Roasting Plant Coffee

Roasting Plant Coffee has two New York locations and one recently opened in Detroit. The location I visited is in the West Village, which is known for having a strong artistic and cultural community, filled with theaters, restaurants and shops. This is their 2nd location, their first and flagship store located in the Lower East Side. Upon approaching, there is a definite industrialist vibe to this place with lots of exposed concrete, big glass windows, and steel materials. Inside, this is further emphasized with a maze-like system of clear, pneumatic tubes winding all over the interior of the shop, going along the walls and even the ceilings. The industrial, mad-scientist look is broken up by a counter and benches made from ply-wood, and bright primary accent colors scattered about. Something about this combination of hard industrial materials mixed with warm plywood and primary colors always reminds me of the west-coast, California-surfer vibe, and indeed, their owners feel that an infusion from the west is just what the New York coffee culture needs to shake things up a bit.

I actually discovered this place completely by accident when I was on my way to brunch at the nearby Morandi Restaurant. I was very surprised that this shop was not listed in my beloved New York Coffee Guide, as it seems to already have had an extensive number of reviews done on it by some pretty big names!

Menu

I noticed that they seem to have the basic sugary coffee options, but not of the coffee shake variety such as Starbucks' Frappuccinos. Maybe they will make something like this if you ask nicely, but I kinda doubt it.

Eureka! At last! This wall explains everything!

On The Shelf: Bodum Products

Their shelf products consist primarily of Bodum products, which you can buy directly on their website, including drink-wear, grinders, and brewers. They have a very pretty Cona Vacuum Brewer which I am currently lusting after and looks like a Steam-Punker's wet dream (see top shelf of pic above).

The JavaBot System

The JavaBot. Where to begin? This is a patented system of pneumatic tubes designed to keep the coffee beans at their peak of freshness. The coffee is changed every 48 hours and is meant to take the human element (i.e.- mistakes) out of the usual roasting process. I won't go into detail about the entire system as you can find multiple explanations across other reviews and on their website. Also, I have to include the usual maniacal, paranoid warning/reference about the machines rising against us, but other than that, I will say it's pretty darn cool to watch this baby in action! Dinner and a show!

If I drink this, will I become lucky?? I'll let you know...

As usual, I don't really like to review the actual coffee because I think it is highly subjective and I hardly consider myself a connoisseur on the subject. Instead, I prefer to review a shop from the average consumer's point of view and try to comment on what I see as good marketing/business strategies. I don't know enough to say that this is actually as fresh as they claim but as coffee goes, I liked it.

Milk Bar

Love this high-tech way of pouring the milk! So easy- no muss, no fuss! Brilliant! Although, I am curious how they clean it- seems complicated, but I'm sure they have their ways. I have no complaints about the cleanliness of this place. Everything seemed polished and cleaned to within an inch of its life!

Chocolate Chip Cookies are said to be the 'best in the city' according to Serious Eats

According to Serious Eats, the chocolate chip cookies, baked fresh 4-5 a day at the Roasting Plant cafes, are the Chocolate Chip Cookie Champion of New York City. A pretty lofty title if I do say so myself! The dough is actually made by Tom Cat Bakery and is sold in many cafes across the city, but Roasting Plant is the only one which bakes them fresh at their location throughout the day. What did we learn from this? Freshness is key! Also, exceptional ingredients. These cookies are made with pastry flour and Callebaut chocolate, commonly believed to be the best quality chocolate by professional pastry chefs (or at least the French pastry chef I used to work for, who has been in the industry for almost 20 years).

I wish I had known this before I went there, (I usually like to do a little research before reviewing a place) as I would have tried one, but who am I to turn away from fate just because of a lack of research? Instead I purchased the Peanut Butter & Jelly Bar, a scrumptious concoction that looks like a giant chocolate candy bar and does little to hint at the yumminess inside. I did not take a picture of this as it was a scorching hot day in July and my purchase completely melted before I had a chance to even eat it! Luckily it was packaged in plastic or I would have had a gooey disaster inside my purse. I didn't let that stop me though. I solved this little problem by briefly sticking it in my fridge at home to harden up the chocolate enough to peel the plastic off before devouring it. Wow. So- good. It was a little hard to tell as it had melted together and re-solidified before I had a chance to eat it, but it seemed to have 3 layers: peanut butter with little bits of peanut, a thin layer of something spongy (maybe a cake?), and jelly that was not your typical straight-up jelly- it seemed like it did not have as much moisture as regular jelly and was probably made from scratch and boiled down to make it concentrated, but I have no way of confirming this. If anyone happens to know how this was made, I would love a blow-by-blow! All-in-all, I was very impressed.

