit challenging. And while she was nice, I had to repeat my order a few times. The young cashier also seemed pretty distracted by her boyfriend that had come for a visit. I know I know, it's young love. But dang it mama wants her coffee and I want my taste buds to be happy so SNAP SNAP!



They had a small, rather sad looking espresso machine. I couldn't make out the brand but it wasn't anything to be impressed by. As I watched by shots come out as slow as molasses, I became more and more worried about my drink. I won't even TALK about the fact the shots came out into a dingy looking measuring cup. I won't even mention THAT. When my milk was being steamed by the biggest milk pitcher ever created, and I could hear the shrill scream of the steaming echo in my ear drums, worry became dread. When I finally got my latte, I had to ask for more flavor syrup to try and mask the bitter taste of the espresso. Chad was able to drink his latte with a shrug but even he admitted that it was "just ok".

I know that Decidedly Different is a small town coffee bar, and I know there is something to be said for a locally owned business that is doing well in this economy. Also, I can't overlook their customer service. When I find that is there is good customer service going on, I can overlook a lot. The women working there weren't coffee snobs, they weren't worried about the perfection of my shots or the overall drink quality. But, the cost was reasonable and they truly seemed to enjoy their job and their customers.



So, I am a bit torn with this. Sure my drink tasted like bitter ass and my milk was burnt to hell, but they did it all with a smile. So, the truth is that I won't be coming back to Decidedly Different. But you know what? For their customer base, they are probably a perfect business. Some people want flavored coffee and a cozy place to hang out...I just want something more.

The Root Cafe in Lakewood, Oh

Hours:
Mon-Tues 630am-11pm
Wed-Thurs 630am-10pm
Fri 630am-11pm
Sat 7am-11pm
Sunday 8am-10pm

Free Wifi: yes
Outdoor Seating: No
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes



Today's review is on a Lakewood hangout, The Root Cafe. The quick background of this place is basically it used to be a Phoenix Coffee. The new owners snatched it up and began to revamp it and make it into the coffee shop they envisioned. Very quickly they found out that the space they were working with just wasn't enough, so they moved just a few spots down to where they are now. On some nights they have bands or open mic nights. Because of their late night crowds, the also have a beer selection (including Great Lakes). From the reviews I have read, apparently there is a big late night turnout. That being said, The Root is also a big high school hangout. But luckily, I didn't have to listen to whats going on in the 90210 while I was there. The afternoon crowd was definitely a group of regulars and older local residents reading the paper and laptop surfing.

I really have to say that I actually kind of like Phoenix Coffee. It IS a little confusing though. They use Phoenix cups and Phoenix coffee but they aren't owned by Phoenix. Um...so the question is my friends...what makes them different than our local coffee chain? It could be the food menu. They serve fresh vegetarian edible delights like brown rice stir fry and vegan chunky vegetable soup. Their bakery selection was hard to pass up as well. Chad and I decided to "share" a molasses cookie (I say "share" because I am pretty sure our halves weren't equal:)





I ordered a toffee soy latte and chad went with his americano. There were two young girls working there and one older woman (though I am not quite sure she was older, her head scarf just threw me off). The girl who made our drinks was nice enough. Though,when I was struggling with what to order she didn't offer any suggestions. Which, I have to say, is disheartening. I want to feel like you care if I get what I really want, even if you really don't, you can fake it. Ask me what I like, ask me what I am in the mood for. Do I want something sweet? Maybe fruity? But to stare at me while I decide is a letdown. The girl that rung us up was a different story. She couldn't crack a smile to save her life and I am pretty sure if I was grading on customer service this girl would fail. She would fail miserably. Nevermind the fact she acted like she hated life when she was helping us, then started laughing a joking with her co-workers as soon as we walked away. Nevermind the fact that she never said thank you or have a good day...or...anything.



