Warmth Inside the Igloo

I made an incredible discovery on Monday.  I was by the University of Tokyo patiently awaiting a Jane Goodall lecture and craving some coffee time.  I wandered and wandered, so I can't easily tell you where this discovery is located, but it's somewhere near the Keio Inokashira Line near the university.  I made my way down a small avenue and gloriously stumbled upon a diner meets coffee shop.  You know, I can't really tell you the name either, but I'm pretty sure it's Igloo (イーグル).  This great find was cozy and the coffee was surprisingly good for such a quaint little place.  Unfortunately, the menu isn't in English, but if you know any Katakana, you'll survive just fine.

 

Igloo was clearly a man's coffee shop. Being the only female patron, I noticed pretty much everyone else was an old man smoking a cigarette and having a cup o' Joe. In my mind, this is pretty rare. When it comes to coffee shops, we think of the Caribous and Tully's of our days - full of mostly young people and predominantly female. So I can appreciate places like Igloo, with men being men in an ambience similar to Cheers. It was the perfect after work third place, and it was clear there were some regulars.  This shop was perfectly rejuvinating, and I left refreshed and ready to continue a busy day. If you, by some freak chance, happen to be in the area and stumble upon it like I did (Hey! Maybe it's Narnia!), I recommend the cafe au lait.  In a comfortable atmosphere like Igloo, it's the perfect complementary drink.  Cheers.  :)

Meet TCC

Singapore Coffee Shop #1 on our list is the first one I visited. I got there all of 20 minutes after making my way through Singapore customs. When a girl needs her a coffee, she needs her coffee.  And thank the good Lord this coffee shop was awaiting me in the terminal.

 

I would like to introduce you to The Connoisseur Concerto, affectionately known as TCC.

 

One of the discontentments we've grown since living abroad is the lack of good hearty food in American coffee shops.  There are days when I want to camp out in a coffee shop for hours on end, and a meal is in order.  Thinking back to the coffee hubs I know and love in the States, I would have pastries number 1, 2, and 3 to choose from.  We coffee drinkers gotta eat!  While exploring various coffee shops abroad, I've been able to see the possibilities of vibrant plates that fill my belly and fill it well, and TCC was no different. 

 

The menu was full of meals of all sizes - soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, appetizers, desserts - but it was breakfast time, so I chose their fruit pancakes.  They were fresh and perfect, with a slightly crispy outer layer and carmelized bananas with fresh strawberries and raspberries on top.  After the amount of time I had been on a plane?  I was a little drooly.  This breakfast was perfectly comforting. 

 

Their coffee menu was an extensive list of specialty coffee and espresso drinks, and I had their TCC's special blend.  In honor of kopi, it was thick and rich, and left me wanting nothing more.  The taste was bold and full enough to wake me up instantly.  Boy, was I paying attention.

 

TCC is one of those chains that don't forget quality in their success.  If you're ever in Singapore - and trust me, you should be in Singapore - visit TCC for an idea of a really fantastic and professional specialty coffee shop looks like.

Kopi Love.

Goodness gracious, life is so good.  We have another "basket of beans" to show you, and that wonderful basket is Singapore. 

 

Traditionally, Singaporean coffee is called kopi and their coffeeshops are referred to as kopitiam.  I have to be honest - I have no idea where these beans come from or how exactly the kopi is prepared.  But what I can offer you is my own experience, and what my first tastes of kopi were like. 

 

Kopi is intense.  It's a little thick, and definitely rich.  It's somewhat overwhelming, but it grows on you.  After a long flight that spits you out into a Singapore morning, kopi is comforting and filling.  I may be well-suited to love kopi since I drink my coffee black every day, but I'm convinced that though most Americans would think it too strong and too thick, many would come around after a few tastes. 

 

Kopitiam is such a culture in Singapore that it has its own speech.  Unfortunately, I forgot everything I'd researched when looking up at a board with "kopi o" (sweetened hot coffee), "kopi o kosong" (black hot coffee), "kopi c" (hot coffee sweetened with evaporated milk), and a dozen others, but I think we survived our struggle.  Stay tuned, folks.  We visited many a kopitiam in Singapore (really, what else would you expect?), and we've got much to tell you. 

musetto

It is now clear that I'm not very consistent.  After two months of unannounced and unintended hiatus from this blog, I'm ready.  Woo!

