2 Espressos

kopplin's has moved as is now even better than ever, if that's possible!

2011-12-06T13:22:00.002-06:00

Kopplin's is now near the corner of Cleveland and Marshall in St. Paul and looking good!

2 Espressos before The Inland Sea play

2011-11-19T13:37:00.003-06:00

Beautiful evening spent observing my surroundings at Quixotic. Chilled out with 2 espressos waiting to go to my daughter's play over at Macalester. Not sure the barista understood the nuances that go into an espresso, much less two, but nice coffee anyway...

Croissants and Espresso, a hit and a small miss at Rustica

2011-10-22T15:50:00.002-05:00

Rustica has some if the best baked goods around. My wife absolutely loved her croissant. The only glitch was I asked for my 2 espressos for here but got them in to go cups. I remarked on this. The barrista poured them into for here cups which surprised me since she should have remade them. Takes a lot away from the taste. Hopefully a one tome occurrence...

2 Espressos at Wilde Roast's new location in Saint Anthony Main

2011-09-29T14:34:00.000-05:00

Perfect Gibraltar at Kopplin's!

2011-09-29T14:33:00.000-05:00

Kopplin's El Salvadoran!

2011-09-20T13:41:00.001-05:00

Rustica Espresso Luke Warm

2011-06-30T21:49:00.000-05:00

Watch out Rustica...

Che Bull Run...

2011-06-28T14:07:00.000-05:00

Father's Day Espresso

2011-06-19T22:10:00.001-05:00

The Benjamin Alexander Sommers-Bachman Espresso!

2011-06-12T15:09:00.000-05:00

Today at Matchbox in N.E.

2 Espressos

2011-06-10T20:33:00.000-05:00

Hot as hell at Quixotic!

2011-06-07T13:07:00.001-05:00

98 degrees outside and some awesome single origin Columbian at Quixotic!

Urth in LA

2011-06-06T08:30:00.000-05:00

Machiatto and Green Tea Latte'

Washing down the bad with the good... or trying at least

2011-05-30T23:17:00.003-05:00

Visited Nina's in St. Paul and then went immediately to Dogwood in Uptown to try and wash the taste away. Just because you have a Synesso doesn't mean much if you don't know now to use it. Why why why?

Oh Nina, why hast thou forsaken me?

Delicious Dogwood...

Corner Coffee Espresso

2011-05-27T18:09:00.001-05:00

Small town espresso in a mug

2011-05-25T19:26:00.001-05:00

You find Synesso's in the strangest of places...

2011-05-18T10:14:00.003-05:00

The barista at Kenwood Cafe (next to Birchbark Books) had no idea he was pulling shots off a very nice machine. Stop in and school him people. He's a nice guy :-)

Urban Harvest at The Quarry the other day

2011-05-09T14:37:00.001-05:00

OK, nothing to write home about, but in the right place at the right time...

Joseph serves up some excellent Dogwood

2011-05-02T14:08:00.003-05:00

Joseph pulled some excellent "winning" shots today at Dogwood. Love the machine too!

Ask Jim Jarmusch why two...

A new place for excellent espresso in Minneapolis!

2011-04-28T16:32:00.005-05:00

Sun Street Breads in South Minneapolis (4600 Nicollet) has excellent espresso. I spent some time with Martin who kindly let me around the counter to check out his awesome La Marzocco GS/3 in action. Needless to say I was drooling. He pulled some wonderful Dogwood shots and we chatted about how he got into espresso (a trip to Barcelona sealed the deal). Definitely check out the awesome espresso and the bakery run by Solveig Tofte the head baker (and Martin's wife). She competed at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in Paris as the captain and breads representative on the Bread Bakers Guild Team USA 2008. So come for the espresso and stay for the high quality bread products. You won't regret it!

Feast your eyes on the crema...

Shawn of the Espresso Strikes!

2011-04-26T21:48:00.002-05:00

Need the perfect espresso pulled for you? Well duh... Shawn at Quixotic (Ford Pkwy/Cleveland) will set you up. Winning!

Breaking away from it all!

2011-04-05T13:14:00.004-05:00

Work gets in the way sometimes, but not today. 2 espresso heaven in a cup with Michael over here at Quixotic, still one of the consistently great espresso bars in town if not the Midwest.

My man Michael serves it up!

Michael pulls a dream shot and shouts "Look at this!"

Not sure if I look insane homeless or armless...

