Cranberry's Coffee Cup

No. 121

<2010-10-01 Fri>

Coffee Review

Located in Pandora, almost at Quadra, this is a beautiful small cafe. Recently opened, there are few locations in Victoria that exude love like Cranberry Coffee Cup.

I had passed by the place around one week ago, and liked it, and made a mental note to come to visit. I arrived at 3:30; they were getting ready to close the till, but were happy to accommodate me.

Cranberry lives up to its name: its decor is bright red while and black, lovely little tables with matching table cloths. It is definitely beautiful.

As I walked in, there was certainly cheerfulness in the air. It felt like a family gathering, the ones that talk highly of good vibe between the staff.

I got my coffee (a good cup of espresso) and chat with them. I learnt that this is a family run and operated business. "Mom" runs it, as one of them explained it, "and the family helps".

The offer light lunch at very good prices. The place is small and cozy, and I love their bench by the window where you can people-watch under the sun.

Unfortunately they have one of the toughest competition next door (Relish). Food wise, I will choose Relish (yes, I haven't tried the food here, but such is the power of Relish in me). In terms of coffee, I'd choose Cranberry. Cranberry's coffee is head and shoulder above the Wildfire bakery (where I had undrinkable espresso the last time I was there; I should admit I have not tried the coffee at Relish).

I thought it had been open longer, but it is only 5 days old (at the time I wrote this review, Oct 1). I wish them the best of luck.

Verdict: They are the type of business that I love to support.

For more information, including address, please visit:

Khona

No. 114


<2010-09-23 Thu>

Location, location, location: in that part of town, there is no better coffee (sorry Bubby Roses fans). I wouldn't go out of my way to have a coffee at Khona, but if I am in that area, there no better place, in my opinion.

Its espresso is thick and full of flavour; the way I like it.

Today, my coffee was, as usual very good.

The restaurant is medium-sized, with a big communal table in the middle, and a fireplace with lounge chairs. It provides free Internet and it is a good place to spend one or two hours working, specially if you sit at the large table, not taking precious space from others. It also has some seating outside, but it is right on Cook, and you get a lot of smog.

I have read that Khona recently changed owners. My experience is based primarily on the previous owner, who really cared about the quality of its espresso. At least in this visit, I felt that the coffee was still good.

Verdict: This are of the city, Khona's espresso has no competition.

For more information, including address, visit:

Travelling Bean Coffee, Fort St.

<2010-09-22 Wed>

No. 113

This is a simple and small coffee shop at the corner of Fort and Quadra. I had passed many times without being interesting in going in.

Two women who looked like Japanese in origin were serving behind the counter. They were very friendly. It is not in one occasion that my decision to go into a restaurant has been swayed by their friendly staff. Coffee, in particular, is as much about ambiance as it is about coffee.

The tables are comfortable. It was also interesting to overhear the conversation in the next table. Middle age women were discussing the difficulties of finding good men. They didn't mind the others hearing. When three men sat in the table next they invited them to contribute to the discussion. It was, as it should be, the true spirit of the old coffee shops: where ideas were discussed.

One day I'll write a book of these coffee shop stories.

The coffee? Decent. Similar to what I'd get from Starbucks.

There are two Travelling Beans in town. The other is located in James Bay.

Verdict: Decent coffee, in a small location, with friendly staff.

The Soda Shoppe: its coffee sucks

My original review is here here

As I write this, I am looking at a coffee that is totally undrinkable.

This was no surprise. First, I knew I was one of the first to visit this location. The machine needed to be primed. Would they have done it? As I watched the young person operating the coffee maker, I discovered that she hardly knows how to operate it. The answer to my question was probably no.

Then there are the subtleties: why make the coffee in a glass and then pour into a cup? The crema is wasted. They won't warm the cups. My cup was cold.

The small side chocolate used to be Rogers, then Lyndt, now it is Planters (filled with peanut butter). Feels it is going downhill since it was under the Roger's umbrella.

The view is magnificent, but I can't drink this coffee.