I have actually been into The Root once before with a friend of mine and there were 2 other girls working there. I thought maybe they were both having an off day. I mean, when I go to work I check my issues at the door but maybe not everyone can do that. Again, the girl who rung us up that day couldn't smile when I cracked a joke or...make it seem like she even liked her job. If you're in the coffee business, you aren't getting rich. People that survive in the coffee business LOVE coffee and they LOVE their job. I didn't get that feeling from that girl at all.

I have to say that other than the girl that made our drink, I have yet to have a good customer service experience at The Root. Sure you can steam milk ok, but would it kill you to be nice to the customers that aren't regulars? I saw the same girls that were rude to me show excitement and happiness when regulars came through the doors. I know I am not a regular, but I can guarantee I won't become one if the staff doesn't cheer the hell up.



Onto my drink. The first time I went to the Root, my latte was perfection. The girl that made my drink even gave me some latte art in my to go cup. And for those of you who don't know, latte art is a lot harder in a to go cup than it is in an actual ceramic latte mug. But this time, my milk was overly aerated and there wasn't even an attempt of art on my mug. And it was a ceramic, the main reason I asked for that was to get something pretty on my drink. I can even appreciate the attempt, that way I can see that you're trying, that you care. I don't care if it looks like two butt cheeks squished together, you tried. And come on...it's just funny to see butt cheeks on your coffee:)



Today my latte was ok. The milk wasn't hot enough and the tiny air bubbles were Starbucks quality. It tasted waaaay too sweet and I couldn't really taste any of the espresso. Chad's Americano had nice crema and he said it tasted "amazing". I could hear the girl steaming the milk from across the room, which is always a no no. If I have to raise my voice so the person next to me can hear what I am saying...there are some steaming issues happening.

I do love the decor of Root. There is an old church pew in one corner and the window seating (perfect for people watching) and most of the items look recycled. The table legs of the window tables were made of iron tree sculptures. The place looks very clean and eclectic. I love how the sun comes through the windows and seems to light up the whole place.

In the end, I will probably come back to the Root. It's sad that only a few people know latte art and their customer service is sub-par, but the first latte I held from this place had a big fat heart on it, and that is why I am going to come back. Because one barista took 3 seconds out of her drink prep to make sure I had a nicely made drink I will return. It's the little things that make me happy, give me a heart, and I'll come back for more:)

Bela Dubby in Lakewood,Oh

After a long hiatus from my blog, I am back to reviewing. Today I visited Bela Dubby in Lakewood,Ohio.




Address:13321 Madison Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44107-4814

Phone:(216) 221-4479

Hours: Open Mon-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-12am

Outdoor Seating: No

Website: www.beladubby.com

Wifi: Free

Accept Credit Cards: Yes




Bela Dubby is a Lakewood hipster hangout, in fact when I was reading the multitude of reviews on this place, the word "hipster" came up in almost every single one. It features a large selection of imported beer and a long list of events ranging from movie nights to improvisational musicals. Looking at the list of bands they have playing I see Dutch Pop along with Indie Rock so I'd say it's a pretty safe bet to call this place "eclectic".



The hours they're open are kind of odd for a coffee shop, they open at 10am (totally missing the morning crowd)and close pretty late at night. But after visiting, I can kind of see why there is such unique hours. They aren't exactly in a highly trafficked area, and they seem to be promoting their night time events more than anything. The weekends there are jam packed with various types of events. There are 4 bands playing this friday,a "car kulture show" this saturday (with ice cream floats!), and a movie night this sunday, which is a Double Feature. And that is just a sample of the night time activity there.

After reading a handful of reviews, I noticed that coffee was rarely mentioned. The artwork that changes monthly, or the comedians that do ameteur night are spoken of quite frequently. The beer is mentioned pretty often too. But what about the coffee? What about the coffee??!!

This is a COFFEE shop blog so that is what I shall focus on. Parking can be a bit of an issue here, it's strictly street metered parking. Don't even THINK about parking in one of the nearby businesses' parking lots. Apparently the nearby business owners just love to tow the cars parked for Bela Dubby. Luckily we saw one of the many signs posted in the coffee shop warning patrons to move their vehicles if they're parked illegally, and we moved our car across the street.



