Aviator Coffees & Teas

Have you heard Aviator Coffees & Teas?

There are hundreds coffee roasters in Seattle area and around, where is well known as one of the highest density and the most competitive Coffee market in the States.  Well known Starbucks has grown from Seattle, "Pike place market", the midtown Seattle.  La Marzocco, the leading Italian handcrafted Espresso machine manufacture, opens US headquarter in Seattle and opened a signature cafe in Seattle center.  Caffé Vita Coffee Roasting Company, the leading and legendary 3rd wave coffee roaster, opened their business in Capitol Hill.  Seattle coffee seance has been evolving slowly, sometimes quickly, in their unique manner.  So, that is why "Seattle Coffee" is valued and respected as signature.

Somewhat, Aviator coffee reminds me of Caffé Vita.  Maybe, aroma of coffee triggers, or maybe atmosphere does.  It also reminds me of Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco, but not in general, the Kiosk stand in Hayes Valley.  Islands side of Seattle is becoming more and more popular for roasters.  It has been decades since but it seems still attractive enough.       

If mid town Seattle coffee is considered as more for travelers from outside, the islands roaster can be the one for residents who have fallen in love with "coffee"...maybe, we can name them "Coffee Geeks" who love experiments and craving to step out from everyday routine. 

AVIATOR COFFEES & TEAS
25876 Washington Blvd NE, 
Kingston, WA 98346, USA

365 ~ Neighborhood bakery and beyond

There is a fine quality neighborhood bakery called 365日, 365 nichi means 365 days in Japanese, located near Yoyogi koen station, Tokyo.  Japanese bakeries sometimes appears like a fine boutique or jewelry shop in terms of display, and this one as well.  Looking through the show window, big big window, there are freshly baked breads facing us.  They are beautifully organized and completely in order.  It is funny to say "breads are in order", but there are no other words can be found at the first look at the shelf through the window.  They are coordinate very well i line and have exactly in same shape, which is just amazing.


There are show cases which store freshly baked breads, and customers are pointing at ones they want to let the crews pick up for them.  
Right behind the show case, there are a bar counter to have your breads purchased with one drink order.  They serve 2 kinds of coffee here: their original blends by CAFE FACON, and their original by the roster on their own.  The owner of this bakery opens new cafe near by, then start roasting on his own.  Both of coffee goes well with their sweet breads.

Besides all the detail of this fashionable appearance and price, 365 days may fulfill your cravings for fine quality.  Their croissant tastes moderately salted enhances butter flavor, but not buttery nor oily.  Thin and delicate layers gives crispiness, but melting feeling once it touches a tongue.  Sweets breads, Danish pastries, also made with quite gentle sweetness and adequate sizes.  They prove that people satisfies with quality of fine ingredients, not the size.  

Their breads are very small even compares to other bakeries in Tokyo and high in price, so you may surprise for the first visit.  Even if you are surprised by the price, it is better choice for you to overcome the feeling and choose simple breads together with one sweet bread.  They will confirm you that there are world class arty boulangeries hidden in the neighborhood of this country together with the finest quality ingredients producers.  

Blue Bottle ~ Aoyama

There are decent coffee shops everywhere in Japan, traditionally.  Japan has been the center of coffee culture for a long time, small coffee shops, like cafe, serves Nel-drips, Siphons, paper drips and so on.  Some are individually roasted, developed their own roasting techniques such as far infrared roasting using hard wood charcoal called Binchō-tan.  Japanese style cafe, so called "Kissa ten" , are every corner in town, sometimes middle, of course, not difficult to find.  Certainly, Japan is one of many countries welcomed Starbucks invasion since mid 1990s.  Although the company moved quick and powerful to expand its domination, there are few area they find hard to find strategies and benefits to open the stores due to strongly localized and exclusive "Kissa ten" culture.  