--dmg

Paid: 1.95 for single espresso.

Mirage at Government

<2010-09-18 Sat>

No. 109

Coffee Review

Mirage is one of those coffee shops that keeps opening branches. Its original one is located in Blanchard, between View and Fort.

One of their main claims to fame is that they roast their own coffee (you can buy it at their coffee shops). I like their espresso. It is good coffee.

This location, however, is a bit odd. It sits around 12 people, plus 6-8 outside. In a busy day, it is hard to find a place to sit.

I do like its window bench, even though is few inches too high and somehow uncomfortable to type on a laptop. It is a good place to observe the passing tourists.

It has strong competition: The Soda Shoppe, and 2 blocks south Artigiano (the best in the area), or Macchiato, my preferred destination in the area.

Verdict: Good coffee, and a nice, but small, place for people watching.

Update, Nov 24, 2010. I got today a delicious espresso.

For more information, please visit:

Rising Star Deli

<2010-09-14 Tue>

(Coffee Review)

No. 106

Do you know where the Rising Star Deli is? I bet most people don't. There is a painted star on top of the entrance, and tables in the outside, but I could not see anywhere the name of the restaurant. It feels as if it wants to hide from unsuspecting customers.

I was surprised to see how large the place is inside. It is a funky place, with good music. The walls are covered with interesting art that is worth glancing at. Of course it can't compare with Legacy Gallery, but that is not the purpose. The art in the walls here is more of the type you would see hanging from the walls of the artsy folk in this side of the world. Many of the artifacts are worth a look. Except for one person, it was empty (and one more sitting outside).

The coffee is not bad. Their espresso feels similar to what I get at Starbucks.

The place was calm, and it was enjoyable to sit by the window.

To go to the washroom you have to pass the kitchen. And it is a huge kitchen. I suspect they do catering for other businesses, and that business is bigger than the coffee shop/deli. The kitchen was very busy.

Rising Star is in a tough area. It is just meters away from Wild and Legacy, and in the middle of a zone that has more than 7 coffee places within a 3 blocks radius. For a coffee I'd prefer Legacy or Breve.

Verdict: the coffee is average, but the place is pleasant.

Paid: 2.40

For more information, including address, visit:

Breve

Coffee

<2010-09-09 Thu>

No. 103

Coffee Review

I still have memories of this not-so-memorable corner before the hotel was refurbished. The new hotel Rialto is a beautiful restoration of an old landmark of the city.

Breve sits exactly in its corner. Why it is so empty beats me. This is one of the most beautiful and classy coffee destinations in town. They serve Discovery Coffee and Bubby Roses pastries.

I was tempted by the chocolate croissant, and order one to accompany my espresso. I was pleasantly surprised when a complementary glass of soda water rounded my order. I enjoyed everything.

The place is bright and comfortable. It is small, but in two times I have been here, there are not that many others (after 2:00 in both cases).

The only downside is that it closes at 4 PM.

Verdict: I have placed Breve as one of my favourite coffee shops in town.

For more information, including address, please visit:

Wild

<2010-09-07 Tue>

No. 100

Coffee Review

100, several hundreds more to go.

It still amazes me how many different food establishments Victoria has. As I keep walking its streets I keep thinking: I haven't been to that one, nor that one; that one, I don't really want to visit...

The "honour" of being 100 landed in "Wild Coffee and Bistro", located in what used to be a Serious Coffee (which had to move half a block south on Broad).



The first thing one notices when entering Wild is the decor and furniture. It wants to appear West Coast, hippie. The furniture is made of drift-wood: ugly, bulky and more important, uncomfortable.

Wild also has the distinction to be the most expensive coffee I have paid for so far: 3.08 for a double espresso. The coffee was average.

Not everything was negative. I absolutely enjoyed the music while I was there, and I enjoyed sitting by the window (floor to ceiling).

This is, however, a very competitive area area for any coffee shop. My personal preference is to go across the street to the Legacy Art Gallery (unfortunately it does not open Monday or Tuesdays, nor late).