Their website is also very good and offers a 'subscription' service where you can sign up for a regular, scheduled delivery of coffee, either:  weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly. On their Shopping Section, you can order from a decent selection of their coffees. What I really like about this feature is that they include a very detailed description of each coffee and include a scale of how the coffee rates according to Acidity, Body, and Roast. You can also specify what kind of grind you need for the coffee according to your brewing method and even whether you want the coffee roasted or un-roasted! It really takes the guesswork out of the equation for both the average consumer who just wants the coffee they make at home to be the best it can be and the connoisseur who wants to control every aspect of their brew. A very smart plan of attack!

Bluebird Coffee Shop

June 16, 2013

We came to the Bluebird Coffee Shop on Father's Day and, as we approached, we passed by some really interesting street art! The normally bustling Lower East Side Neighborhood seemed almost deserted and it had a very calm and relaxed atmosphere.

Brownie points to anyone who can tell me what all this was about! haha!

The Bluebird Coffee Shop is very small and the only signage was the wooden carved plaque posted on an iron cage door. We actually walked past it once before we noticed that it was there. The trees all seemed to converge on the entry to mask it and make it feel like a treasure you just stumbled upon. Even though there's not much space to sit inside, there's a little playground across the street from the shop and I can easily imagine sitting on one of the benches there if I couldn't find room inside. Also great for moms who want  a moment of peace to enjoy a nice latte while their kids play outside!

Love the huge open windows! They really open up the space and make it seem bigger than it is!

Sounds good to me!

Let them eat cake!

Housemade Yumminess!

 As usual, I was very disappointed to find we had arrived too late to order anything from the impressive breakfast or lunch menus. I had seen these online before we left and I was really looking forward to trying something. Unfortunately, we arrived after 3 so I had to console myself by ordering the pastry photo'd above. I have no idea what it actually is, but the barista described it as almost like a bread pudding type pastry with strawberry jelly inside, and I'd say that was pretty accurate. It was flaky on the outside and just the right amount of dense sweetness inside. Altogether, pretty awesome!

Flat White and an Iced Latte

 Their coffee comes from Counter Culture and I finally got to order a Flat White! I have to say it was very tasty! I usually have trouble drinking a traditional cappuccino. They have too much foam to get through before you get to the espresso at the bottom, and then when you do get to it, it's too bitter! The contrast is almost shocking and I have to confess they're not my favorite drinks to order. The flat white was a perfect combo. It was stronger than your typical latte but just enough foam & milk to balance the espresso. It might be my new favorite espresso drink!

On the Shelf!

Menu framed and posted on the wall.

Dig the 'Choking Victim' sign on the back wall!

I was very impressed with how clean they kept this place! This is the result of constant vigilance people!

Love the framed Rorschach Tests on the wall! What do you see?

Bluebird Wallpaper... get it!?

Elder-flower Lemonade

 I couldn't resist buying one of these Elder-flower Lemonades! The packaging is just so sweet and (as you may know) I'm a sucker for unusual flavors. I think this would make an amazing sorbet flavor actually- the elder-flower was not too overwhelming, just the slightest hint of floral flavor and sparkling lemonade!

This was a very impressive find and an extremely pleasant afternoon. I will definitely be back to try more from the menus and I really can't say enough about how wonderful and relaxing it all was.


(Photos were provided by Nathanael Maharaj)

9th Street Espresso

February 1st, 2011

Minimalist is the word. And the word is good.

We managed to find 9th St Espresso around 5 o'clock at the Tompkins Square location and, just like the logo, this place is sparse!

9th St. Espresso Logo

They proudly displayed their A rating and Zagat recommendation. Their only splash of color in a black, white, and chrome world coming from a framed coffee flavor wheel and one piece of art.

Wheel. Of. Flavor!

Barista Doin' Her Thang

Even the blackboard menu contained only six items. There were people scattered around the interior, quietly reading or working on their computers (Be warned- the wi-fi is free, the seat is not.) The Smiths played quietly in the background. The barista was a study in Parisian cool in a black t-shirt, jeans, a black crochet barret, and a single braid casually thrown over one shoulder. I expected a mime to appear at any moment.