Spain! The country that "The Limits of Control" was filmed in and I got my inspiration for 2 espressos! My daughter reporting in again from Spain!

2011-03-29T09:37:00.004-05:00

Thalia at Barcelona's flea market. Café always comes con leche in Spain - in other words, coffee is only drunk with steamed milk. If you ask for an espresso, you will get milk in it. But it's delicious, so accept the Spanish ways!

Madeline, 2 espressos right outside the Sagrada Familia, at a little place called Bicicleta Café.

Eric at Dogwood

2011-03-21T01:17:00.000-05:00

Attention to detail a must...

Dogwood Two Espresso Old Style

2011-03-21T01:12:00.000-05:00

Two Espressos From Le Panorama, on Rue Gerando, Paris

2011-02-17T18:54:00.004-06:00

My daughter sent me this and I'm soooo jealous. Paris man... She described her coffee as pungent, nutty and the good kind of bitter.

Doggin' it again

2011-02-17T18:51:00.002-06:00

Stopped into Dogwood again today and Eddie pulled me a couple wonderful shots off the Mirage...

Eddie working the machine...

A "real" Mirage...

It's the CREMA!

2011-02-10T14:22:00.003-06:00

Is this the most beautiful thing you've ever seen coffee lover?! Dogwood coffee in Calhoun Village, single origin from Nicaragua and beautiful colors and delicious oils. Wow...

I even picked up some dessert from Rustica for my wife on the way out. It's a win win situation...

My daughter sent this from Le Select in Paris

2011-01-26T13:04:00.002-06:00

Tres classy!

I'm going to Jackson

2010-12-29T15:07:00.000-06:00

Damn cold = tongue works, nose doesn't

2010-12-16T20:02:00.003-06:00

But hey, that didn't stop me from fulfilling my ritual 2 espresso. And what better place than Dogwood today on the way home. Strange feeling to try to smell the espresso and get nothing back. The taste was fabulous of course. So get your asses over to this place. It's a whole different experience from most coffee places people frequent. I mean, c'mon, leave the chains behind. Free yourselves to taste the real deal!

Below, Justin showing excellent attention to detail...

On neck surgery and coping...

2010-12-10T08:45:00.003-06:00

OK, I just found out I have to have a 2 Level fusion in my neck because of chronic neck and shoulder pain I've had for the last year. So what better place to cope than Rustica/Dogwood and some espresso. Eric served me up my 2 espressos and after tasting the first one I realized there are worse things than having surgery on your neck vertebrae. What are they? Oh I don't know, but as the espresso rolled across my tongue all my cares faded away. I love this habit. You should too!

2 Espresso in Siberia?

2010-12-04T10:49:00.001-06:00

No, actually St. Paul at Quixotic. Thought I'd warm my cockles with an espresso and Gibraltar. Got to wondering again why all the good espresso joints are in the south part of the Twin Cities. Why can't I get good espresso where I live? Why oh why?

Well at least great espresso is finally making headway here in Minnesota. Am trying hard to promote these fine establishments in the hopes of waking up the rest of Minnesota. But come on North East!

And somehow we got on the subject of beer...

2010-11-23T12:18:00.002-06:00

Stopped into Quixotic doing my Madcap-Dogwood-Madcap-Dogwood shuffle and Michael pulled 2 delicious shots of Madcap for me. But then we started talking about beer and one thing lead to the other. Well, not actually, but it turns out we have beer brewing in common so we chatted about brews. All the while sipping my 2 espressos of course....

Tangs For The Memories...

2010-11-19T18:49:00.002-06:00

Kristin pulled two brazilian-sumatran blend Dogwood espressos for me today and the results were excellent. A very zesty and bright espresso, a little less oily but nonetheless a very interesting experience. The tang hit me right. I quite enjoyed the contrast with some of the equally excellent Madcap I've been tasting these days. Crema well done as was the attention to detail...

When the barista is smiling it is always a good sign...

Yours truly embarking on yet another tasty trip...

Shawn's got my back!

2010-11-17T16:09:00.002-06:00

Who's my man? Shawn pulls the best shots time and time again. It's like every espresso is the last one he'll ever make in his life. He puts his heart and soul into it...

Here at Quixotic...

Dogwood rocks the espresso world at Calhoun Square!