With this story behind, somewhat the third wavers find opportunities to come in to Japan.  In 2015, San Francisco's leading coffee roaster, "Blue Bottle" opens its first rostery & cafe in Kiyosumi-shirakawa, historical part of Tokyo.  People in Tokyo welcomed Blue Bottle open-handed, there were line over line to have a cup of coffee when the cafe opened.  Some says, "waited for 2hrs just for a cup".  
Within a year, they had plan to open the next one in Aoyama, March 2015, then third in Shinjyuku.  

This Aoyama cafe is located cozy, quiet part of Aoyama, near Omote-sando Station, at the second floor of "Cabane de zucca".  Within 3 min distance, there are Shozo Coffee Kiosk, where you may find fine quality Scones and madeleines.  
The layout of Aoyama cafe reminds me of the one in Oakland, W.C. Morse, although W.C. Morse is more spacey and has more natural lights.  Unlike Mint Plaza, unlike Hayes Valley, interior of Blue Bottle seems to have settled with this plane, white and stainless look.  Somewhat this reminds me of a cooking studio, which might be part of their concepts.

I am not yet ready to taste Blue Bottle in Japan.  For me, flavor of Blue Bottle Coffee is made of James Freeman's passion and obsession with coffee.  I still remember flavor of his coffee and his smile.  Personally, I wonder, is there still James' DNA breathing any of new cafes.  It is business, certainly.  However, we still need to keep it in our mind that Tokyo is the town which welcomed "The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf" by lining up hours and hours when it opened in Nihon-Bashi.  

Bean Around the World

Bean Around the World is the first choice in Van-city, Canada to make a brief stop.

As a seasonal inhabitant of San Francisco, this cafe automatically reminds me of original Four Barrel Coffee in Mission, although nothing is look alike.  Maybe it is because of location, maybe it is because of air around staffs?  

Van-city is also town of cafe culture.  There are many coffee shops which offer pastries and breads in elegant and exquisite quality, also high chance to encounter the one you really like...compared to San Francisco.  My apology for SF people, but it is true.  On the contrary, regarding coffee, most of them are far away from SF quality.  Again, my apology for Van-city people, but it is true. 
  

Bean Around the World is one of few I recommend to people who has sophisticated flavor in Coffee world.  They offer latte with creamy milk and refined espresso which has deep sweetness on the bottom layer of the flavor.  

Perhaps, it was location, there are not many people coming and going like coffee shops' usual morning scene, so it allows us to sit for hours to have MTG.  Of course, we changed our cups quite often and filled us with their well developed coffees.  

Try and error is also fun, but it is good to know where to go when you are the first timer of the town.

madrona coffee Co.

Motivated by CBS Seattle post, "Best Independent Coffee Roasters in Seattle" issued in August 7, 2012, a day trip was made to visit "madrona coffee co." in Tacoma, WA.
　
Unfortunately, a roastery was closed on Sunday.  However, Charles Banner, the owner and roaster of Madrona coffee, was inside watching football game with his kids and kind enough to give us a short tour of roastery/cafe.

This was before KEMEX became competitor of V60.  This was before "hand-pour" taken by Harrio tools.  The main hand-pour tools here are KEMEX.  Series of KEMEX were on a espresso machine which made us think of Design and flavor.  There are there roasting machines, Probat  and Diedrich.  There were one Smart roaster as well if my memory did not trick me.

Madrona coffee Co. is basically the roaster mainly for the whole sale so there are several cafes around use and sell their beans. 

Tacoma is a bit slow but cozy town with many coffee roasters.  Located between Seattle and Portland, the coffee culture here is somewhat dark and dense flavored.  "Edgy" is not the word to describe Madrona coffee but "reliable" will be the word.  We happened to stop by the cafe near by to grab a bag, flavor was decent even pouring technique has deficiency.  Not too dark, not too bold.  The flavor fits both in the morning and afternoon.  
Madrona coffee is certainly on the third waver heritage with a flavor of good old American.

  

Robert's coffee, Fukuoka

Robert's Coffee land in and opened their first cafe in Fukuoka, Japan.  
Originated in Finland, it is quoted as "Finland's the most popular coffee shop" which I am not confident since I am not familiar with Finish coffee industry.

