Historical Happiness

There is this mystical cafe that transcends space and time. It has only been in existence for a year or so but it feels as though it has been there forever. Do you know the place?

Ride the C-train to the Sunnyside station and then exit off heading east towards a historic brick building and a red British style telephone booth. Turn the corner, and there it is. The cafe that transcends space and time called Vendome Cafe.

The Vendome Cafe is located in the heart of Sunnyside in the historic Vendome block which was built in 1912. If you dig history, there is a neat write up on a plaque just outside the cafe. Vendome Cafe is situated where the Heartland Cafe use to reside. The new owners, same brilliant folks that run Teatro, revamped the cafe to give it a early 1920's coffeehouse meets bistro feel.

The Vendome Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch daily. It is only open until 6 pm each day, so if you are feeling the urge for a late night coffee-and I know you get them- you are best off to try some of the other late night coffeehouses. Vendome has an amazing menu of daily features and gourmet food for what I find a reasonable price for a starving student.

The cafe has lots of seating inside and on summer days, feel free to occupy one of the wooden benches that wrap around the outside of the cafe. Again, it is the perfect place to people watch, especially if you are feeling the urge to see some cute hipsters riding past on their bikes.

The atmosphere is what I would describe as "modern-old school." It has a hint of nostalgia but a modern twist. The clientele is not as varied as other places, but it still attracts anywhere from starving hipster to 60 year old granny.

The service is excellent and the baristas are quite knowledgeable about coffee and all of the food items. The espresso is decent but it was the superb brewed coffee that won me over.

A big draw to Vendome Cafe is the food. It is an excellent place to grab brunch and a decent cup of coffee. There is no need to suffer through another Humpties breakfast with sludge like coffee, Vendome Cafe can satisfy all of your needs.

The Vendome Cafe is located at 940 2nd Ave. NW Calgary, AB. For more information go here.

Bohemian Beans

Sometimes enjoying a cup of coffee is all about the experience. You would be lucky to find a cafe where experience and quality are both substantial, but that's exactly what The Roasterie is all about. Quality coffee and a unique experience.

The Roasterie is located in the heart of Kensington and has been a fixture in the surrounding community for the past 21 years.

Walking up to the shop is daunting for some. On a beautiful autumn day, the benches in front of the cafe and the adjoining plaza are filled with dogs, gutter punks, musicians and various eccentrics. The Roasterie is the perfect hang out for all types of people and a great place to people watch if you don't mind walking through clouds of marijuana smoke to get in the front door.

The Roasterie has a small seating area inside, so it is best to nab a stool around the giant coffee roaster or take your coffee to go. For easy access for to-go beverages, The Roasterie has a side window along the street that you can order from. The interior is always filled with local art and a whole bunch of retro coffee grinders.

The service at The Roasterie is beyond phenomenal. There are only a few employees so chances are you will get to know some of them if you make The Roasterie part of your regular stomping grounds. The baristas are beyond friendly. They are willing to share almost anything with a customer to provoke a few laughs or to make the atmosphere a little more relaxed.

And the most important thing, the espresso is to die for. It is perfectly creamy and smooth. I would recommend getting an Americano and adding some molasses brown sugar in it to for some more magic. If you are looking for a vanilla latte, this is not the place, as they do not have special syrups. Just the basics. The Roasterie roasts all of their beans in house, so on particular afternoons, coffee wafts through the air in Sunnyside. They also sell beans and have a large variety to pick out of if you would like to try something a little different.

The Roasterie is one of the most welcoming and accepting shops in town. Dogs are welcome and fawned over outside and inside. The owner and employees encourage local arts and culture which makes The Roasterie the perfect Bohemian coffee haven.

The Roasterie is located at 314-10 St. NW, Calgary, AB. For more information call (403) 270-3304 ‎or visit The Roasterie Facebook page here.

Espresso Love

Espresso lovers rejoice! Kawa Espresso Bar is here to tingle your senses! Kawa Espresso Bar feels authentically European compared to all of the other options Calgary offers.