2010-11-15T13:41:00.002-06:00

Ran into Keith and Greg today at Calhoun Square at the new Dogwood Coffee Co. I'll bet you can guess how that went... AWESOME OF COURSE! The espresso was sublime. Keith even pulled me some single origin because that's the kind of guy he is. Thanks for putting in another high quality espresso bar. Now everyone get your asses to Dogwood for some nirvana in a cup...

This place is so open...

The Coffee Shop NE

2010-11-03T19:01:00.001-05:00

Is it? Is it?

Sunday morning espressos courtesy Jefferson at Nick and Eddie

2010-10-24T09:31:00.001-05:00

2 espresso day, of course!

2010-10-14T19:03:00.003-05:00

Stopped in to Quixotic today for a Third Coast and Just a Nicaragua pulled by Gordon with skill. I enjoyed lemony, citrusy, bright and zesty treats. It's nice to have someone pull a fine shot and make an effort to draw something different and unique out of the beans. I pulled up a chair, worked on some videos I'm producing and relaxed into the world. Thanks Gordon and Quixotic...

Bull Run seems to be doing very well!

2010-10-01T16:27:00.003-05:00

Bull Run was doing a hopping business today. The place was almost packed. Good for them. Maybe Americans are finally coming out of the dark and starting to frequent places of quality coffee instead of the schleppy crap Starbucks and most coffee houses swill out. This is good news...

Espresso for what ails you...

2010-09-28T14:44:00.002-05:00

Yes, espresso drinks do help when you have a cold. Here I am at Angry Catfish trying this theory out on a Gibraltar...

A Quixoticatingly Rainy Day!

2010-09-23T18:35:00.004-05:00

Screw the weather and bring on the fine espresso. I dripped into Quixotic today for some 2 espresso. Gordon pulled one long and one short and they were both long on taste and that's not the short and long of it. Fabulous taste, coating the tongue, creamy, thick and delicious they stayed with me long after the rains quit. Wait! They haven't quit yet... Wow...

The espresso was so fine I had to do justice to this place with my photos!

A Return to Sources - Kopplin's

2010-09-22T19:38:00.003-05:00

After all my trips to ACF, Quixotic and Bull Run it was time I returned to the first place I ever had great espresso in the Twin Cities. And I was not disappointed. There was a sign on the door stating that Kopplin's would be closed on the 25th so Andrew could get married. Good for him! He pulled two awesome shots and I settled in for my ritual back where it all began... Ahhhhh

espresso con crap

2010-09-21T09:20:00.004-05:00

Hey, if the espresso tastes like crap (see my latest posts on state of Twin Cities coffee houses) then try espresso con leche, wasn't that bad. But man I wish North Minneapolis and St. Paul had just one decent espresso bar. I mean c'mon, I can't drive south every time!

Purple Onion in Dinkytown

Friends don't let friends drink bad espresso!

2010-09-16T08:27:00.003-05:00

That's why I took Terry to Quixotic to have 2 espressos and 2 Gibraltars. Excellent and first rate as always!

Gaze into it long enough and you'll get lost in it's perfection...

Time for other coffee houses to start catching up!

2010-09-15T09:00:00.004-05:00

There was a time I was fairly satisfied with many coffee houses and their espresso, but that time is long gone. It was all brought home yesterday when I stopped into one of my regular espressos stops and said "no way!" The problem (or problems) is that though they have the best of intentions they're still dreadfully behind the espresso times. The Cimbali machine? The Elektra? Equipment is old or out of date. And longo shots? Make it ristretto unless I ask for a longo. These espressos are too watery, with not enough oils, viscosity or flavor. I keep likening it to Turkish coffee (which can be good, don't get me wrong). But if I want Turkish coffee I'll order it. Also, stop buying the run of the mill Alakef espresso or the B and W Del Sol crap. It's so ordinary. Yes, it's fair trade and organic and whatever. I could go on, but I already feel harsh (like most of the espresso I get in these houses). We have excellent places like Bull Run, Kopplin's, Angry Catfish and the newly opened Quixotic making the rest of these places look out of date. I appreciate the fact coffee has come a long way in the Twin Cities, but when places like Kopplin's and the like are raising the bar so high eventually you can't go back to ordinary, antiquated equipment, beans and skills. It's time for the other coffee houses to catch up...

Anodyne and 2 Turkish coffee espressos... hmmm, what to do? Well, enjoy the rest of the place. The ambiance, the food are fantastic!

