What she thought

Note to self: Check the Drinks List offered at the café before you go.
Note to readers: To help all you Indie Passport enthusiasts, we have added a Passport Drinks List (in the Informations section) for each of the cafés on this year’s passport.

Kitsuné Espresso Bar is a funky and eclectic space. Being a lover of bikes, I noticed immediately the place for bike parking right inside the café! Now, that is convenient.

• Coffee: Since a latte was not on the Passport Drinks List for this café, I chose an espresso. I noticed that each ground shot is weighed in the portefilter before it is brewed, which was the first time I had seen a barista do that. The espresso I had was made using a Mirage espresso machine with Punch Buggy Espresso beans, a selection by Detour Coffee Roasters out of Ontario. Even though I had the barista add some steamed milk, I found the first taste overpoweringly strong and bitter (and I like strong coffee). I had to add more milk (not steamed) to mellow out the taste, which definitely helped. I have to admit, though, that I didn’t taste the flavors that are described on the Detour web site for this roast.
• Coffee Latte: Because we are comparing lattes at all the Indie Coffee Passport cafés, we paid for a latte that we shared. The photos below show two views of the latte. As you can see, the crema was lovely, although the latte art was minimal. The latte was well-balanced, offering a palatable blend between milk and coffee. I could taste rich, complex coffee flavors with no bitterness at all. I would certainly order a latte again from this café. (The stars for my COFFEE rating above reflect the latte rather than the espresso I had.)
• Seating: Along with the bike “seating” (parking), there are two large tables with shared seating on stools, a few seats at the window along a bar, a bench and a stool by the coffee station. So although this café is small in size, there is space to use a computer, read a book, or talk with a friend or two while drinking your latte.
• Atmosphere: For me, this café had a “hipster” vibe, and because I am not one, I did not feel very welcome. I found the first barista (who poured my espresso) courteous, but rather impersonal and cold. The second barista seemed shy but was a bit more friendly. Since I enjoy spaces where coffee and clients are equally important, I would most likely stop in at this café to get a latte “to go” rather than staying to read a book while enjoying a latte.

Final Thoughts: Kitsuné Espresso Bar is an interesting space that delivers a well-balanced latte.

Kitsuné latte with dark and rich crema