Espresso Review……Lagunitas Grocery
SUMMARY (60 out of 100 points): overall a disappointing espresso experience at least as far as The Friday Cyclotouriste’s arbitrarily strict “espresso” rating system is concerned. However, Lagunitas Grocery is as much about the setting as anything else. The outdoor seating is wonderful, with lovely small-town charm and great southern exposure, which by itself makes it worth a stop on your way toward the coast.
Taste (2/5);
Crema (3/5);
Serving size (4/5);
Presentation (2/5);
Eco-friendliness (4/5)
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Taste: Two stars. If you like extremely burnt and bitter espresso maybe this will appeal to you, but I found it slightly unpleasant.
Crema: Three stars. Lots of potential. At first it appeared thick and creamy, but was ultimately hindered by the wide disposable cup causing the crema to dissipate (thereby depriving me of an essential espresso pleasure).
Serving size: Four stars. Pretty much spot on although I had to intervene at the last moment to get the barrista to make it a true espresso solo (for some reason most cafes are conditioned to double, triple, or even quadruple the size of your espresso when you really, really just want a single).
Presentation: Two stars. I simply can’t offer anything higher unless, at a minimum, the coffee is served in a small ceramic cup.
Eco-friendliness: Four stars. High marks for organic grounds and some kind of biodegradable, soy-based “paper” cup (although I do wonder whether these cups have less embedded energy than glass or ceramic.)