I'm on a Gibraltar kick

2010-09-12T18:03:00.002-05:00

Derek at Bull Run found out what a Gibraltar was today. And on the first try he nailed it! Nicely done dude... Check out his technique...

Feeling the pulse at Angry Catfish

2010-09-11T13:22:00.000-05:00

Sinatra, espresso, bikes, chillin on a beautiful day. Met Gordon manager at Quixotic, a swell transplant from Chicago. Really enjoy the people I meet while making my espresso rounds...

Janine's in the Warehouse District - "You won't like me..."

2010-09-10T14:05:00.003-05:00

Stopped in to Janine's on 1st Street North in the Warehouse District of Minneapolis. They use the usual B and W Cafe Del Sol espresso which I've never been impressed with and an Electra espresso machine and the results are far less than extraordinary, or ordinary for that matter... More like a strong black Turkish coffee, but not espresso. Bitter but no pleasant aftertaste, no crema to speak of. Ouch people ouch...

They say a picture tells a thousand words, well... check out the machiatto...

My expression says it all

2010-09-07T13:21:00.000-05:00

Specialty Ground Coffee House in La Crosse, WI. Alekev dirt in your mouth...

The Week of Gibraltars!

2010-09-03T13:39:00.003-05:00

This week I started branching out ordering one regular espresso (ristretto of course) and one espresso based drink, this time a Gibraltar. I started at Quixotic and loved it so much I thought I'd have Adam try his hand at Angry Catfish. Both times a smashing success! A Gibraltar is really just a tiny latte -- espresso, milk, and a bit of foam, brilliant...

Here Adam serves up his creation...

The finished artwork...

I was also impressed at the difference between the Madcap and Intelligentsia espressos. Madcap at Quixotic was dark and dense, with an amazing deep red crema and the Intelligentsia at Catfish was bright, lively and intense. Loved them both. The quality of coffeehouses is really starting to climb in the Twin Cities. I even heard from Adam that Bull Run was opening a new coffeehouse in Calhoun Square in October. Keep pushing the envelope guys!

Quixotic Coffee is not to be missed!

2010-08-31T13:55:00.006-05:00

Quixotic Coffee will blow your palette! Stop the presses, drop everything and get over to this new coffee house in St. Paul near Cleveland and Ford Pkwy. They've done everything right, from the locale to the beans (Madcap) to wearing their hearts on their sleeves. These guys are way into it. And the result if as close to perfection as you will find here in Minnesota. They put their own stamp on their espressos. The espresso I tasted was creamy, dark, smooth, had hints of sweetness but a nice bright finish. Definitely their own. They are 5 for 5 as far as I'm concerned...

Here is Shawn halfway through a "Gibraltar" making sure everything is just right...

Video of Shawn putting the finishing touches on an espresso and his signature "Gibraltar"

Quixotic has a nice zen quality to it...

A New Coffee House in St. Paul? Who Knew?

2010-08-28T13:47:00.003-05:00

I certainly didn't, but I guess Shawn and Co. opened up Quixotic Coffee in St. Paul about 5 weeks ago and I'm very anxious to try their espresso, twice! Anyway, in the meantime here is some espresso from Espresso Royale downtown. It kinda tasted like my show, that's why I put that in there. Oh when will they ever learn how to make a good cup of espresso in Minnesota? A few do, but they are so far between. If you're wondering why there is only one espresso, suffice it to say I knew what I was getting into...

Grinderman!!!

2010-08-20T15:16:00.001-05:00

Almost a coffee like name... Can't believe they're coming to Minneapolis! Drinking my espresso and thinking about Nick Cave...

Fireroast Mountain

2010-08-11T08:29:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite stops for espresso!

If you stare into the abyss long enough...

2010-07-29T17:19:00.000-05:00

It stares back into you...

Or in this case it tastes delicious...

Gazing into a cup of espresso

2010-07-27T20:48:00.001-05:00

Could anything look or smell so wonderful? Oh, right, my wife...
Sorry. But man I love this stuff! Espresso Cubano makes life taste
great!

Miceli's Restaurant - Hollywood California

2010-07-10T01:16:00.001-05:00

I'm back!

2010-06-29T15:51:00.000-05:00

Been awhile. Too busy enjoying the summer... Stoped into Dragonfly off
Penn and 50th. Lars, the owner, served me up some fine Matador
Espresso from Flamenco. Only 2nd time I've seen Flamenco beans in
Minneapolis, the other being at Jackson's in Uptown. It's a shame
since they're excellent beans...

