coffee shop – Page 3 – A Jumbled Little World

Cappuccino Review #6 – Espresso Royal

Espresso Royal

208 State St.

Madison, WI

For an intro about how and why I am trying the cappuccinos of Madison, go here.

Espresso Royal operates two coffee shops on state street; one of them is right east of campus and the other (the one I visited) is closer to the capitol. Taryn is quite fond of their chai lattes (they are a little weak for me) so I do have some experience with the shop near campus; I had never been to the one near the capitol, so it seemed like I should give it a try. Its interior is pretty similar to its near campus sibling; there were cushy chairs and sofas along with the more typical tables and chairs. It does have a pleasent airy feel to it; though it probably helped that it is spring break for the univeristy, so there was no fight for a good seat.

I asked for a ‘dry’ version of the smallest sized cappuccino they had (12 oz) and was

This glass produced a nice cross-section of a cappuccino, but was otherwise worthless.

given my cappuccino served in a tall thin glass. Although it certainly looked pretty cool in that glass, there is a very good reason why cappuccinos are served in wide shallow cups. When I drunk out of this tall glass, the foam just sort of sat on top and ‘stacked’. When I was out of liquid there was still an inch of foam that I couldn’t get to. I’m not above using a spoon in such situations, but it was sort of annoying. Anyway, the drink was otherwise substandard. Though the foam was very smooth and pretty much perfect, the espresso itself was simply bitter. I supose the milk-espresso proportions were right (the drink was strong enough) but the espresso itself just wasn’t that good. The drink didn’t leave me with much to say about it, so I’ll just put up the numbers:

Presentation: 2.5

Smoothness: 2

Strength: 4

Complexity: 2

Foam: 4

Correctness: 3

Mean: 2.83/5

SD: 1.03

Espresso Royal was a disappointment as far as its cappuccinos were concerned, but Taryn did like her chai; and that fudge bar in the picture was really good too. So, maybe go there for their chai and snacks…but stay away from the cappuccino. This is the second strick for state street (the first being the milky cappuccino I was served at Fair Trade); hopefully things improve a little bit as I review Steep & Brew and Michelangelo’s.

Cappuccino Review #5 – Fair Trade Coffeehouse

They typically have specials listed on boards outside the store — They typically have food specials listed on boards outside the store.

Fair Trade Coffeehouse

418 State St.

Madison, WI 53705

website

For an intro about how and why I am trying the cappuccinos of Madison, go here.

State street is a transit mall that spans between the University of Wisconsin campus and the state capitol in downtown Madison. It is considered by many to be the ‘living room’ of Madison, and is almost always hopping with activity. It also features no less than 6 coffee shops along its 0.6 mile span. As I review my first state street coffee shop, I think it is important to remember the competitive environment in which all these shops exist. If I don’t like the drinks from one place, I can be at another shop in about a minute (or less).

I’ve been to Fair Trade several times before and have liked it, though I have never gotten a cappuccino from there. So, I had some hope for the place. They also feature a larger food selection than is typical for many coffee shops (today they had an omelet sandwich among other things) and I have heard a few good things about these offerings. I’ve never gotten food there, but I have to say that my bannana nut muffin was very good (and they even warm it up for you). But, of course, the food is secondary; so, I’ll describe their cappuccino.

I ordered a ‘short’ (12 oz) cappuccino; I was told that this was their smallest size, so I ordered it ‘dry’ (meaning less milk). The drink came in a normal coffee cup, which I really wouldn’t mind if it hadn’t been too large. The foam was quite coarse grained, so there were huge bubbles in it instead of smaller and smoother ones that are more desirable. The first sip wasn’t bad. The espresso was a bit too bitter and not all that complex, but at least it wasn’t drowned in milk. However, each sip after that became less interesting, more bitter, yet (somehow) weaker. So, by the time I got to the middle of the cappuccino the drink had become just shy of acceptable; if I hadn’t had so many bad cappuccinos in my life I would have been quite unhappy. That said, it wasn’t aweful, though I have a feeling that many people are turned off by cappuccinos (think they are too bitter and such) because their initial experience is of a drink like the one I had at Fair Trade. In the end, I was a little disappointed; I had expected something good from Fair Trade and only got something that was mediocre. The numbers are below; as always, scores are out of 5.

Presentation: 2

Smoothness: 2

Strength: 3

Complexity: 2

Foam: 3

Correctness: 3

Mean: 2.5/5

SD: 0.55

I would not discourage anyone from going to Fair Trade Coffeehouse; many of their drinks are really good, but maybe just get something other than a cappuccino. Also, some might like to go because their name implies that they use fair trade coffee. I am sure they do use fair trade certified coffee; however many other coffee shops do this as well (Bradbury’s comes to mind). So, you don’t necessarily have to worry that you are screwing over coffee farmers just because you choose to go someplace else.

Cappuccino Review #4 – Bradbury’s

Bradbury’s

127 N Hamilton St.
Madison, WI

website

For an intro about how and why I am trying the cappuccinos of Madison, go here.

I’ve been to Bradbury’s many times before, but I decided it was time to do an official review. They are a very small shop on the corner of N Hamilton and Webster; this means that there are only a few tables and some additional stool seating along the window. That really is the only negative I can think of about the place; it can get crowded at times, especially during the Saturday farmer’s market on the nearby capitol square. The place also has a distinct ‘hipster’ vibe, though you certainly don’t feel left out if you aren’t all that ‘hip’. They also are very up front about their sustainability and fair trade practices, which I think is always a plus. There are two main categories of items on the menu: espresso drinks (where the espresso is highlighted rather than smothered by milk) and crepes.