Verdict: The coffee is not worth what they charge for.


Paid: 3.08.

For more information, including address, visit:

Dolce Vita Douglas

(Coffee Review)

<2010-09-04 Sat>

No. 97

Between its sibling at the London Drugs plaza on Yates, they share the baristas and other staff. That day Anthony was behind the espresso machine. He is, in my opinion, one of the best baristas in town. He explained me that he spends some days in one and some in the other. I mentioned to him that the quality of the coffee was not the same without him. The coffee he prepared for me was excellent.

This Dolce Vita is huge compared to the other one. I like it, although some of the tables are not very comfortable. Even though it has good coffee, it is rarely more than 1/2 full (at least at the times I go). This surprises me and I wonder why. I suspect the reason is that it is located in the wrong side of the street. Perhaps this area is starting to suffer "coffee" saturation (Mirage and Starbucks are just meters away, and there are 4 more coffee places just one block and a half away).

I frequently stop by, get a coffee, and sit by the window, looking at the hectic pace of this part of town.

Verdict: Good coffee and a pleasant environment. I am a regular.

For more information, including address, visit:

Old Time Deli

(Coffee Review)

<2010-09-02 Thu>

No. 96

In the middle of tourist strip (Government St), Old Time Deli is a coffee shop and deli with Internet workstations in the back. The artwork on the walls brings me back memories of a defunct favourite---the Herald Street Cafe---where they use to hang. I wonder what the relationship is.

The place is large, but lacks "soul". It feels cold, uninviting, in a way that is hard to explain. That they play the radio on loudspeakers does not help. On the other hand, their tables are very comfortable. I sat by the window, and enjoyed watching the tourists.

They are a deli with lots of pastries, but, as I usual, I only ordered a espresso.

Surprisingly, the coffee was good. Significantly better than Starbucks, and similar to Murchie's, but I still prefer Macchiato, around the corner.

Verdict: Good coffee

For more information, including address, visit:

Starbucks Chinatown

Coffee Review

<2010-08-31 Tue>

No. 93

A Starbucks in the middle of Chinatown (or more properly described, at the opposite corner of China block, as I prefer to call it). Not much different than many other Starbucks: the coffee tastes more less the same, it uses the same standard furniture, and, in general, provides you the same bland experience that you expect when you walk into Starbucks.

The location, though, is very nice. It has floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall glass windows, making it very bright and no matter where you sit, you can do people watching.

In this Starbucks there is usually a group of elder Chinese conversing. It is interesting that, of all the coffee shops in the area, they have chosen Starbucks.

Verdict: a comfortable and large Starbucks.

Black Stilt Coffee House (Hillside)

No. 90
<2010-08-27 Fri>

I like the Black Stilt. I wished it would be closer to my home (or downtown). Their coffee is very good, their space is large, bright, inviting, and has lots of different styles of sitting to match your requirement (comfy chairs, benches, tables). It feels like a place for everybody.

Furthermore, the business seems to have a social conscience, that is demonstrated all around the store (for example, that they compost and recycle as much they can and ask you to help in the sorting).

It has very good music and free Internet. It was a pleasure to be there.

Its main downside is that you really need to live or work at walking distance. It is difficult to find parking in the area for more than few minutes (unless you are willing to pay for it).

Verdict: Recommended

For more information, including address, visit:

Roger's Chocolates Soda Shoppe

For an second visit to this location.

<2010-08-21 Sat>

No. 83

Coffee Review



On the East side of Government, right across the street of the Empress, The Soda Shoppe is in one of the best locations in downtown. I was surprised to learn--thanks to Your Restaurant Sucks, that they are no longer are a Rogers outlet.

The store is divided into two sections: the ice-cream parlour, and the rest. It is a large place, with large windows offering a beautiful view of the area in front of the Empress. It was a very hot day, but I needed a coffee. In retrospective, it was the worst day of the year to come here. The Sun was blazing and I sat, you guess it, by the windows, under the Sun.