An Angry Catfish Am I...

2010-04-22T20:14:00.004-05:00

I guess I do look a little serious. But you would be too if you were about to taste Intelligentsia Black Cat espresso!

And who should I get to pull it? None other than ultimate barista Adam Dunn. Note the attention to detail. Cheers!

Fireroast Mountain and Mexican!

2010-04-14T16:48:00.001-05:00

And they have gourmet tamales too!

2 Espressos, 1 Daughter, Kopplins, kind of hard to beat that combo...

2010-03-26T13:45:00.005-05:00

Excellent mild Ethiopian followed by a brighter and more chocolaty Ecco Cafe Espresso Blend (Sonoma Valley roasters). Nice to share some excellent 2 espresso with my daughter who had the bittersweet heavenly mocha. You've got to taste it to believe all the others are all just syrupy lame imitations...

Stillwater, MN - "Daily Grind" lives up to its name...

2010-03-26T13:41:00.003-05:00

Daily Grind tasted like Daily Grind...

The Beat Goes On...

2010-03-14T11:33:00.004-05:00

Matt served me up some very fine espresso today. Hard to go wrong when you start with Bullrun. Nice thing too about the Beat Coffeehouse is that they're so damn friendly. Nice space, nice people, and fine espresso. What more could a guy want?

Even Tom Hanks Recognizes a Crappy Espresso Machine

2010-03-12T10:15:00.001-06:00

You have to be specific when ordering 2 espressos...

2010-03-06T21:02:00.002-06:00

Gotta say separate cups! Turtle Bread Company in Linden Hills...

Cars-R-Coffins

2010-02-23T23:10:00.003-06:00

Cool space, cool bikes, nice vibe. The first thing the manager said after I ordered my 2 espressos was "I just watched the coolest movie last night" and you guessed it, it was The Limits of Control. If you still haven't seen it, definitely check it out. And check out Cars-R-Coffins on the corner of 34th and Lyndale. Peace Coffee Espresso blend done decently and with a smile...

I find a place that sells hotdogs and beer and THE BEST ESPRESSO IN THE SOUTHWEST and interview the man behind it!

2010-02-09T18:50:00.003-06:00

I sampled the Intelligentsia espresso that John pulled and it was wonderful. It had a nice bitter lemon bite to it and went down like gold. Tyler was nice enough to let me sample some single source Burundi that left a nice oily finish coating my palette and never wanting to leave this place. You definitely have to stop by this place next time you're in Austin. It's one of the best I've found.... anywhere!

Video Interview with Tyler, the man behind Austin's hottest espresso joint, Frank!

Heaven in a cup looks like

2010-02-05T14:12:00.001-06:00

If you haven't had espresso, you haven't had coffee...

Angry Catfish is Open, Hallelujah!!!

2010-01-26T21:48:00.003-06:00

I was greeted with a "Hey Keith" by master barista Michael as I walked into the new Angry Catfish coffee and cycle shop. He pulled me two awesome shots that almost brought me to tears they were so good. I probably would have cried right there and then with joy if it weren't for the fact that I was exhausted from flying in on the red eye from California. Anyway, you've simply got to check this place out. The espresso is divine. I had the Intelligentsia Black Cat espresso and it was delicious. It's sweet finish is what hit me. It had the perfect nose to it with just the right acidity, a perfect brown rust crema and a bittersweet finish that stayed with me on my way back to work. Finally south Minneapolis has a high end espresso bar we can all flock to!

Look at the space in this place!

Venice Beach's own Intelligentsia beans... Rare to find here in Minnesota...

One down, one to go... and the crema!

Yours truly striking the 2 espresso pose...

Pismo Beach, CA

2010-01-25T13:47:00.000-06:00

Nothing like escaping the Midwest cold and downing some espresso on
the beach in California. Stopped into Mon Ami on the main drag and
wandered out on the pier. Nice acidic nose, good crema, swell bean.
Paper cups, eh...

Travellin' Espresso

2010-01-21T08:18:00.000-06:00

On the way to LA I grab a couple of espressos for the road...

Atmosphere, Atmosphere...