Besides Moomin Characters, there are some about Scandinavian: coffee flavor and cinnamon rolls.

A cup of espresso does not make coffee flavor Scandinavian roast, but espresso drink did.  It was early morning, right after cafe opened, so coffee did not "reduced" yet even on the coffee machine.  So call "Scandinavian style roasting" flavor in the states always accompanied by "greener" and "immature" feeling, but Robert's Japan cup tasted "old good American", while a espresso had green, minty feeling added.
   

The cafe is located in the middle of the city center, Tenjin, so if you are tired with "at every corner cafe" such as Starbucks and Seattle's best, maybe this was a good hidden place to spend a moment.  Although it was very clouded, as I read, when this cafe opened, now is no line to grab a cup to dine in. 

Las Moras Farm/NOZY Coffee

Beans: Las Moras Farm
Roaster: The Roastery
Roasting Degree: Mdium
Origin/Area: Pozo Negro, 
  Municipality of Masaguara, Intibucá, Honduras
Grade: N/A
Screen: N/A
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,750m
Variety: Catual
Process: Fully washed
※Winner of COE Honduras Program 2014 

【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 3
Sweetness: 5
Acidity: 3
Bitterness: 3
Richness: 4    
 ※Grade 1 to 5

【Impression】
Bold, lightly smokey, deep, acidic, bright vinegar like, immature apple, green, slight note of boysenberry, fresh lime juice, grind cacao, dates sugar, muscovado, rich, milky mouth-feel, creamy, smooth, a touch of spice, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, paprika hidden, dark chocolate, Valrhona MANJARI and Callebaut semi-sweet, bright bitterness over rich sweetness, well balanced, plum, delicate acidity, pomegranate, a drop of cranberry juice, tangy sweetness, slight impression of dark caramel, black cherry, deep and rich sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste.

【Note】
Crop of Discovery...as it says.  This was delivered just for Nozy coffee, the Roastery, then roasted and sold JPY 2,500/200g.  Drip tool is on your choice, but my recommendation is either paper or Nel Drip.  Mesh coffee filter, French Press and AeroPress add too much oil into a cup to confuse, to dim, detail of flavor with their roasting.    

Nozy Coffee

Glad to pay a visit to one of the most popular and growing Japanese specialty coffee roaster: Nozy Coffee, the Roastery in Shibuya, Tokyo.

This roaster was somewhat popular as so called Japanese third waver and it was my very first visit to there.  It was nearly 17:00 and cafe was packed, filled with people.  It was a drizzling evening, getting darker and darker, but the weather had not much to do with the cloud inside.  To be honest, it was awkward moment to stand in front of this cafe, even to step inside the cafe.  If you are familiar with San Francisco and Los Angeles rosteries, we may share the feelings: The exterior resembles Intelligentsia Coffee @ Venice, and the interior architecture/accessory mixture of Four Barrel and Sightglass in SF.

The cafe space is narrow and deep, the island style coffee bar, espresso bar, is surrounded by the counter at near the entrance;then, a roasting machine and a pourover bar is at the end.  As usual, the espresso machine is LA MARZOCCO and a roster is Probat.

As they define themselves, there are series of single origins displayed.  Small but neatly displayed beans even have a bean aroma samples for each.  For pourover, they use "Cores Gold Filter", a metal filter plated with pure gold, with 18g:250g of beans/water ratio, medium/coarse grind.

Though a cup of espresso drink seems more charming, the first choice was "pourover" to check the roasting and brewing skills with "Gahahe/Burundi", Winner of COE Burundi program 2014, and "Las Moras/Honduras", COE Honduras program 2014.  

【Profile of Gahahe/Washed】
Region: Kayanza, Burundi
Farmer: Webcor
Varietal: Bourbon
Altitude: 1,800m
Cup Comment: mandarin orange, passion fruit, sweet long aftertaste, honey, syrup, round mouth-feel.

