vinoboy Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 121 Location: steveston Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Espresso Grinder: Rocky Doser Vac Pot: na Drip: French Press Roaster: PI and PII
Posted Mon Aug 29, 2005, 7:47am Subject: Caffe Artigiano - 41st Ave - two thumbs up
I stopped by the 41st Ave Artigiano on Friday, to try out their new espresso (they have started roasting their own)
My 10 year old ordered an iced latte (hey, he IS only 10 :) ) and declared that the new blend was pretty good, maybe as good as the black cat he had last time...my son the coffee geek!
I ordered a machiato and it took 5-6 minutes to be served, because the barisiti threw away the first two shots. I was watching, and there was a young guy working on the first, and when it didnt turn out, a young woman helped out, and she threw her first away too. The guy said to me: "Sorry for the wait...it has to be perfect..."! I was impressed, and the coffee WAS good.
**All this on a Friday afternoon at 1:30, with a street festival of some kind on 41st, and a pretty busy shop.
Artigiano has been solid every time I have been there, with good coffee and good service.
Posted Mon Aug 29, 2005, 7:38pm Subject: Re: Caffe Artigiano - 41st Ave - two thumbs up
I only visit Vancouver occasionally, but I make a point of going to Artigiano when I do. Their coffee does rock - and you are right, they do appear to be focused on the quality, and not the image or the volume like some celestial/currency-named coffee shops.
"Give me a rocks on the rocks - and put it in a dirty glass" - Cary Granite
Posted Tue Aug 30, 2005, 10:28pm Subject: Re: Caffe Artigiano - 41st Ave - two thumbs up
I have patronized both of the downtown locations, which are very good. I plan on a visit to the 41st Ave joint sometime this week. I will report back and maybe do a mini review of their espresso.
Posted Thu Sep 1, 2005, 5:32pm Subject: Re: Caffe Artigiano - 41st Ave - two thumbs up
I stopped in for lunch today and had a good experience. The shop is nicely decorated and fits in well with the Kerrisdale locale. Chairs and tables are nice and comfy, and they also have a few small tables on the sidewalk patio. After trying out one of their paninis and soup (which were both excellent), I ordered a double ristretto (it is so nice to see the word "ristretto" on a menu board). The bar setup is the traditional "you can't see what I am doing" style. I tried to peer around from the side to watch the barista's technique, but by the time I had paid and snuck around to the side, I missed watching him dose/distribute/tamp. It is also impossible to watch the pour from where I was standing, but the barista seemed to be intently watching the pour as it progressed. It was a true ristretto, about 1.75 oz and I was pleasantly surprised by the shot. Crema was nice and thick with a rich golden brown color. The taste was rather bright at first, but after the initial brightness, it turned chocolaty a la black cat, but maybe not as spicy or smoky. Perhaps a bit milder tasting overall than BC. The finish was also very good; I enjoyed it during my drive back to work.
While I enjoyed the shot, I noticed a large shipment of boxes arriving through the back door. I asked the cashier if they were receiving a new coffee shipment, and she said yes. I asked if I could buy some of their freshest coffee, and she went over and grabbed a pound of the espresso blend right out of one of the boxes. No roast date on the bag, but she assured me it was quite fresh. I will give it a go when I get home tonight.
Overall, I would recommend this shop. The food was simple but it appears that they use fresh ingredients and good quality breads. I wish there could be more interaction with the coffee making process, but this is typical of all of the Artigiano shops I have been to.
The only thing that concerned me was their whole bean coffee prices. $15 for a pound seems excessive for a roaster with not much time under their belt. I have paid more than that in the past, but my usual sources are from well-established roasters that have a good reputation and are known for their quality beans and roasting process. High priced beans are also usually roasted out of town, and their pricing includes shipping costs, which in this day of $1.32 per liter gas, must be significant. Having said, that, Artigiano is probably capitalizing on their name as a quality cafe, so they can probably get away with the premium pricing. I may also end up eating my words after I have a chance to do a more thorough evaluation of their beans over the next few days. I will be picking up some fresh Hines espresso beans tomorrow, and have a face off between them over the long weekend.
geek Senior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Posts: 75 Location: Vancouver, Canada Expertise: Professional
Espresso: LM Mistral Grinder: Anfim Super Caimano Roaster: 49th Parallel
Posted Thu Sep 8, 2005, 5:01am Subject: Re: Caffe Artigiano - 41st Ave - two thumbs up
It is definitely hard to see what's going on behind the bar there. If you want to see what's going on, try the store on Hornby or the one in West Van. Hornby street is usually too busy to see (by the time you come around the corner or the counter, it's half finished, but in West Van, you can completely walk around the bar. West Van also has 3 baristas that I actively sought out to work there. b
mflo Senior Member Joined: 7 Oct 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Vancouver Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Fri Nov 18, 2005, 7:57pm Subject: Re: Caffe Artigiano - 41st Ave - two thumbs up
Had lunch and a macchiato at the Kerrisdale location today and got to Sammy! Really nice guy, he was helping out just clearing tables, chatting it up with customers, and on the line for a bit...! Good job, Artigiano!
MarkPrince Moderator Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 4,663 Location: Vancouver Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Frankenstein'ed LM Linea Grinder: Anfim Super Caimano Vac Pot: 1922 Silex Drip: Krups Moka Brew Roaster: Hottop
Posted Fri Nov 18, 2005, 8:30pm Subject: Re: Caffe Artigiano - 41st Ave - two thumbs up
I'm not going to delete the previous post, because I don't want to be accused of any personal bias, but I'll ask mflo to read and respect the forum rules, specifically this one:
Probationary Period: If you are a new signup for CoffeeGeek, you cannot promote, endorse, or otherwise post an unsolicited endorsement for any company, product or service in your first five postings.
slidingmike Senior Member Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 80 Location: San Francisco Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Anita Grinder: Mazzer Mini
Posted Mon Nov 21, 2005, 10:11pm Subject: Re: Caffe Artigiano - 41st Ave - two thumbs up
I just returned from a few days in Vancouver, and got a chance to enjoy a number of drinks from the downtown (Hornby) location. Fantastic coffee, great service, very lively. There were lines out the door day and night, but things moved really well and you could always find a seat. I'm looking foward to trying out their beans on my home gear.
I also got to try the Elysian Room; also wonderful, but in a very different way (quiet, calm, peaceful, upscale, lots of retail coffee gear). I didn't get to Wicked, JJ Bean, or Prado -- next time!
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