The barista working was very sweet and friendly. She was chatting up a customer when I walked in, which is always a good sign. I ordered Chad's Iced Americano while he parked the car and I pondered my drink. The barista didn't offer any suggestions or ask me questions as to what I liked, which is also a good sign of a barista that wants to help customers make a good decision about their coffee. I finally decided on an Espresso Con Panna. To my dismay, she didn't know what it was, so I had to explain. She made Chad's Americano with Toddy (*sigh*)and it ended up looking like coffee water. But she was more than willing to put in a few hot shots for him to make it stronger. As she made my drink, I watched my shots come out and I was distressed to see that they were coming out way too slow. Dripping out actually. She spread the whipped cream on as best she could , and we both took our seats.



I gotta say this, the barista was very sweet and super cute but MAN did my espresso taste like ass. I knew it was going to. It came out WAY too slow, and since I noticed that she made a point to clean the portafilter and the machine after the shots were pulled, I am thinking it's not because of a clog in the machine. Girlfriend just needs to time her shots, timing is EVERYTHING with espresso. If your timing is bad, they can taste like garbage. The shots poured into a silver espresso cup so there was no way for me to see if there was any crema on them. Just judging from Chad's Americano, there was none. His drink was as flat and watery as...well..coffee water. Even when she added the shots, I didn't see that excited look on his face that he usually gets when his drink is yummy. And while I did drink all of my espresso, my stomach wishes I hadn't. I am still trying to get the taste out of my mouth. A sign of a poorly timed espresso shot is if the taste clings onto your taste buds long after the drink is finished.





The atmosphere was very fun. The furniture was eclectic and antique-y. There was some diner style tables mixed with old vinyl chairs. There was a lounge couch that I think was in every single one of our grandparent's homes. The walls have various artists selling their wares, this month's artist was cute but not my taste. Watercolor mixed with crayon, while an interesting idea, didn't seem very thoughtful. But Bela Dubby promote local artists and local musicians and comedians which is always a plus.

In the end, I can't say I will be back for coffee. It's pretty close to the house, only a 20 min bike ride and maybe a 10 min drive away, but if I wanted crappy espresso I could just go to st*rbucks. The owner was there and he seemed super helpful and nice, talking to Chad about the beer selection. But when it comes to coffee, this place needs a lot of help, and a barista/bartender that is knowledgeable about her product. Nothing is worse than bitter espresso...nothing.

Loop in Tremont (cleveland), Ohio

Address:2180 West 11th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113-3604

Phone:(216) 298-5096

Hours: 7am-Late

Outdoor Seating: Yes

Website: Not Available

Wifi: Free

Accept Credit Cards: Yes





This coffee shop just opened in December 2009. It's the new kid in town and while trying to get the word out about themselves, for now they are relying on word of mouth from the local Tremont-ers. I actually heard about this spot at work, my manager mentioned it in passing, saying they roast their own beans. My little coffee addict ears perked up when I heard that, and since it was close (a 20min bike ride away) I knew it was going to be next on my list. The sun and the warm breeze this morning begged me to come out and play, so Chad and I hopped on our bikes and ventured out to Tremont to see whats what with the newbie coffee shop.

I wasn't able to find out a lot about this spot online. They don't have a website yet and only a handful of reviews on Yelp.com. But all the reviews are positive, most of them from from the local Tremont population. The fact that they aren't listed on any websites and without a website of their own, they might have a harder time getting new customers through their doors. But maybe slow and steady will win the race as they say.

Loop is nestled on the corner of West 11th and Fairfield Ave. It could be easy to miss if you aren't looking though. Like a lot of coffee places in residential neighborhoods, it's a house that was converted to a coffee shop. Parking in on the street or across the street in a small gravel parking lot. We tied our bikes up to the bike rack out front, and went in.