Other than the slight over-the-top atmosphere, I was pleasantly surprised by this place! I ordered a macchiato and the foam art was beautiful. The flavor was quite nice too! I tried sipping it straight, without sugar, and while it was a little too bitter to last for long, it was surprisingly smooth with very little sourness, or acidity, to it! Once I added a little sugar, it was perfect!

Yummy Macchiato!

It seems like a great place to go to enjoy a bit of quiet and caffeine. I loved the tin ceiling tiles and (for all you native New Yorkers) the bathroom was fully stocked and pristine. (A true Rare Find in New York City.) I also bought some Alphabet City Roast, ground perfectly for my pour-over. Again, a little bitter, but I'm trying to branch away from my beloved French roast and Columbia Finca. I think with a little tinkering, I could come to love it. As I found out in my Cupping Lab, there's no wrong way, it's all about your personal preference and what you enjoy. I usually like mine rich with a lot of milk and a little sugar, but I've found that for me the Alphabet City blend tastes best with my usual sugar and just a splash of milk.

Display O'Stuff

Their baked goods are from Balthazar Bakery, but, being late in the day, I was a little afraid to try any. I think if they had had more in their case, I would have been a little more tempted to try. As it was, the cookies looked cold and lonely in their half-filled case. Maybe next time.

Lonely Cookies

Over-all, the atmosphere wasn't really my style, but it might be worth it to go back just for the great coffee and space to think.

Cupping Lab

January 23, 2011

If anyone recalls my previous post regarding a coffee shop review of Joe & the Art of Coffee, you may remember me mentioning the classes they offer there. Well, I finally did it and went to one of their free Cupping Labs!

I rushed over to their 13th St. location after work and barely managed to make it. By the way, they do offer seating at this location! Hallelujah! Although, all of said seating seemed to be taken at that moment. It was a very lively Friday night and the caffeinated patrons were definitely buzzing. After asking the barista where the class was, she informed me that everyone was waiting until the manager was ready and then she would announce the class. While I waited, I looked at the art on the walls from local artists and the ginormous blackboard behind the counter. I was marveling at the lofty position of the manager's office, which you had to reach by ladder into a whole in the wall, when the manager popped out of the office whole, climbed halfway down the ladder, stopped, turned around, and with a Japanese teakettle in one hand and the other clinging to the ladder she made the announcement of  the beginning of the lab. She looked like a jaunty coffee pirate. She had short black hair in a pixy cut, a plaid shirt, jeans, a grey sailors cap, 2 lip rings at the left corner of her mouth and a crystal stud sparkling from her right cheekbone. We all followed our fearless leader past a tall fridge crammed with milk, squeezed past a couple of trashcans and walked down a narrow staircase into the basement. The first thing I noticed was the smell of coffee everywhere. Heaven. It was a room filled with sinks and shelves of coffee machines and coffee paraphernalia, so I wont describe every little detail. It was amazing though.

 

Buono Coffee Drip Kettle $59

Everyone who showed up for the class was very friendly and eager to learn. There were people from Spain, Greece, Japan, and NY (of course). Most of the 10 person crowd seemed middle aged, but we were all newbies to the cupping experience and we were told that we would not be doing a blind cupping today because of that.

Our pirate queen led us through the ritual as precise as any Japanese tea ceremony. She seemed to be very knowledgeable and told us how she had started in Seattle (the coffee capitol of the US) and had helped to test some of the first of the elusive Clover machines!

 

We learned how to experience the coffee in its many forms, with all of our senses. We had three regions to test from:  Brazil, El Salvador and Rwanda. We smelled it dry, we smelled it wet, we broke the crust and smelled it again, we tasted it hot, we tasted it cold. We tried to identify all the different nuances of flavor, acidity, mouth-feel, and aftertaste. (Interesting Tip- you taste so much more of the flavor when it's cold than when it's hot!)

In the end, I decided my favorite was Brazil and, a close second, was Rwanda. All in all, it lasted an hour and I was sad to see it end. It was nice to be around so many people who shared the same passion as me. I thought it was a great experience and would definitely recommend more classes.

Has anyone else been to one of these classes? How was your class compared to mine? I'd love to hear your story!

Gimme! Coffee & Doughnut Plant

December 24, 2010

The first two places I've chosen to review are Gimme! Coffee and Doughnut Plant.