I’ll start with the crepes and then move on to their cappuccino. Normally I don’t dwell too much on the food offerings of a coffee shop but the crepes at Bradbury’s are really excellent. They have a regurally changing menue composed of both ‘sweet’ and ‘savory’ crepes, many of them containing items from Wisconsin farms. Taryn met me there after work, so we ordered one ‘sweet’ and one ‘savory’ and shared (something I highly recommend, because an assortment of crepes is always a good thing). She ordered the neutella, banana, and choped almonds crepe; I got one with spinach, scrambled eggs, potatoes, and chedder cheese. Both were delicious in their respective ways.

On to the cappuccino. At Bradbury’s there are two cappuccino options; the 80z

Sort of sad that the little shape in the foam had to be destroyed

cappuccino is what you typically get from places like starbucks, and the ‘classic cappuccino’ is a perfect 60z. It would be great if more places did things this way! The cappuccino itself was like a little piece of art; they consistently make their cappuccinos like the one in the picture. The foam was smooth, though there were some larger bubles (not as fine grained as at Mother Fool’s). The taste was excelent; it had the perfect espresso taste with nutty hints and a good amount of creme floating up to the top. I actually use the coffee they serve (Kikapoo coffee) at home when I make espresso drinks, so I can attest to the fact that they start out with very good coffee beans. It was also incredibly smooth, without any of the bitterness that turns some people off to classic cappuccinos. So, they have REALLY good cappuccinos; it’s as simple as that. Taryn’s chai latte was also very good though not as remarkable as the cappuccino. Here are the numbers for the cappuccino (all scores out of 5):

Presentation: 5

Smoothness: 5

Strength: 5

Complexity: 4.5

Foam: 4.5

Correctness: 5

Mean 4.83/5

SD: .26

So far, this gives Bradbury’s the best cappuccinos in Madison, followed up closely by Mother Fool’s. I don’t think anyone will be able to match them, but we shall certainly see!

Cappuccino Review #2 – Mother Fool’s

Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse

On the corner of Williamson St. and Ingersoll

1101 Williamson St.
Madison, WI 53703

website

For an intro about how and why I am trying the cappuccinos of Madison, go here.

Williamson St. is typically considered to be the most ‘bohemian’ area of town and is referred to mostly by the name Willy St. by the people of Madison. Mother Fool’s retains this character; its interior is well worn and airy, and on a saturday is generally populated by students and others of that sort. It is also accepts Madison Hours, the local currency of Madison, in case you have some of that in your wallet.

I had already heard very good things about the cappuccinos at this place before I tested it. I was also hopeful when I saw that their menu listed a cappuccino as 1/3

I couldn't resist taking a sip before the picture...

espresso, 1/3 milk, and 1/3 foam. So, I ordered a small cappuccino and I indeed got a classic cappuccino of about 50z. Perfect! The foam was pleasant and of a perfect proportion. I could also tell that the espresso was of high quality (they use Alterra coffee out of Milwaukee, WI); it came through the milk with a robust flavor but was not overly bitter. It also had a nice hint of berries. Put simply, this was one of the best cappuccinos that I have ever had. I’m sure a more refined taster could have gripes with this drink, but I simply cannot. Here are the numbers (all scores out of 5):

Presentation: 4

Smoothness: 5

Strength: 5

Complexity: 4

Foam: 5

Correctness: 5

Mean 4.67/5

SD: .52

Taryn ordered the chai latte; this is rather different from a standard chai latte that you typically find in coffee shops. Instead of a premanufactured mix

The Chai latte; notice the teabags steeping in the milk.

being combined with steamed milk, Mother Fool’s gives you chai tea bags steeping in steamed milk. This produces a more subtle drink that is definently worth a try.

I’m a little reluctant to say that Mother Fool’s is the best coffee shop on the east side, given the fact that I have not yet been to Escape Java Joint (which is just down the street), but I’m sure it is pretty close. I would certainly go out of my way to have another cappuccino here.

Cappuccino Run

How a coffee shop makes its cappuccinos says a lot. One can drown bad coffee in sweet milk, but when a cappuccino is made properly it shows off (or exposes) both the quality of the bean as well as the skill of the barista. I’m not trying to be a snooty douche, but cappuccinos really are tasty and also seem to brighten my day (though that is probably just the effect of a copious amount of caffeine….).

There are many coffee shops in Madison, though I typically only frequent a few; so, I think it might be fun to have an excuse to visit some of the others. For this reason, I’m going to start reviewing the cappuccinos made in every Madison coffee shop. I won’t venture into the suburbs (anything outside of downtown and the ‘near’ sides) because I don’t like it there. A Cappuccino ‘crawl’ has been done before in Madison by an espresso snob (the kind that compares everything to how it is in Italy) but he did not comment extensively on shops individually. So, perhaps I’ll be contributing something to useless human knowledge of the internet.

Here is the list, derived from the Annual Manual:

Ancora

Barriques Coffee Trader

Bradury’s

Electric Earth Cafe

Escape Java Joint and Gallery

Espresso Royale

Fair Trade

Froth House

In the Company of Theives

I’m going to try to be as scientific as possible but I’m not sure how easy that will be for such a subjective activity. I’ll rate them on the following criteria:

Smoothness: Bitter cups will get a low score.

Presentation: How the cappuccino looks.

Strength: A sufficiently robust cup will get a high score, a milky one will earn a low score.

Complexity: If the cup seems to have hints of several flavors it scores highly.

Foam: How smooth and sweet the foam is.

Correctness: How much the cappuccino matches the typical specifications of a 5oz drink of 1/3 espresso, 1/3 milk, 1/3 foam.

This may take a while…..