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View Full Version : 'Java Cherry-Pop' Review: Vendome Cafe



flipstah
11-25-2012, 11:25 AM
Haven't done one in a while but this deserved my time to create.

So I started developing a taste for a good cup coffee. After having those sweet promotional lattes and fraps, my sweet tooth is slowly disappearing and so I'm going around town to train my tastebuds and see if I can tell differences.

What you will see is a series of reviews of places around Calgary and you might be interested in what I have to say because it'll be a first-person view of me popping my 'java cherry', so to speak. So read on, comment, and enjoy the ride!

NOW! Some ground rules:

- My measurement for 'marginal' cup of coffee is a skinny double shot latte from Starbucks. This is a 2.5/5 in my scale.

This is the gauge for me and so assume this expectation when reading my reviews.

Vendome Cafe
940 2 Avenue Northwest Calgary, AB T2N 0E6
(403) 453-1140
http://vendomecafe.com/

Food 3/5

I had a double shot latte, which was rich in flavor but too strong for me; not enough milk it seems. A touch of honey and it was delish!

I also ordered a Fully Monty, which was an expensive Denny's meal. I got 3 eggs (never got asked how I wanted it which I will expand later on), sausages, bacon, baked beans, fig sauce, and ketchup.

The baked beans were dry and undercooked. I just ate the protein and did not consume further.

Ambiance 3/5

A quaint place in Sunnyside, the place is beautifully decorated. A good spot to enjoy the day off or to have catch-up day with a good friend, which I did!

The place however, is small and you have to fight/scavenge for a spot if you want to eat. That transitions to my next point...

Service 2/5

It's not great. The place seemed disorganized and the food part of the establishment looked like it was an afterthought.

When I first walked in, I didn't see a server of some sort to ask for a table so it's a first-come-first-serve place.

...But then I saw they had a food menu.

...Which was odd because what if I ordered food but couldn't/didn't get a table first?

I thought the concept was so bizarre that I had to ask the teller at the front how it works around here. I was lucky that my friend came in to scavenge for a table and found one! We were contemplating on just getting coffee to go and eating elsewhere because of this silly set-up.

I wasn't asked how I wanted my eggs and it's probably because they can't accommodate my wants. I felt rushed when I went to order.

My Full Monty took a while to come because of backlog and I can see why; one head chef, one sous chef and a minute kitchen setup.

Verdict: Stick to what you're good at and focus on a great cup of coffee.

flipstah
11-29-2012, 11:24 PM
Mods, can someone change the title as I'll just amalgamate all reviews in one thread.

Thanks!

====

Hello all!

As I continue on to my journey on finding my perfect cup of coffee, I end up in two spots tonight; mostly to check out the diversity of bean offerings and price-check grinders.

So up next are:

- Analog Coffee (17th Ave)
17th Ave - 740 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0B7

- Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters (Marda Loop)
2043 33rd Ave SW Calgary, AB T2T 1Z5
Telephone: 403.686.1221

So first is Phil & Sebastian:

Food 3.5/5
I ordered a double-shot latte and the taste profile was different; mellow and balanced. Very subtle in flavor.

I forgot to ask what the blend was, which shows my personal preference towards this blend. It didn't excite me enough to find out and venture on. It wasn't bad but it wasn't mind-blowing.

Ambiance 4/5

The place in Marda Loop is very organized and clean. It was quite busy too at 8ish. The layout was shopping-friendly for merchandise as it was laid out on the side to see and inspect.

It was bright and airy with lots of lighting and high ceilings.

Service N/A

I cannot rate the service as it would be biased because my good friend is Jeremy Ho, a person who works in Phil & Sebastian and for you javaholics out there, the 2012 Canadian Barista Champion.

When he found out that I had developed a taste for coffee, he was more than happy to help me out with selecting the perfect grinder for my moka pot, what beans to select to try, what things to consider, and to what grind to use to get the most out of it.

After chatting with him about it, I realized that I may be way over my head here; so much precision is involved. With my OCD, this is not going to end well for my wallet. :rofl:

Verdict:P&S makes a good cup of coffee but the specific blend they used wasn't for me. The search continues!

Analog Coffee:

Food:4/5
Their version of a double-shot latte is quite different. Upon first sip, I noticed that it was darker than the P&S offering with a chocolate-y finish at the end. I like it. A lot.

It was rich but not too strong. The bitterness wasn't as pronounced as the Vendome offering.

It was good enough that I asked what blend he used; Godfather blend. I'll remember that.

Ambience: 4/5
This place is different than P&S; modern but dark colors with accent walls. It reminded me of a chalkboard.

I like the layout as well. They definitely took advantage of the corner lot.

Service: 3.5/5
I was served with a smile and I can tell that the barista has a love for making coffee but not so much on selling merchandise.

I tested him and asked about the grinders.

I checked their site beforehand and their entry-level grinder is cheaper than P&S but their mid-level version was more expensive than P&S +/- $10.

When I asked him about their offerings, he asked me what I would use and recommended the entry-level grinder for its' coarse offering (same as my friend's recommendation) but mentioned the pricing wrong.

I gave him a chance to correct it and check but he didn't. If it was my store, I'd want to know everything in my inventory. P&S was different; their merchandise and coffee was in the entrance but the Analog Coffee's merchandise was all the way in the back and their beans was in the entrance.

Verdict:I like this blend at Fratello. I will return to buy a bag and see if I can re-create the magic.

I'll be back to P&S at the Chinook location to try the blend that my friend recommended and see if it's one that tingles my tastebuds.

- Don