2010-01-20T21:28:00.004-06:00

You can't knock the way the evening sun sets right on the bar at the N.E. Social, especially on cold days like these. Dropped into one of our favorite haunts for some beans and mushrooms on toast accompanied of course by some espresso. Everything is prepared with attention to detail here and the service is impeccable... Gourmet food and wine followed up by 2 espresso is the only way to go. You will enjoy the relaxed class of this place. I know we did. Billie Holliday spinning, chipotle chocolate mousse, a rare Greek wine, saffron infused sugar to accompany your espresso, the place is heaven on earth...

Brett Favre Espresso!

2010-01-16T22:33:00.004-06:00

Brett Favre stopped in for Espresso at Rinata Restaurant!

Ok, just kidding...

Fellow Espresso Fanatic T.C. Long Sent These Photos

2010-01-09T11:35:00.003-06:00

TC shared these photos of his office "Handpresso Domepod" I told him it looked like a bong. The results certainly look good. I must admit to being a bit jealous...

The "Java Bong" in action...

T.C. striking the 2 espresso pose... Nicely done...

It's sub zero so I warmed my Isles Buns...

2010-01-09T10:37:00.005-06:00

Met my good buddy Bob Rue for coffee today at Isles Buns on 28th and Hennepin. These people have wonderful buns! And they have a vat of frosting cream you can dive into and spread all over their buns. Yummy... Oh yeah, this blog is about espresso right? Sorry, but if you tasted their buns you'd digress too.

First off, they have a Synesso! That is already half the battle. And they have big smiles so that wins a lot of favor too. If I might suggest a couple things however... Train the baristas to pull shots the way Synesso allows you to. You can control everything with those machines so make use of that. And the beans could be better. The shots were ok, don't get me wrong, just didn't have much nose and came off a little burnt and bitter. Maybe it would have tasted better if they had been pulled right. I'd make better use of that very expensive espresso machine.

Anyway, it was a great place to meet up with Bob and talk movies again and smell the smell of heaven... their buns!

The Warming Qualities of 2 Espressos

2010-01-06T13:36:00.004-06:00

Today was a good day (like many days here in Minnesota) to bundle up and venture out to one of my favorite coffee bars, Blue Moon. There I settled in and appreciated the coziness of it all as I sipped on my espresso. I'm getting anxious to hear whether my grant proposal will be accepted so that I can venture out into the world (Italy to be precise) and sample the best espresso they have to offer. I asked for money to be able to study the "art of espresso" in its country of origin so that I could learn from the best and apply that knowledge back home in Minnesota and nationally to bring fine espresso center stage (where it deserves to be!). I guess I can only cross my fingers and hope the committee understands the importance of educating the public to the virtues of excellent espresso. Cross your fingers too because it would make one hell of a blogging experience...

Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T12:42:00.002-06:00

From me to all you espresso fanatics... Cheers!

Cave Creek Arizona has Espresso!

2009-12-30T08:19:00.002-06:00

My brother sent me this photo (complete with his Delorean) from Cave Creek, Arizona

Urban Bean visit

2009-12-24T22:46:00.003-06:00

Beautiful red and white decor and simple layout at the Urban Bean on 35th and Bryant. They even had a red Cimbali to go with it. Too bad the European Roasterie espresso blend tasted like most of the other regular coffees in this town, that is, it tasted like normal bitter almond coffee that kind of resembles espresso but not really. No real aroma to it either, no nose... It's one thing to buy the beans and another to finish the product. No finish here. Why do Kopplin's and Bull Run have to be the exceptions and not the norm? Why?

Sebastian Joe's Has Great Intentions...

2009-12-21T19:47:00.003-06:00

Indeed they do. The guy behind the counter was so proud of their beans and told me about the owner who apparently is studying hard all about roasting coffee and barista techniques and the like. I had the "dark dancer" espresso which they roast themselves. Well I do appreciate the hard work that's being put into the beans and the process but I have a big suggestion, get a better machine, not the Cimbali instant button press variey. They need something so they can pull good shots because I only tasted dark roasted and pretty bitter coffee. They might be able to pull the right tastes, aromas and textures from a better machine. It's a shame to do all that work on the roasting part just to have a mediocre product to serve. Upgrade your machine so we can taste the beauty of your beans...

Downtown Minneapolis Hyatt "Taxxi" Restaurant yesterday...

2009-12-16T12:26:00.003-06:00

OK, you got me... Only one espresso... But if you tasted what passes for espresso at the Taxxi Restaurant you wouldn't even order one! Just because you wanted to add espresso to your restaurant menu doesn't mean you should order some pod machine and pass it off as espresso. Better to just not have espresso on the menu...