We've been telling you about coffee shops away from home - Kyoto, Ginza, etc - but today I'll tell you about our neighborhood kissaten.  Musetto is just around the corner from home and smack dap in the middle of what we call the Honch, or Honcho.  To Navy affiliates in the area, it means Little America, and the place where sailors wander to to get a little crazy on the weekends.  During the day, though, the area is active with Japanese families and couples, complete with various festivals and musical performances.  

I.e., musetto is perfect for people watching.

A modest shop with mismatched furniture and a wall that comes off completely to bring in fresh air, musetto is quaint yet impressive.  Their drink varieties include the classic lattes and some signature drinks.  I recently tried the soy honey latte; I must admit that it was on the sweet side, but still pretty delicious.  Though I can't speak to any of their teas because I haven't tried any, their selection is extensive.  Musetto also has a menu of plated meals and really great sweets.  So whatever time of day you're in, you won't leave discontent. 

As for this shop, we highly recommend.  So take a walk straight out Main Gate and it will be a block up on your right.  Their menus include English.

Vamos a la Bibliotheque!

I’m very excited to talk about this next coffee house.  It was by far my favorite in Kyoto.  I probably had a bias towards it when I first researched Kyoto coffee shops, because its name was absurd. 

Meet Café Bibliotec Hello!

And no, that’s not a typo.  And yes, the exclamation point is part of the name.

 

We spent part of a Sunday afternoon here, and it didn’t take long to realize that this shop had it all.  Along with its fantastic name, there were bookshelves upon bookshelves (hence, bibliotec).  And what’s better than coffee?  Coffee with a book.  Ah, glorious.

Cafe BH! also had great ambiance.  A loft, cozy chairs, warm colors, friendly staff.  And on top it all, an enormous, hefty table.  Like the one you’d find in the dining room of a manor. 

And the most important part – the food and the coffee.  Both were fan freaking tastic.  They had a complete food menu with meals, pastries, salads, you name it.  There was no lacking in their cuisine or their drinks.  They had all sorts of espresso drinks and teas.  Goodness gracious, I fell in love.  I went with their basic mocha and it was perfectly balanced.  Not too sweet and not too bitter.  I truly enjoyed my heaven in a cup as Curt enjoyed his black black black coffee.  Nothing lacking there either. 

As one of my favorite coffee shops of all time, this one will stick in my memory.  After all, I am in love with it. 

Your Perfect Break In The Day

Time for another fantastic Kyoto coffee shop!

I introduce to you Kamogawa Café, a coffeehouse bookended by Kyoto Imperial Palace and the Kamo River.  If you want to get off the beaten path, Kamogawa is where you go.  After winding through roads and a park, past a pre-school and many-a house, we bumped into it.  Oh look, our destination. 

Kamogawa is simple.  They serve lunch sets, but as far as I could tell, they focused on their brew.  I.e., few espresso drinks.  I had no beef with this; their coffee was delicious.  It had a truly full body, and didn’t leave any room for disappointment.

The Loft!

My favorite thing about Kamogawa, however, was not their coffee.  It was their set up.  The ambiance was fantastic.  Their shop includes a big open area in front, with large color tiled windows.  But they also had a nook in the back and a loft!  Genius.  We give this shop an A in warmth and coze.  It was so comfortable that we both fell asleep!  I guess we felt at home. 

Kamogawa was perfect for a break in our day.  We left refreshed from rest and great coffee, and would definitely go back. 

Sarasa Nishijin Cafe

About a month ago, we went to Kyoto, Japan’s former capital and a city full of great history.   And really unique coffee shops.  It’s telling when your travel research includes finding the most interesting specialty coffee shops.  It helps you obtain a more local feel of a city.  We hate being too tour oriented. 