The first thing I noticed is the roaster in the front window. It's a small roaster but since it's just a small shop, roasting in small batches is actually the best way to do it. It ensures that the beans are as fresh as possible and that quality is above quantity. When you roast in smaller batches, it allows the person to see how the beans are being treated during the whole roasting process, before,during and after. It also ensures that the beans are being roasted evenly, and since only a small amount is being roasted at a time, there is no stockpiling so the beans don't go stale.



The menu board wasn't the usual chalkboard style menu board, which is a nice change. It just had the basic drinks on it, the sizes were small,med and large and a small list of "extras" (soy,extra shot,etc). Really, thats all you need in a menu board. You don't need a huge list of coffee and espresso drinks. There was some Monin syrups on the shelf so you could see what flavors they did have. If you have been to coffee shops before, really they all have basically the same thing. What sets each of them apart is the quality. You can have 50 different types of syrups if you want. But really, you're only going to use about 10 of them. No need to get crazy with it. I ordered a soy mocha iced and Chad ordered his Americano. I got 3 shots in mine and chad got 4. I really hate it when coffee shops get stingy with the espresso. If I get a 20oz drink, 2 shots just isn't enough. But thats just me...I like to taste my caffeine and not cover it up.



While waiting for our drinks, Chad chatted up the Baristo Dave. He seemed very soft spoken but very helpful. He answered all of the questions we had about the artwork on the wall (more on that later) and just the background of the place. We also ordered a banana nut muffin to share. They have a very small selection of pastries and muffins for sale. Their supplier is some bakery in the Market (I forgot the name) and while the muffin was really tasty and fresh, I would have liked to have seen more of a bakery selection. Maybe since they are just starting out, they are starting out small and plan to expand the food selection with time. I have been to some coffee houses where there is a HUGE bakery case and a million things to choose from. While that is nice,I don't need anything that elaborate. I'd just like a little bit more than 4 types of muffins. Is that too much for a girl to ask?? Hmm?? Hmm?? Gimme something chocolate why don't cha!! :)

Anyway when you walk in, to the right there is a huge wall covered with paintings. I am not sure if they are all done by the same artist though. I tend to think they aren't all the same person, since the styles of a few were pretty different. Most of the painting were done by Sarah K. Dougherty and as a girl, I really loved them. Chad of course loved the darker paintings to the left on the wall, but what can I say? I like what I like:)



It is also worth mentioning that this place isn't just a coffee shop. It's a coffee shop/record store/art gallery. On the second floor there are a bunch of records to sift through, and they have a very wide assortment of musicians to choose from. The first floor have frames pictures and paintings as well. They are marketing themselves as a coffee shop and record store so they are doing a pretty good job in finding a balance in both.






We took our coffees outside to sit and enjoy the day. My mocha was delish. I watched Dave pull the shots and after counting quietly in my head how long they took (yea I know I am a bit of a freak) I saw that they were perfectly timed. Since Chad got an Americano and I got something iced, I didn't get to see how they steamed their milk. So that might be an additional addendum to this posting at a later date. Chad said quite a few times how much he enjoyed his coffee. As you can see...



it was love at first sip.


They had a wide variety of seating. Both tables and bar seating in the main cafe, a large semi enclosed patio area, as well as some tables on the second floor. We sat outside for a while, the patio had semi private fencing. Where you're outside but it's not like you're a zoo animal, being gawked at by passers by. We sat outside until a young female came outside and lit up a cigarette, and that was our cue to go. Smoke mixed with coffee just doesn't mix well. I know it's a lot to ask to make the outdoor area non-smoking but to me, it's just gross and for those of us that just want to enjoy the fresh air, the air becomes not so fresh when someone is smoking. But I will get off my non-smoking soapbox for now...

All in all I can comfortably say I will be back. For my mocha, the muffin and Chad's americano it was $9.50, which isn't too bad. We also picked up a pound of Espresso to bring home with us.