Rushton's pic from Cafe Crema

2009-12-16T10:04:00.002-06:00

Rushton sent me this sweet photo from cafe Crema. I have them on my radar now and will check them out soon.

Wondering how Jackson's is doing?

2009-12-11T19:22:00.004-06:00

Sunrise over Jackson's in Uptown...

Swung by Jackson's Coffee Bar and Gelato to see how the new place was doing. I hope I was just there during an off hour but it was pretty quiet. That didn't stop me from enjoying my 2 espressos and getting a cool photo op of course. Digging the sunlight. Espresso didn't have much nose but tasted lemony citrus with some hints of cherry blossom. Support your local espresso bar!

Positively charged at the new Bull Run...

2009-12-10T20:04:00.004-06:00

Wanted to keep the good vibes and mojo moving towards the newly opened Rustica Bakery and Bull Run Coffee Bar so I stopped in today for a bit of the usual. The thing is, there is nothing usual about their espresso. They really go out of their way to make the best cup of coffee possible. I sipped my 2 espressos in the sun seated at the cupping table today. It may have been -2 outside but it always feels 72 and sunny when you walk into this place. The people are friendly, the baristas knowledgeable, the atmosphere positively charged, all of which make for a sweet coffee experience. Head on over when you get a chance, no wait! Head on over right now, don't wait for the chance, it's that good!

I came to a fork in the espresso road and took the Kenyan and that made all the difference...

2009-12-06T10:22:00.004-06:00

Next time I walk into Kopplin's I will order two of the same espresso or maybe drink the Ethiopian before the Kenyan. I started with the Kenyan and it was bright and leaped up into my nose and demanded my attention from the get go. It then proceeded to the back of my palette, which is exactly how I like it, saturating it with rich fruity flavors with a chocolate edge. Perfect viscosity too with just the right oils, close to a perfect pour. Next I tasted the Ethiopian. At first I was confused by how mellow it tasted but than realized quickly that the Kenyan had simply overtaken my palette leaving me no way to truly appreciate the Ethiopian. The pour was a little longer too which reinforced the mellow quality of the espresso. Guess I've learned my lesson.

Caught them just before closing up shop...

An excellent coffee bar that sets the standard very high opens near Lake Calhoun!

2009-12-02T08:18:00.010-06:00

Bull Run finally teamed up with Rustica Bakery to open a globally conscious high end coffee bar and bakery. And thank god for that because this city needs more coffee bars like this badly! I spoke with Greg Hoyt the owner while sipping excellent espressos prepared by barista Keith Mrotek. Greg spoke with passion about this product we love so much... coffee! We talked about educating the American public and raising standards in ways that hopefully will catch on with the general populace.

Greg welcomed me warmly as I'm sure he will you!

The coffee is brewed either French press, pour over brew bar, Clover, or siphon and the espresso pulled on a 3 group synesso hydra (of course!). Bull Run has pulled out all the stops at this coffee bar. They even put in a table for cuppings. How often do you see that? And of course teaming up with Rustica Bakery means you'll not only drink fantastic high quality coffee but have many guilty pleasures to eat as well!

Eric Faust profiles Bull Run in an excellent article he wrote for the Heavy Table. Click here to read this article. And be sure to visit these guys and help them get off the ground. Accept no substitutes or imitators!

Keith is so good he can pull shots better with his eyes closed than most can with them open! (sorry Keith, I'll get a better photo next time!)

My barista friend Jefferson sent this...

2009-11-29T21:37:00.001-06:00

Jefferson is from Seattle where he claims everyone trains as a barista for their high school diploma...

Stillwater, USA

2009-11-28T15:33:00.004-06:00

Putting my feet up at Supreme Bean in Stillwater, MN

Excellent getaway this weekend after the turkey. Enjoyed espressos at Domacina Wine Bar Friday night and Supreme Bean the next morning. Stillwater rocks getaway style. We stayed at the Lowell Inn, dined at the Pirate Bar, hit the antique shops and finished our night at Brine's and Domacina. The owner of Domacina was a cool Serbian dude that understood the importance of fine wines, food and espresso. Definitely check out Stillwater next time you need a sweet escape from the daily grind...

What's better than espresso after fine wine and food? Well, nothing, duh...

Someone take these espressos from me please!