The flavor was weak and the all of "cup comment" was too sheer to enjoy details in the cup there.  Coffee flavor, as all we know, also depends on a barista, so the choice was to bring a bag of beans and to check the flavor.  The choice was "Las Moras/Honduras".  The conclusion is it is better to check a Barista first before asking a pourover at Nozy Coffee, or buy a bag to make a cup at home.

Lighthouse Roasters

Admitting that Cafe Vita created the history and standard for Seattle coffee culture, but still, Lighthouse Roasters is the one of the favorites in Seattle.


Located in northern Fremont, Lighthouse Roasters is a cozy and quiet neighborhood coffee shop/roaster has grown locally.   Although the shop located on 43rd St., on the same street as Vita Fremont is, we need to closely pay attention to find the location: the shop is hidden in  residential.  Not big enough to stay for a day, but a friendly and cozy atmosphere may make you want to stay longer watching roasting.

Creamy espresso and Cafe latte entertain us as well as roasting... 
Someone loves Starbucks type deep roast flavor may not happy with their clear flavor espresso but has enough boldness with body and well balanced sweetness/bitterness.  

Coffee beans are roasted on-site in vintage cast-iron roasters even in the afternoon.  Both roasting machines and Tower of coffee bean bags are there, close enough to excite coffee lovers spirits.  There are noting disturb us to hear and smell how they roast in live.  

Lighthouse Roasters carries various beans all over the world as usual third wavers, or maybe called specialty coffee, together with rare beans seasonal/monthly.  Still, there are some blends and single origins  can live/stay with us as "regular" daily cups for years.  

Cafe Vita@Fremont

Fremont is  a small and cozy neighborhood in Seattle, family oriented with quiet atmosphere compared with Seattle mid town.

Talking about cafe Vita, one in Fremont is filled with quiet and relaxed air inside.  The best part is there are not many tourists!  They do not have coffee roasting machines there so this place will be simply for coffee lovers.  The location is on N23rd and Fremont Ave. N., near Book Larder, cooking book spécialité.
 

Near by this cafe, there is a place call "Paseo Caribbean Restaurant", said Seattle's best sandwiches and Caribbean food place, which has a long line waiting between 11:00 to 14:00 even on weekdays.  Also, there is Uneeda Burger, 4-star burger shop on Yelp.  Fremont Ave. is a bit hilly, but fun place to walk along.  

This Vita is good place to rest your feet.  Enjoy quiet atmosphere and have a sense/feel of Vita before heading to CAPITOL HILL, the sanctuary.  I recommend drinks with espresso machines more than hand-brew or machine brew. 

Caffe UMBRIA

Walking along Ballard Ave., there is cozy and warm cafe on the corner of 22nd Ave.  Through big show windows, there are antique looking sofas together with diner type seats and plastic chairs.  
  
Located in Historic Ballard area, Caffe Umbria Ballard Café appears to be filled with regular customers.  Not as busy as Ballard coffee works, which is within 3min. walk, the cafe has not many seats left at 11am in the morning.

Compared with other cafes in Ballard area, including Starbucks, Caffe Umbria Ballard Café seems more spacey and gives customer to more personal space.  I would say, it might be too spacey to stay long for some people because about 90% of their seating space, tables, faces cafe counter.  

Their pasties looks fancier.  Unfortunately, roasted beans are displayed by the door where are not friendly enough for customers to stop by and read description as well as has full of sunlight coming in.

Caffe UMBRIA is simply a cafe to enjoy a cup, maybe cups, to dine in and enjoy their atmosphere.  Although a bench type seat faces to a coffee counter, there might be a cozy hide out from the street if you move deeper.  The cafe faces Ballad Ave., a street with less foot traffic, there a very little chance to find "no seat available" situation on weekday as far as I observed.    

Here is the photo for my soy latte.
Flavor does not change even this cup was made by a trainee, doesn't it?  At least, soy form was creamy enough to balance strong espresso.