On a side note, I also think I definitely redeemed myself with Chad from yesterday's debacle at the "Curbside".

Loop might be the new kid in town, but if I had to get my crystal ball out, I can comfortably say they will be leading the pack in the very near future.

Curbside Coffee Cleveland,oh

Address:9858 Lorain Ave Cleveland,Oh

Ok, I have to say I feel a little bad about blogging about this particular coffee shop. To me, they are misrepresenting themselves and probably should advertise under "Bluegrass Music" and not "Coffee Shop". But since they did choose the latter I have to do my review. They were voted in to Fox8 Hot List under the label of "coffee shop" and while they didn't get placed, they did get a lot of rave reviews from their loyal customers. Chad and I drove past this place once a few months back, and screeched to a stop upon seeing the word "coffee". We got out of the car with excitement in our eyes, but sadly they were closed. Peering in through the storefront windows, it looked like an old bar to me. I didn't see an espresso machine and the place looked rather barren for a coffee shop. But since I want to hit every single coffee in Cleveland I had to venture out and try this place again.

We got there about 5 minutes before they were closing, apparently on Wednesdays they close at 3pm so Judy (the owner) can get some things done. But Chad peeked his head in and asked if we could just buy a coffee. The owner welcomed us in happily.

Judy and her husband Terry bought the Curbside Coffee Shop about 3 years ago. Her husband Terry passed away about a year ago, leaving Judy to run it alone. Apparently when they first opened for business, having some issues getting customers through the door, Terry asked his good friends The Bluegrass Kings to come and play one night a week. While he couldn't pay them, he offered them all the free coffee they could drink. And that is still their paycheck to this day. Tuesday nights are apparently hoppin' at the Curbside Coffee Shop. The Bluegrass Kings play their hearts out and people come in just to watch and enjoy. They also have country music nights and Karaoke nights as well. From what I read and noticed, most of the customers are of the older generation. They come because there is no alcohol served and it's under the category of "good clean fun".

I bet at this point you're wondering where the coffee comes in. I don't have a lot to say really... Chad and I ordered 2 large coffees and the total was $5. Je-SUS that is steep. I have a hard time being pissy about anything though to be honest. Hell the owner shook our hands, then introduced the straggling customers/band members to us. She asked us where we moved from, gave us a business card and asked us repeatedly to come back for one of their music nights. But since this blog IS about coffee I am obligated to say I think the coffee was not good...ok it was bad. It was really really bad. It was really weak and even chad (who will drink coffee that has been sitting out all day) had to be coaxed to drink his coffee. Dang I spent $2.50 on it, he better drink it.

There was NO espresso machine. While they advertise cappuccinos and coffee drinks, they only had an old Bunn restaurant style coffee maker and a push button cappuccino and hot chocolate machine (you know, the kind that mixes the powder with the hot water). She did have a rack of Torani syrups which I thought was a bit odd. What is she going to put those in? That being said, the syrups looked as old as the coffee shop itself so it doesn't look like they are getting much use. I also have to mention it smelled funny in there. I can't quite place the smell but I know it was bad, like old people and musty farts kind of bad.

Chad and I walked out of the shop to the sounds of Judy inviting us back to a music night. But after tasting the coffee and the dent it put in my wallet, I gotta say...it's not likely. If I was a Bluegrass fan??? Then I probably would. I would bring my own coffee though:)

Heine Brothers Coffee Louisville,Ky

While in town for the Derby last weekend, I decided it was my responsibility, no my DUTY to check out a coffee house while I was there. And the place to see seemed to be Heine Brothers Coffee. They are the 'Phoenix Coffee' of Louisville, Ky. They have 7 locations throughout the Louisville area so wherever you're at in your travels, there will be a Heine Brothers not too far away.