We came across Cafe Sarasa Nishijin, an indoor onsen turned coffee shop.  And the shop is unparalleled when it comes to uniqueness.  It even still had tiled walls, but had a comfortable feel.  We loved it.  The shop was spacious – which, trust me, is hard to come by in Japan – but had ideal nooks and crannies to relax in.  We chose a great sofa spot with a coffee table.  Ah, just like home. 

Their milk chai was to die for.  I feel no more words can appropriately express how good that cup of tea was.  Mmhmm. 

And they had great FOOD.  This is a feature we’ve lost in many American coffee shops – we’ve settled on pastries.  But when the best atmosphere to do homework, relax, read, write, etc is the coffee shop – and one could camp out for hours on end - I think meals are a must.  You can see my husband’s and my priorities when it comes to our food choices.  He went for a salad with a delicious bun pizza and chunky fries, while I opted for their decadent raspberry cheesecake.  Both hit the spot.  And I swear, I stole no fries … . . . . 

A Jewel In The Heart Of Ginza

My husband and I often stumble.  We wander a place to get to know it, and that works in Japan, because wherever you are, there's always something to see.  

Last weekend, we decided we wanted to see Ginza.  My husband quickly looked up a kissaten before we left home and we wandered the area until we found it.  Midst the posh, high-fashion scene was Café de l’Ambre, a cozy, hole in the wall full of old Japanese men.  Excellent.  It was rustic as can be, even down to the scale they used.  I think they pulled it out of the year 1947. 

Their menu was extensive, and included only coffee, which is all they serve.  They have blends from all over the world, from South America to East Africa to Sumatra, which is what my husband chose.  I had their café au lait, which was well-balanced and subtle.  Perfect for a rest in the middle of a busy afternoon.

Their beans were freshly roasted (notice the tiny little man in the tiny little room working his magic), and of course, freshly ground.  Their drip method was almost artistic.  Each barista poured water over a cloth filter of grounds – ooooh soooo slowly – while swirling the filter to properly bring out the flavor and aroma.  Their focus was almost humorous.  We love people who take coffee that seriously!  

And it paid off.  We received about 3 ounces of Sumatra in a tiny little cup.  The small amount sufficed, because it was full of body and flavor.  I’ve had my share of specialty coffee, but I was pleasantly stunned by how it filled my mouth.  Oh, this is how coffee should taste. 

Cafe de l'Ambre will be somewhere we go again and bring guests.  Next time you're in Ginza (I think I need some Japanese readers!), make this a priority.

Post #1 of the coffee blog.  Ready go.

We.  Love.  Coffee.  I take a Japanese language class every Wednesday, and last night my husband's and my coffee obsession shone through.  When asked what kind of company I would like to own, it came to my head in .0048 seconds.  Kohi no mise!  Coffee shop!  Easy answer as it's been our long-time dream.  When asked what I did last week, I discussed how I went with a Japanese friend to Kappabashi, Tokyo's Kitchen Town, and bought a coffee mill that made my week and a professional french press.  One of the other students laughed at my unmistakable coffee love.  Carrie san wa kohi o dai suki desu!  This girl really likes her coffee!  

So here we are.  Curt and Carrie Gaynor.  Exploring the world of specialty coffee and drip methods.  And documenting it here.  We're finding that coffee can be rich.  It can be thick and flavorful and as my husband says, it can make your lips 'zingle.'  Which apparently means a rushing tingle.  Intense.  Coffee is an art, and everything matters.  Roast.  Ratio.  Age.  Grind.  Even the water, for crying out loud.  It's delicate in every step of the brewing process, even storage.  And we're finding it's only good if it's made by hand.  It should be good enough to take black.  

Japan is the world's 3rd largest importer of coffee beans, after the United States and Germany.  So there's a lot to find here.  We've already trekked up hills, wandered around neighborhoods, and struggled through menus of some of the greatest specialty coffee shops of Japan.  We've marveled at the flavor filling our mouths and how 3 ounces of really great coffee has the potential to make you feel it all day.  Wherever we travel, we will find those great coffee houses.  See the journey here.  And hopefully you'll still be with us when we settle back in the great US of A (cue Minnesotan accent) and open a little jewel of our own.  

Here's to the bean.