Kawa is polish for "coffee" and that is just what you will get when you enter this java paradise. The interior of the bar is quite modern with gleaming black walls and tables. Local art work fills the walls. Kawa boasts lots of seating in a small space, so if you are looking for a quite place to relax, Kawa may not be the best choice. The cafe is full most of time, no matter the time of day as Kawa also serves a variety of wines and beers.

The place may feel a little daunting, as the place has a severe high brow posh feel. The employees are friendly and knowledgeable, but a few the customers who frequent the shop seem a tad pretentious.

The service I found was not that efficient when the cafe was busy, however, the quality of the drinks is superb, no matter how many people are waiting in line for a latte. So if you are looking for a quality cappuccino, you will find it at Kawa.

Kawa's espresso is honestly a cream dream. It is so sweet and caramelly, just as a shot of espresso should be. If you order some type of latte or cappuccino, your drink will be specially crafted by the skilled baristas and decorated with cappuccino art. The drinks look beyond esthetically pleasing that some of them, which are true works of art, I would be afraid to drink. I would rather preserve the beauty of the drink. But who am I kidding? Kawa's drinks and espresso are beyond phenomenal. The best I have tasted in Calgary so far.

Kawa Espresso Bar is located at 101-1333 8 Street SW Calgary, AB

For more information visit http://kawacalgary.ca/

Take Me Higher!

Infamous stomping ground for starving students, concert promoters, Olympians, artists, and business elite, Higher Ground Cafe is Calgary's premier coffee shop where low brow meets high brow in coffee heaven.

Higher Ground is an independently run cafe and it has been around since 1982. It boasts a huge seating area with several chairs by the fire place. Despite the large area, the cafe often fills up during high traffic times, so it is best to go with the awareness that you may not get your preferred seat by a window or fire place.

The atmosphere is one of the best in the city. The patrons that frequent this coffee shop are all over the map in personality and style but they all co-mingle together adding to the friendly atmosphere. It is the perfect place to sit and hang out for several hours, no matter whether you want to have a business meeting or get some homework done. Artwork by local artists fill the walls which defiantly adds to the ambiance. Although Higher Ground is a locally owned cafe, they give away free music downloads each week, just like Starbucks.

The service is excellent. The employees are mostly trendy 20 somethings, yet they are super friendly and helpful in choosing the perfect drink. Higher Ground serves a variety of teas and coffees as well as beer, wine and cocktails. The brewed coffee and espresso are satisfactory, however, Higher Ground makes delicious lattes and specialty beverages. They also serve several organic food items. The Greek salad is super tasty. When you order a food item, while you wait, they give you a spoon with a number on it so they can bring you your food item, which I find particularly charming.

I cannot recommend stopping in to this cafe enough. Whether you want to cozy up by the fire with a mug of tea or stop in to get a quick to go coffee, Higher Ground has a little bit for everyone.

Higher Ground in located in Kensington at 1126 Kensington Road NW in Calgary, AB. For more info go to www.highergroundcafe.ca

Orange Mocha Frappuccino!

Since the product placement of the Orange Mocha Frappuccino in Zoolander (2001), Starbucks has been part of the general subconscious. I have had the immense pleasure, not only to visit several Starbucks locations in North America, but also to be a Barista at Starbucks for four long years. So this means the bucks holds a soft place in my heart but also it means that when it comes to the products of Starbucks, I do indeed have some knowledge to share.

The one concrete thing about Starbucks is that no matter the location you go to, the drinks are all the same. You know exactly what to expect. However, depending on the location, the vibe and atmosphere can be severely different.

Here are a few of my favourite locations in the downtown core and walking distance from SAIT:

1330 15 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, AB- Wellington Square, just off of 14th st. It boasts a small cafe but speedy service. Great for picking up something on the go.

723 17 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, AB- On 17th Ave. This is a highly busy location most of the time filled with students from the high school next door, yet the baristas are super friendly and the drinks are super tasty. Don't go here if you plan to sit down for several hours using the free wi-fi.