We stopped at the Heine Brothers Coffee on the way back to Ohio, at the location off Shelbyville Rd. It was raining like crazy so we were the only customers in the place, other than the older gentleman hunching over a pile of paperwork, typing furiously on his laptop. We were greeted upon walking through the door and immediately started to pour over the menu. I like asking the baristas for suggestions to see how good of a job they can do to engage their customers. It's about knowing what your customer wants without a huge conversation. I ended up ordering a honey cinnamon latte and chad had his usual Americano.

I noticed they were using a semi automatic espresso machine a La Marzocco, the same as they use in my coffee shop. While the semi automatics take some of the hands-on element away from the espresso pulling process, they are useful when there are a lot of drinks being made at the same time. I noticed that they had a drive thru, from the ever so familiar headset attached to the barista's head.



While we were waiting I asked about the Heine Brothers business. Apparently they only serve fair trade and organic coffees. These days, most coffee is organic but to hear it's fair trade is definitely a plus. They roast their own beans at one of their locations in the Crescent Hill neighborhood. For those of you that don't know, here is a little coffee 101. Fair Trade coffee basically means that the coffee farmers that you're buying from are being paid a fair wage and given good living conditions, health care and education. Gone is the day where you order your $5 latte, made with beans that were grown by a farmer that was getting pennies an hour and having to live in poor conditions. Long story short, it's quality of life.

After looking around on the Heine Brothers Coffee website I noticed what kind of organizations they are involved with. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity, they send some of their baristas to Guatemala back in 2009 to help out the community that grows their beans. They also work with Center for Women and Families, the relief in Haiti (raising over $4000) and Cooperative Coffees. They also promote small businesses, keeping everything local, which is always refreshing.


But back to the coffee...I have to mention this, I wouldn't be an unbiased blogger if I didn't...my milk was steamed horribly. She aerated the milk for 1 millisecond and then just set it on the shelf until the thermometer told her it was hot enough. First off, any real barista shouldn't have to use a thermometer, you can tell if milk is the right temp by the sound it makes and how the bottom if the milk pitcher feels. But maybe she was new... and her trainer sucked. My milk could have been a lot better. She explained to me that a lot of people say that the espresso they use is "too strong". Since there is no possible way it could be too strong I actually could have had another shot. I think there was only 2 in my large latte. Chad had 4 in his Americano which was good for him. But in the end I did enjoy my latte and chad commented that his americano was very good. Also worth noting, the young barista making our drinks had no shoes on. I thought maybe it was a southern thing?



The decor of the place was simple but tasteful. Nothing too outlandish, dark stained chairs and tables mixed with honey stained chairs and tables. There were 2 big chairs in the back (a standard coffee house "comfy" chair) and some smaller tables against the wall. The mixing station was cute, small colorful flower pots held the different types of sugar and everything was placed on what looked to be an antique type dresser.





Also there are paintings all over the walls. Some coffee paintings, some of other things. They were all by the same artist I think. I actually liked a few of the paintings but the price was pretty steep for me.





The shoeless barista seemed very helpful otherwise, wrapping up my ceramic mug and bringing it out to us (I am pretty sure she used a WHOLE newspaper). She answered all of our questions and encouraged us to come back next time we were in town. And you know? I think we will...

Lucky's Cafe in Tremont, Cleveland Ohio

Today's review is on Lucky's Cafe in Tremont (Cleveland,Oh). I saw this place on the Fox8 Hot list and I have read lots of positive things about it, so I thought I would check it out.



Lucky's Cafe is right in the heart of Tremont. Tremont is an old world style district, where there are little boutiques and amazing historic buildings lining the streets. It has award winning restaurants and cafes, and a new England type vibe to it. It's city living without the bustle and congestion. If the weather was better we probably would have walked around a bit but since mother nature brought a thunderstorm with her today, we kept it inside.

The little background about this place that I do know is Lucky's Cafe is owned by Heather Haviland, who is also the chef there. She owns Sweet Mosiac Inc which does wedding cakes and special occasion desserts. The "sister" company of Lucky's is Vine and Bean Cafe which is located in Shaker Square.

If you didn't know you were looking for a cafe, there is a good chance you might pass this place up. It blends in with the houses around it and only stands out a bit because of the outdoor seating area with multi colored picnic benches and elevated gardens. Parking is strictly on the street, I saw a few people park across the street on the grass but I don't think that's super legal so I wouldn't recommend it.

They have a full espresso bar, a stocked pastry case (banana chocolate chip coffee cake?? Don't mind if I do!) and a brunch and lunch menu. There was no shortage of workers, we counted about 10 people working there, a few girls behind the bar, a handful of servers roaming the seating area, some people doing outside cleaning, and even more working back in the kitchen. I ordered a Lucky Latte which has honey, espresso and half and half (I subbed soy for half and half), a banana chocolate chip coffee cake , and Chad ordered an Americano and a Raspberry Butter Cream Torte.



We took our seats since they offered to bring it out for us. Immediately a waiter came over, told us the specials and asked to take our order. Looking at the menu..."overpriced" is a word I would probably use to describe it. Now I am SURE that their food is worth every penny but paying $13 for mac and cheese wasn't in our budget so we opted out of it and stuck with our pastries and coffee.




The decor seemed nice, artwork on the walls and fresh flowers on every table. The waitstaff was more than helpful as well. The coffee that they were making was freshly ground as we saw one of the baristas walk up, get some of the whole bean coffee from the wall and grind it to brew. There was no music, but for the most part the sounds of conversation filled the silence pretty well. We paid about $16 for everything. The torte itself was $5 and I think my coffee cake was $3.



I get the feeling this place's focus isn't the coffee though. There was no latte art unless you count the tree looking thing on my latte...I wasn't sure if I was reaching by trying to find a shape on my latte. Their espresso machine didn't look well taken care of (I didn't see the barista rinse out the portafilter before pulling her shots) and the espresso menu was a snooze fest. When Chad asked if there were any signature espresso drinks since I was on the fence with what I wanted to order, I was told their signature espresso drink was a mocha. Wa waaaa. Lame. Come on, dazzle me with a suggestion of a Peach Cobbler Mocha, hell make something up on the spot like a "Rainy Day Latte". The food looks amazing in the pastry case and if anything I will come back for that. It was filled with so many options of sweets that it was almost hard to choose. Chad's Torte was a little frozen so it was kind of difficult to get a good feel of how it was supposed to taste. The barista told us to wait a few minutes for the frosting to soften, we waited but in the end it was still pretty stiff. Maybe put it in the micro on defrost for a few seconds? That would have made it 10 times better.





Lucky's Cafe was voted the "Best Brunch in Cleveland" by Fox8 so maybe that is where the focus is in that place. It looks like a nice place to take my parents when they come in, it's the kind of place you take a family member to as a treat for lunch or breakfast. I'd come back for coffee sometime, it looks like a nice area and the service was very good. The price was kind of high...so definitely not a regular stop for me though. I don't want to go broke from my coffee habit, you know? :)

Willow Coffee in Cleveland,Oh

To be honest, I had never heard of Willow Coffee until about a week ago. I was stuck at a stop light at Madison and West 117th, and looking to the right the word "coffee" immediately caught my eye (of course). The first thing I did after getting home was google this place. Was I the only one in Cleveland that was in the dark about Willow Coffee? Apparently I am not alone in my ignorance. I found only a few websites that had Willow Coffee mentioned. But the places I DID find some reviews were on Fox 8's Hot List and CityVoter.com and I read nothing but good things. They made the top 5 in Fox8's Hot List in 2009. That being said, I read nothing but good things about Koffie Cafe too so good reviews aren't always a guarantee that something is going to be worthwhile.


Well, you know the first thing I talk about is parking. They have some street parking in front of the shop, or you can do what we did and park across the street at the RTA parking lot. There were tons of spots and it's a lot easier.