2009-11-25T18:45:00.002-06:00

Tried to give Cuppa Java another chance but seriously! That was bad espresso. I couldn't even stomach the 2nd...

Nick and Eddie

2009-11-23T13:41:00.006-06:00

Had 2 espressos at my new favorite place to eat, Nick and Eddie on Loring Park. This area has always had sentimental value for me being where my wife used to live when we first met and for the old Loring which has become regrettably the new Lurcat (yuck). Anyway, I absolutely love the food here and the ambiance and all our chill friends who wander in. Oh and let's not forget Ryan the friendly kick ass bartender that always knows what I drink and when I'm drinking it even if I don't... The espresso was much appreciated, especially since most restaurants are still serving basic brew coffee. My only suggestion might be a better bean, but other than that it was just what I needed after my jambon gruyere with raspberry sauce sandwich. Oh my. And did I mention my wife's band "Poosa" is playing Nick and Eddie Jan. 30th? Well I did now...

Don't panic!

2009-11-19T19:49:00.003-06:00

This is actually later in the day at the Raddison downtown Minneapolis and my 3rd espresso. Not bad for "instant" and at least they remember the lemon peel...

2 Espressos with my good friend Herb Tim

2009-11-19T19:44:00.002-06:00

Met my good buddy Herb Tim over at Dunn Bros in Linden Hills. We both enjoyed 2 espressos and good conversation. The staff at the coffee shop were very friendly and served up the good stuff! Was hoping to see my coffee buddy Shawn who works here but alas no... Last time I talked to him the City of Minneapolis was holding up the openings of at least 3 new kick ass high end coffee houses. C'mon Minneapolis! We need to raise the standards here. Get those coffee houses cleared!

I have kind of a dumb look on my face...

The Limits of Control on DVD today!

2009-11-17T11:13:00.003-06:00

See the movie that inspired my 2 espresso devotion today! Visit Amazon's site by clicking here...

Hard to "Beat"

2009-11-13T19:23:00.006-06:00

Dropped into The Beat Coffeehouse today and had a nice chat with Joel the owner. The place is very friendly and has a space to die for. Joel is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the coffee business. I had a Bull Run blend that had a pick me up aroma to it and a pretty good bitter aftertaste with hints of caramel. Joel even pulled me a shot of some single source Costa Rican that I liked for its acidity. The aftertaste didn't hang on like the blend but I appreciated its brightness and aggressiveness for some reason. Every day is different and every mood too I guess so some days are meant to be more acidic. Who knows, maybe it was the cold misty day that drew me to the Costa Rican, but I definitely liked it and appreciated Joel's hospitality. He's got a good thing going there in Uptown, definitely one of the better cups of espresso in that neighborhood. And he tells me they have a lot of live music and art openings too so I'll be back for sure to savor the espresso and other amenities at The Beat Coffeehouse...

2 espressos with friends...

2009-11-09T13:21:00.000-06:00

Having 2 espressos with my friend Dan the Unabomber...

Beautiful day to relax and sip espresso

2009-11-06T08:47:00.003-06:00

Here I am at Riverview Cafe enjoying my espresso on a beautiful, albeit cool, day. Sun was out and the Alakef blend went down smoothly. I appreciate this place more and more with it's relaxed atmosphere, tasty food and decent coffee. It was so nice to relax and read the paper and take in the day that was...

Of dog biscuits and OFT

2009-11-03T12:13:00.006-06:00

At Bob's Java Hut the other day I didn't hesitate between the dog biscuits and the espresso, although I was tempted to drink the espresso. Just kidding...

Here is Espresso Expose' in Stadium Village. I didn't know they existed until we went to the Village Wok for Chinese food the other night. Damn fine food. Expose' had decent espresso although it was kind of the same old same old as many organic free trade places (OFT). I guess they all get the same beans from B and W or some other OFT place and since they don't really have any training in finishing off the process of preparing an espresso they all kind of taste the same. I feel sorry for the producers in Central America and Africa or Brazil that give us a good product, it gets roasted fine, but the machine is inferior and/or the barista has no idea how to make anything but the standard university student barista cup of espresso. Sad...

Finish the process man!

I guess I'm a sucker for good porcelain

2009-10-31T11:46:00.003-05:00

I admit it. It makes a world of a difference to drink your espresso from the right cup and Bob's Java Hut definitely has the right cup. I felt so damned classy!