I love that view. It is soothing. I makes me feel like a tourist, and enjoy the fact that people pay to come here to have a similar experience. Unfortunately the person who designed those sits never sat in them. They are the most uncomfortable in the world. Perhaps it is by design: they want tourist to keep moving. Thus a high turn-over and lots of business, who will never come back--at least not for months. The locals, the regular, can come, but the sits seem to scream "please don't stay for long". It is a shame, because I'd be willing to come for that view on a regular basis, and pay top-money for it.

Service is slow. And it is annoying to have to wait by the counter for my coffee for what feels like an eternity. They need a way to streamline that. Shoppe, if you are listening, hire a busboy, and people will love the extra pampering (I would).



The coffee was ok but a bit bitter for my taste, but it had good thickness. The small Lindt chocolate that came with it was melting by the time I ate it, but I enjoyed it. I like the treat of a small chocolates with my coffee.

Verdict: Nice location, awful sitting, recommended with reservations.


--dmg

Update: Nov 10, 2010. I received one of the worst coffees in a while. The problem with the baristas here is that they are young people with no skill. Order something other than coffee.


For more information, including address, please visit:

Willie's Bakery

<2010-08-20 Fri>

(Coffee Review)

No. 81

Even though Willie's serves food, I don't like it. After 1:00 PM, Willie's slows down, and it becomes a better place to only come for a coffee (it is too busy in the morning and lunch time with people eating).

I don't recommend their coffee. I ranks around decent (some days better than others). If you want good coffee, go to Habit instead (on the other side of Market Square).

The main reason I come here is that I like to sit at the window, and look at the people pass by.

Verdict: I come for the view.

Paid: 2.75

For more information, including address, visit:

Crumsby's Cupcake Cafe

No. 76

<2010-08-14 Sat>

As you enter Crumsby's, the first thing you will notice is the colour palette of the decor. It is bright, with saturated colours that you rarely see in restaurants in Victoria. The second thing, is the play area for children, filled with toys. The third, how few children there are.

There was only one family with their children there. Perhaps this is Oak Bay. Perhaps it is the time of the day. Perhaps it is that it was one of the warmest days of the year.

I love the place. Perhaps it is because I grew up in an environment full of these types of colours.

In general I see few children playing, and they never bother me (their screams or noise).

Once in a while a little one comes close to me with those enquiry eyes. Being kid-friendly could be good for some (who have children and are looking for a place to have a coffee while their children enjoy the time) or a bad thing (for those who dislike the noise of children).

Crumsby's specializes in cup cakes and coffee. I have ordered some of them in the past, and they are too dense for my taste (this does not mean they are bad, I don't really like cupcakes in general).

The coffee is in the good category, and a much better option than Pure Vanilla few blocks away, with no real competition in the area.

Verdict: The best coffee in the area.

For more information, including location, visit:

Solstice

Coffee Review

<2010-08-12 Thu>

No. 74

I remember the days Solstice had just opened. I was very happy to see a place that felt so inviting and so comfortable open in this part of town. Solstice is located in one of old buildings of Market Square. Its walls are red uncovered brick with high ceilings. I became a regular.

One of my most memorable events in this coffee shop one night I was working on my laptop while sipping some coffee. It was a Thursday, if I remember correctly, and Solstice was open late allowing a "Philosopher's Cafe" to run that night. This was an eclectic group of people, with no formal organization, who would meet weekly to discuss any topic.

One night the topic was drugs. The discussion went on for a while, but then suddenly there was a commotion outside the coffee shop: there as a group of people demonstrating outside, and a news crew (from the local tv station) was there. The "leaders" of the demonstration (which was comprised of Cannabis club members and "enthusiast") asked for an "audience". A group of Representatives where allowed to join the discussion, which of course was just a bunch of people with no agenda, nor policy making power.

This event taught me a lot of what makes news in a small town like Victoria.

Back to Solstice. In the last 5 years the competition has increased tremendously. They are just few meters away from Habit, one of the best coffee shops in Victoria, and less than 1km away from a dozen coffee places.