I was a bit skeptical walking in there, a window had been broken in and a board was being used to patch it up temporarily. I saw a lit up 'open' sign and a few men hanging around outside so I figured at least there were other customers around. Turns out one of the "customers" was the owner, as he followed us inside.



The place was decorated amazingly. I can honestly say that in the hundreds of coffee shops I have been in (yes, hundreds..I love my coffee) this was by FAR the most impressive. One of the owners, Richard, is an artist and he did all of the decorating. He painted the walls and put in a little babbling brook water fountain in the corner . I thought the running water was very calming. Usually a coffee shop is filled with the sounds of laptop keyboards and cell phone conversations, so having an oasis like this in the middle of Cleveland was a great find. Coffee pictures and signs were up on the walls, and he even painted the floors to make it look like a stone pathway leading to the back. He was working on opening up a small back patio area, using some old tires for flower pots and a pail for another running water fountain. Even the back seating area was made to look like you were in a garden patio, complete with vines lining the walls and stained glass windows making you feel like you were on the outside looking in.



We spent some time talking with the owner. The entire time we were there not a single other customer came through the doors. Apparently Willow Coffee has been open for 5 years. The owner (well one of the owners, we did not meet the other one) is an artist and he wanted to open up a business that would allow him to spend more of his time doing what he loved. He was using a very small espresso machine, one that you'd find in some kitchens (the kitchens of people with money that is)and not the commercial grade espresso machine all other coffee houses use. He explained their other machine broke and until he gets the money for a new one, that was what he was using. He said that at night it got a lot busier, and that it was more of an adult crowd. Which is good with me, I'm not huge fan of the frappucino drinking teenagers anyway. His menu was small, about the size of a poster board. It was the usual chalk board coffee shop menu of course. I will say that unlike the other huge chalkboard menus I have seen, this one had about 4 items listed on it and they were all the basics (latte,coffee,mocha). His syrups weren't listed anywhere so I had to look through to see what he had. They were all sold out of pastries by the time we got there, apparently they sell out in the morning.




Our drinks came in huge ceramic mugs (green points!!) and while mine could have been a little hotter and Chad's a little cooler, I think they both turned out really well. We did have to wait a little while for our drinks, he could only do 2 shots at a time so making 2 espresso drinks took a bit. But sometimes I think it's okay to wait a bit. I have to remind myself it's not all about *quick* quick* quick all the time. I did watch his pull the shots and they came out very nicely. The crema was thick and perfectly timed. I have to say while the owner didn't seem to have a passion for coffee, he definitely did have a passion for his customers. He seemed genuinely interested in getting to know us and inviting us to come back later on for the "night life" there. They had a small stage set up with a guitar so I am assuming he has live music and such at night. He did mention a few times the "lively debates" that occur after hours so I wonder what goes on there after the sun goes down:)



The price was very reasonable, we paid $7.25 for the 2 espresso drinks and $2.75 for the americano we had to go. No punch cards but I got the feeling if you frequented the place you probably got tossed a freebie here and there if you came often enough.

All in all I would say I will definitely be coming back to Willow Coffee.

In these tough economic times, when you see a business that is struggling like this one is, you WANT to help. He is a perfect example of a businessman that is doing everything right, the coffee is good, the customer service is excellent...and he is hanging on by a thread. Talking with him he spoke about the RTA station right across the street and how he gets zero business from them. He even put $1 off coupons on all the cars and at one point even tried placing a kiosk right where the riders were getting on and off..and he was barely making enough to pay the person running the kiosk. I asked him why that was and in the end people feel more comfortable going to a chain. Asking the public to step out of their comfort zone and try something new is difficult. We don't have to live in a Starbucks world where everything is nameless and faceless. We can support our local businesses and keep them alive in a time where it's the most difficult to stay afloat. I think that is a part of the reason I do this blog. Because there are so many little shops out there,I want to shed light on the independent business owner. They are truly the heart and soul of our society. If we all just stop for a moment and make that choice to support our own people, support our neighbors...I wonder...what a difference that would make.