1122 Kensington Road Northwest, Calgary, AB- Kensington. This location is quaint and has such character as far as Starbucks go. It's has excellent seating with a few cozy red chairs looking out to Kensington Road. I would recommend this location for intense coffee chats.

1120 16 Avenue Northwest, Calgary, AB- 16th street, across from SAIT. This location is so close to the school, why not try it out? The service is mediocre but there is tons of seating and a excellent view of 16 St.

Overall, Starbucks is consistent. The espresso beverages can be customized to your specifications. Starbucks by far has the strongest(best) coffee out there. If you want a jolt of caffeine to keep you awake, go get a Grande Pike Place brewed coffee. There is more caffeine in a Grande brewed coffee than a Grande latte.

One department where Starbucks falls short is in the espresso department. For the hardcore doppio drinker, the shots are terrible. For straight up espresso, you are better off hitting up a local coffee house.

What the F@%* Am I Ordering?

"What the F__ am I ordering?" is a common sentiment when one stares at then menu board at a coffee shop. All the names seem to jumble together and who can really make sense of it all? Mocha latte, cappa- what? "Just give me a coffee!" you scream and I don't blame you.

Before we begin our adventure, I thought it would be clarifying if we waded through all the coffee mumbo jumbo and make some logical sense. This will help when you are ordering in the future and it will also assist you so you know what exactly I am going on about. So here are some terms I have put into English for clarification purposes. Again, some of these you may be familiar with, and some you may not. However, learning and experiencing is critical to a proper adventure.

Brewed/Drip Coffee: This is your basic coffee from either a brewer or french press.

Affogato: Espresso shot served over gelato.

Americano: Espresso and hot water.

Breve: A beverage made with half and half cream.

Cappuccino: 1/2 espresso, 1/2 steamed milk, and 1/3 foam.

Corretto: Coffee with a shot of liquor.

Doppio: Double shot of espresso

Solo: Single shot of espresso

Espresso con Panna: Espresso with whipped cream.

Frappe: An iced coffee topped with whipped cream.

Frappuccino: Blended ice or coffee beverage specifically at Starbucks.

Cafe Latte: Espresso based beverage with steamed milk and topped with foam.

Caramel Macchiato: Macchiato means "stained". A Caramel Macchiato (specific to Starbucks) is like a vanilla latte except the shots of espresso are poured over top, not inserted in the bottom. The drink is then topped of with caramel drizzle in a cross- hatch pattern.

Mocha: Latte with chocolate syrup and whipped cream on top.

Red Eye: Brewed coffee with a shot of espresso.

Ristretto: A shot of espresso with less volume but a stronger taste.

Espresso Macchiato: A shot of espresso topped with a dollop of foam.

Africano: An americano but filled up half way with steamed milk and foam.

London fog/vanilla tea misto: A tea bag steeping in half hot water and half steamed milk with a shot of vanilla syrup.

Lungo: A long shot of espresso measuring more than the traditional ounce.

Cupping: A brewed coffee tasting, much like a wine tasting.

Barista: Your friendly neighbourhood "bar star", one who makes the espresso beverages.

Welcome!

Hello Everyone!

To get this out of the way, this blog is dedicated to the love of coffee. More specifically, it is dedicated to coffee shops in the Calgary, AB area in the downtown core. I shall try to guide you through all of the great coffee options the city has to offer. Hopefully, this will be a fun adventure where throughout the caffeinated quest, we meet some lovely people and manage to get our java on.

So cheers, here's to everything great about coffee!

Excerpt from The Rolling Stones "Loving Cup":

"I feel so humble with you tonight,

Just sitting in front of the fire.

See your face dancing in the flame,

Feel your mouth kissing me again,

What a beautiful buzz, what a beautiful buzz,

What a beautiful buzz, what a beautiful buzz.

Oh, what a beautiful buzz, what a beautiful buzz.

Yes, I am nitty gritty and my shirt's all torn,

But I would love to spill the beans with you till dawn.

Give me little drink from you loving cup.

Just one drink and I'll fall down CAFFEINATED (drunk)."