What makes Solstice special is that it is a large place, with many comfy chairs or tables. It is a nice place to either, have a conversation, or sit and read or work (I think they have now Internet access).

MG, who was paying, wanted to have a large, 1 litre French Press (this used to be my home method, until recently, when I got a espresso), and he likes it dark. It was a nice touch that the press came with a timer, to remove the guesswork and guarantee better results.

The coffee was good, but strong. If you are in a group of people, or like a _lot_ of coffee, this is a good option.

Verdict: Good coffee. I would recommend it as second option in the area to Habit (my preferred destination for Coffee in Victoria).

Paid: 6 for large French press.


For more information, including address, visit:

Cascadia

(Coffee Review)

No. 71

<2010-08-10 Tue>

Cascadia is a bakery with that also serves coffee. As a coffee shop, it is very small. It has two (or maybe there are 3) tables inside, plus a couple on the sidewalk. It also has a bench on the window, where I sat to sip my coffee.

One interesting aspect of Cascadia is that they are one of the view in town that would ask me if I wanted a long or a short espresso. I consider a espresso to be short by definition, but some places make them "long" without even asking (this is particularly true of the "push a button and the coffee comes out" places.

The coffee was ok, but nothing spectacular.




A lot of customers came for a coffee to go, and judging from the interaction with the staff, they seem to be regulars. Cascadia certainly looks like the neighbourhood bakery everybody loves to have.

The main reason you come here might not be the coffee but the bake goods, which are top notch.

A bakery that sells decent coffee. I recommend you come for bread (or pastries) and get a coffee to enjoy a small break. The smell is worth it.

Verdict: Come for the baked stuff, the coffee is decent.

For more information, including address, visit:

The Black Stilt Lounge

No. 55

This is a relatively new coffee shop. It is located in what used to be a laundromat.

It has lots of space to sit. The tables and chairs are relatively comfortable. I liked the copper tops of the tables. I saw many people using laptops, an easy demonstration that it provides free Internet.

The coffee was average. It is not what will bring me back. But the environment and the free Internet will. Unfortunately they close at 6 PM, and at 4 PM on the weekends.

It seems that the Black Stilt has a social conscience, as it is trying to raise money for developing countries coffee farmers.

Verdict: A good Internet location if you live close by, but don't except much from the coffee.

--dmg

For more information, including location, visit:

Ogden Point Cafe

No. 49

Overpriced food, bad coffee, with splendid view.

You really have to have no love for food to enjoy a meal at Ogden Point. Even their desserts are bad towards inedible. To top it all, it is expensive. The only food I have enjoyed here is the bagels, the only item in the menu that I could recommend.

The coffee sucks.

But the view! The view! It is spectacular. Getting a table, and enjoying that view of the Strait is worth everything else.

I have the feeling this place would be packed if the food was good. Perhaps, it is better that it stays this way.

The inside table and chairs are more comfortable than the solarium and patio ones.

Verdict: I come for the view.

Paid: 11 for double espresso, some type of dessert raspberry bar, and a chocolate.

Internet: Yes

--dmg

For more information, including address, visit:

Marina Coffee House

No. 47

A bad coffee shop with an excellent view, is the way I can summarize this place.

Located at the Oak Bay Marina, it is not in Victoria, but it is on my way to work, hence I frequently stop there.

I ordered a lemon pound cake and a espresso.

The espresso was originally served in a paper cup (even though I asked for it "for here"). Fortunately the barista redid it (most baristas would have poured it), and I thanked her for that! This is good service. The espresso is Starbucks and it is ok.

The pound cake was old, very old. I was asked if I wanted it warm, but it would have been done with a microwave. You can't warm bread and cakes in microwaves! Well, you can, but it is a very different result than using a toaster.

The place feels run down. It is a place that you come for the view of the marina, and not the food. The coffee is average.

Verdict: I come for the view

Internet: No

For more information, including address, visit: