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Coffee
Aaron Ultimo, who two years back opened his first eponymous Counter Culture-brewing cafe in Newbold (1900 S. 15th St.), tells Meal Ticket he's in the early stages of opening a second location at 22nd and Catharine. No official signature on the lease yet, but Ultimo's plans are part of a development project that calls for the complete demolition of an existing structure on the Graduate Hospital corner (2149 Catharine). Though the uberbarista's goal is to be in the space by September 2011, he feels spring 2012 is probably a more accurate time assessment. "If all goes according to plan," Ultimo says, "our second location will be everything you love about Ultimo Coffee currently, with a few more exciting aspects, including different brewing devices, sexy machinery and great design."
Photo: Drew Lazor
OCF Realty, which is based at 21st and South, opened the first of its two planned Southwest Center City coffeehouses over the weekend. Baristas here are brewing Counter Culture coffee (the bean of choice for shops like Ultimo Coffee, Spruce Street Espresso and Lovers & Madmen), and they're carrying Four Worlds Bakery breads and Sweet Life sweets. There's plenty of outdoor seating, which was packed during the pretty afternoon this past Saturday. Hours of operation: Mon.-Fri., 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Owners Ori Feibush and Michael Nechemia say OCF's second café, at the corner of 20th and Federal, is about two months out.
Tonight, Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti, founders of local roastery La Colombe, are hosting "Un Putain de bon Cafe," a First Friday event at Art in the Age (116 N. Third St.). One problem: As of three hours ago, they were in Haiti, where the thoroughbred Blue Forest bean they're introducing tonight grows wild in the mountains, descended from the first plants cultivated outside Ethiopia. "We didn't think we were going to make it," Carmichael said from a plane about to take-off from Miami, "but we jumped off one flight and right onto another, and it looks like we'll roll up at 7 o'clock sharp."
LRP filled you in via What's Cooking already, but here's a reminder: Tonight at Elixr Coffee (207 S. 15th St.), join owners Evan Inatome and Winston Justice and the rest of the Elixr crew as they team up with Zama chef/owner Zama Tanaka to raise money for Japanese disaster relief. Tanaka will be preparing a signature dessert dish conceived especially for this event (it runs from 6 to 9 p.m.); bevs will be be courtesy of Elixr, and, in keeping with the First Friday calendar date, there'll be a silent auction for works by local artists. Your $10 suggested donation gets you the Zama sweets and something thirst-quenching; all patron donations and auction proceeds will go directly to the Japanese Red Cross.
Bobby Dombroski, an audio engineer by trade, hopes to open Strange Brew Coffee at 1321 S. Second by the last week of April. The small café, which'll open up with a small amount of inside and backyard seating (sidewalk permits in the works), will serve coffee and espresso from Counter Culture, the North Carolina roaster used by local cafés like Ultimo, Spruce Street Espresso and Lovers & Madmen. Dombroski, who grew up right down the street and Second and Mifflin and still lives in the 'hood, will also offer pastries, muffins and granola, plus teas from the nearby House of Tea at Fourth and Monroe (they're blending a proprietary house "Strange Brew" for the shop). Local art, coupled with vinyl-art toys and pieces from Dombroski's own collection, with decorate the space.
Latte art competitions might not be as inherently engrossing as football (or even professional badminton), but here are a few very important reasons to check out the Thursday Night Throwdown battle royale hosted by Aaron and Elizabeth Ultimo at Ultimo Coffee(1900 S. 15th St.) tonight. First: coffee people are smart and interesting, especially when they're coming to Newbold from Bodhi, Spruce Street Espresso, Shot Tower, Elixr and others. Second: Ultimo's built-in neighbor, Brew, will be pouring Philadelphia Brewing Co. Walt Wit and Newbold IPA. Third: SPTR chef Scott Schroeder is currently balls-deep in the deviled eggs he'll serve tonight. "A real nice classic," he says, "like my mom would make, but kicked up a notch." Expect a rouge of smoked paprika instead of the usual sweet and chopped dill pickles blended with the yolks. "Better Than My Mom's Deviled Eggs?" We'd say so. Wanna compete in the Throwdown? Sign up by 7. Pour at 8. They'll also be collecting donations for Japan relief efforts all night.
You work really hard, you're so sleepy, and your morning coffee is the first and only thing on your brain upon rising and shining. When dinner is through, do you reward yourself with another hot cup of joe? How about letting your beloved beans showboat through the whole meal? Matyson (37 S. 19th St.) is offering a five-course tasting menu centered entirely upon coffee in realms both savory and sweet, showcasing intriguing combinations such as foie gras wrapped in coffee-infused ravioli dough and a coffee-sprinkled diver scallop accented with celery root and sweet vanilla bean.
The $45 tasting menu is going to be short-lived — it ends this Thursday — so make your reservation (215-564-2925; don't forget to mention the coffee menu!) soon. Peep the caffeinated menu in full after the jump.
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| Photo | Erin Finnerty |
My friend and I tried the chocolate raspberry truffles... the cocoa powder is little dry on the outside but so delicious on the inside. Love it!
I LOVE Rene! He's such a character, and if you're in there when it's slow he may just surprise you with the most aggressively decorated plate of truffle desserts you've ever seen. They're delicious :)
the photo alone makes me wanna go.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by E.F. and phillycacophony, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Rim Cafe's SAFFRON cappuccino, DELICIOUS or SUSPICIOUS... @erinfinnerty finds out. http://tinyurl.com/4rp9acd [...]
You should.
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| Photo | Adrian Pelliccia |
Great coffee. Had it today. I highly recommend it.
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| Spruce Street Espresso on Facebook |
Faith Ortiz of teeny-tiny Counter Culture dispensary Spruce Street Espresso (1101 Spruce St.) tells Meal Ticket she's in the early stages of opening a second locatio — and it'll be just one block away from SSE's current digs. They've got their sights on the commercial space in the Oddfellows Building at 1201 Spruce, a historic property that's currently undergoing an elaborate rehabilitation. While SSE has only 10 seats, the new space — also called Spruce Street Espresso, but with "Café" tacked on — will feature room for close to 40, allowing for a light food menu in addition to goods from Betty's Speakeasy and Artisan Boulanger Patisserie. They'll still brew Counter Culture, but will also have the capacity to feature "guest" beans from roasters like Stumptown, PT's and Intelligentsia. Stanev Potts Architects — also based right in the 'hood, at 11th and Spruce — will be handling the buildout in support of a July opening. "We really just wanted to have a bigger space, and we felt like we could still stay in the same neighborhood," says Ortiz of SSE's decision to expand just one city block away. "If there's no room at the original, we want to be able to say, 'If you go just one block down, our other location will have a seat for you.'" (h/t @stabert)
[...] Tiny Spruce Street Espresso is opening a 40-seat cafe at 12th and Spruce across from Tria. [Meal Ticket] [...]
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by phillycacophony, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Second @SpruceStEspreso to open this summer: http://ow.ly/3Tlit (h/t @stabert) [...]
[...] St Espresso to open in odd fellows building Second Spruce Street Espresso on the way :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper cool, though I'll believe it when I see it with this on again off again building "It has [...]
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