The Gimme Coffee is located on Mott St. between Spring and Prince. They are known for their espressos and cold-brewed coffee, but I decided to order a cup of their Columbia Finca San Luis Organic, pour-over, brewed coffee because I just got a cute little pour-over of my very own for my coffee at work. My boyfriend ordered a small chai. I also bought a bag of Sumatra Wahana coffee beans, which they were nice enough to grind for me to my specification. (TIP- For a pour-over, grind coffee slightly coarser than espresso, like the consistency of sugar. Especially if you're using a paper filter.)

The first thing I noticed upon approaching the coffee shop was the crowd of people outside. We arrived kind of later than I would have liked, around 1 in the afternoon on a Sunday, but there was still a large crowd outside. They were the usual SoHo/upper class-hipster/too-cool-for-school crowd. Not to be confused with your college hipster crowd.

When I entered the shop, it was pretty crowded and small with a line going to the door. This was clearly meant to be a fast, in and out set-up because there were no chairs or tables to sit at. There wasn't even a window counter to stand at and enjoy your coffee while you people-watched.

Despite the distinct 'no-lingering' vibe I got from the decor, the baristas were very friendly and accommodating, being sure to ask me how my day was. The barista manning the espresso machine was obviously a pro, with his hands flying in a smooth ballet of precise, choreographed movements. However, the wait for the espressos and coffees seemed to be quite long. Hopefully because they were making sure it was the perfect shot? I also liked how they had large and clearly printed signs describing all the qualities of each of their specialty coffees, which, for a budding coffee connoisseur such as myself, was very helpful. When I finally received my order, I was a little underwhelmed. My medium coffee was a nice, average medium size, but my boyfriend's small chai was indeed tiny. And maybe I'm too accustomed to my dark, French roast coffee, or my concentrated morning cup from my Cuban coffee maker, or maybe it's my inexperience, but I felt their coffee was pretty weak. Not in a watered down kind of way, but I felt my usual milk would have overwhelmed my coffee. Even the chai we ordered had a good flavor but ended very weak, but I enjoy a little spicy bite to my chai. Maybe that's just a personal preference. Perhaps it was my fault for not ordering their signature espresso. After all, I didn't see anyone else there ordering a pour-over coffee... maybe for a good reason. It wasn't bad coffee, just so-so.

The bag of coffee I bought was a little lighter than I was expecting for a medium-dark blend, but turned out pretty good after I tinkered around with my usual brewing amount. The first cup I made was way too weak and acidic and my usual amount of sugar was far too much. But after tweaking the amounts I was pleasantly surprised that I could actually identify that 'woodsy' flavor described on the packaging!

The second place we went to was Doughnut Plant, about a 12 block walk through Chinatown. By the way, never walk through Chinatown without cash, it's torture!

Good crab, not to be confused with bad crab.

 

Cool sidewalk art we saw outside a locksmith's shop on our walk to Doughnut Plant. (Those are real keys inside the cement!)

Again, the first thing I see at Doughnut Plant is the line snaking out the door. There are moms and dads with their kids and a group of college kids all waiting in line and looking at the sign outside listing the specials of the day.

Front of Doughnut Plant

 

Decisions, Decisions...

Inside, there are no tables, but there is a small wall counter with some stools and a ledge to sit on by the window. Not that anyone was sitting at the counters. The line was winding all over the interior of the space, leaving no room to sit.

There are two t.v.s though. Both  tuned in to the Food Network (naturally). The decor is minimal industrial and very nice. All of which, leads to a counter where the cashier takes your order and hands you your goods, while another person stands by ready to pop a fresh batch of steaming donuts from the kitchen window to the waiting display case. They had many interesting flavors, but my favorite by far was the Creme Brulee

My biggest complaint about these places was the lack of seating and space. I guess the main purpose of these establishments is that they have one product and all of their focus goes into the production and service of that product, but I couldn't help but wish for a seat to relax and enjoy my coffee and donuts. That's one thing I knowI'd like for my coffee shop/bakery- space to sit, linger, and enjoy the atmosphere. Maybe it's a zoning/license thing though? And they can't have a large number of people in that small amount of space?

In any case, I hope you have a great holiday filled with love, happiness, and lots of coffee! haha!

And, if you've been to either of these places and have something to add to this review, I'd love to read your comments!