Rooster Coffee House (479 Broadview Ave)

Well, I didn't think I had it in me, but I managed to make it to my final destination...

Double espresso:

Appearance

Te Aro Eleven espresso blend.  Retro demi tasse cup. Fairly dark brew with deep brown creama. 

Aroma

Bright and fruity – bit of a citrus/floral essence. Warm cinnamon/nutmeg undertone.

Taste 

Compared to the Eleven blend brewed at Crafted by Te Aro, I find it more robust and full bodied here at Rooster.  There is really no sweetness to the pulled shots here.  The bright citrus notes shine through though with a burst of full tongue flavour. The one, two punch to my tongue lingers for a moment before it melts away. This is a great ‘pick me up’ brew.

4.8/5


It’s interesting how the same blend of coffee can vary in flavour between cafes, this goes to show how complex coffee really is. The technique of the barista and the espresso machine itself can alter the flavour even slightly. Then there's the differing water to ground coffee ratio too. Many things affect flavour and make it unique at each shop.

This was a great coffee day, 6 cafes were completed in all. It’s interesting how the café atmosphere varies between shops with the same owner (I Deal Coffee – Ossington versus Kensington) and how the flavour of the same blend of coffee can be unique between cafes (Eleven blend at Crafted by Te Aro versus Rooster Coffee House). For me this was a great way to end the tour and I really didn’t plan for these comparisons to happen on the last day!

So, at last all the cafes are done - conclusions are to follow in a separate post… that is after I recover from the caffeine crash I am about to endure!  

I Deal Coffee - Kensington Mkt (84 Nassau St)

I couldn't get over the fact that we were sitting at a 80s era Galaga table arcade game, I so wanted to try it out, no idea if it works or not! This cafe has waaaaaay more character than the Ossington location, I have noticed this being the case when it comes to the secondary branch cafes that have been opened by Red Rocket and Dark Horse as well - can't beat the originals I guess.

Double espresso:

Appearance
Very dark brew, no creama, no saucer. But it is sitting on a retro video game table - good enough for me.

Aroma
Bright and sweet with warm caramel undertones.

Taste
Dark chocolate with a caramel sharp finish. Lots of lingering citrus-y brightness as well. Definitely packs a lot of punchy bright flavour.

4.4/5

Okay, I have reviewed 5 cafes today, so at 10 shots of espresso, I think I'm gonna crash.... just one left!!

The Tampered Press (256 Crawford St, Unit B)

Back to the Trinity Bellwoods area. Almost missed this shop as it doesn't stand out on the street. The simplicity of the exterior carries inside, where less truly is more...

Double espresso:

Appearance
Espresso here is served in a clear glass - this is cool and unique! Great first impression indeed. When it was served to me, I was able to see the layers of espresso before they separated - this is pretty unique. The double shot here appears to be a larger amount than the other cafes.

Aroma
Mild and milk chocolate aroma. Quite silky smooth with a hint of cinnamon spice.

Taste
Very balanced and easy/pleasant to drink and sip. I find it very smooth and almost creamy in texture. Mouth feel is balanced with a slight spiciness at the finish. A nice blend that I would return for.

4.6/5

Just 2 cafes remaining to review!

I Deal Coffee (162 Ossington Ave)

Now a bit north up the street for the next...

Double espresso:


Appearance
Extremely dark brew, dark marbled creama. Fair trade and organic beans roasted by IDC. Served in a saucerless Demi tasse.

Aroma
Quite roasty and dry with slightly sweet notes.

Taste
Surprising light and smooth with no lingering robust flavour like I expected. Sweet brown sugar flavour intensifies with each sip. A well rounded and balanced coffee.

4.5/5

A solid local cafe with a quiet vibe. The church pew seating is a nice design feature. I am interested to see how the Kensington location compares to this shop.

Crafted by Te Aro (135 Ossington Ave)

Next up... the sister Te Aro location ...


Double espresso:


Big Bro espresso - roasted at the Leslieville Te Aro Roasted cafe- it's a blend of beans from Guatemala, Brazil and Sumatra. Served with a shot glass of sparkling water.

Appearance
Retro Demi tasse cup with shot glass of water. Dark rich marbled creama, dark brew

Aroma
Very spicy, herbal undertone - I pick up oregano, basil.

Taste
Dark chocolate with a distinct spiciness comes through. I pick up the herbal undertones that are noticeable in the aroma. Right off the bat I taste a brief sweetness at the very tip of my tongue, then this melds into a rich dark chocolate balanced mouth feel. There's no lingering after taste or flavour, my mouth is clean a moment after the bright finish.

Another tasty brew, I love that it's roasted locally - a great plus!

4.4/5

After I talked to the super friendly barista, she offered me a shot of their other espresso called Elevens blend - how could I refuse?!

Appearance
Lighter creama than the big bro, still a dark roast.

Aroma
Sweet like white chocolate, with a pleasant orange/ citrus undertone.

Taste
Surprisingly not sweet, which is more to my taste. Balanced and clean, I like this one a bit better than the big bro.

4.7/5


Great little shop in Ossington, definitely worth a visit :)

Linuxcaffe (326 Harbord St)

Just a short jaunt from University of Toronto, this Bohemian inspired cafe certainly strikes me as unique with its no frills atmosphere, there's not an ounce of pretentious-ness here at all. I am happily reminded of the cafes along Queen St West by coming here. Or I could be on Cambie St in Vancouver.     

Double espresso:

Appearance
Served in a retro cup, they use Ideal Coffee espresso roast. Both of Ideal's cafes are on the list of remaining cafes to visit, so expect their reviews to be coming up. Light Caramel creama - just faintly floating on the surface, a solid dark brew

Aroma
Brown sugary sweet, almost a hot caramel aroma. Slight under tones of milk chocolate and a hint if spice

Taste
Over all nicely balanced, I pick up some sweet fruity cherry essence on the middle of my tongue. Finishes with a lingering noticeably dry sweetness on the back of my tongue.

This us a pretty decent bouquet of flavours happening here. I like how the cherry notes really jump out at me, this alone makes for a unique and memorable brew.

4.2/5

Very friendly staff, definitely worth a visit!

The Green Grind (567 College St)

Back to Little Italy, where Manic Coffee is nearby and it was the first cafe I went to as part of the Indie Coffee Passport. The Green Grind is another cafe operating in the sustainability niche, as they get all of their beans from approved, qualifying suppliers. The cafe is bright and modern, they have a large table that caters to lap top toting patrons. 


Double espresso:


Appearance
Served in cappuccino cup. Dark thin creama. They are using a locally roasted complex blend of coffees from Mexico, Indonesia, Guatemala, Columbia, and Brazil for their espresso shots.


Aroma
Brown sugary with a slight floral essence. Bright/citrus with a distinct earthy roastiness. Pretty decent balance of the main characteristics of both a light and a dark roast.


Taste
Quite full bodied, flavour hits the front of my tongue with a big bright punch. Roasty flavour lingers for while at the end. I didn't expect this much full body boldness from a blend that's mostly from central America where typically the coffees are medium roasts. I would call the finish a bit dirty as the roasty heaviness hangs around in the back of my throat minutes later. Definitely a coffee to pair with a fruit pastry like the apple bar they offer (in background of picture above).


3.9/5


Very chic interior with an amazing mural, goes well with decent a brew.