Down To Business

So, with all this time on my hands lately, I've been catching up with friends, running long-overdue errands, & socializing in general, but now it's time for me to get down to business.

The main reason I wanted to start this series of coffee shop reviews is because the dream business I would like to eventually start is a coffee shop/bakery. Also because I like coffee. But this will be my way of learning how the pros do it, doing market research, getting ideas, and learning about what I do and do not want for my business.


The first two places I've chosen to review are Gimme Coffee! and Doughnut Plant.

The Gimme Coffee is located on Mott St. between Spring and Prince. They are known for their espressos and cold-brewed coffee, but I decided to order a cup of their Columbia Finca San Luis Organic, pour-over, brewed coffee because I just got a cute little pour-over of my very own for my coffee at work. My boyfriend ordered a small chai. I also bought a bag of Sumatra Wahana coffee beans, which they were nice enough to grind for me to my specification. (TIP- For a pour-over, grind coffee slightly coarser than espresso, like the consistency of sugar. Especially if you're using a paper filter.)


The first thing I noticed upon approaching the coffee shop was the crowd of people outside. We arrived kind of later than I would have liked, around 1 in the afternoon on a Sunday, but there was still a large crowd outside. They were the usual SoHo/upper class-hipster/too-cool-for-school crowd. Not to be confused with your college hipster crowd. 

Outside Gimme Coffee!

 
When I entered the shop, it was pretty crowded and small with a line going to the door. This was clearly meant to be a fast, in and out set-up because there were no chairs or tables to sit at. There wasn't even a window counter to stand at and enjoy your coffee while you people-watched. 

Despite the distinct 'no-lingering' vibe I got from the decor, the baristas (also very hipster) were very friendly and accommodating, being sure to ask me how my day was. The barista manning the espresso machine was obviously a pro, with his hands flying in a smooth ballet of precise, choreographed movements. However, the wait for the espressos and coffees seemed to be quite long. Hopefully because they were making sure it was the perfect shot? I also liked how they had large and clearly printed signs describing all the qualities of each of their specialty coffees, which, for a budding coffee connoisseur such as myself, was very helpful. When I finally received my order, I was a little underwhelmed. My medium coffee was a nice, average medium size, but my boyfriend's small chai was indeed tiny. And maybe I'm too accustomed to my dark, French roast coffee, or my concentrated morning cup from my Cuban coffee maker, or maybe it's my inexperience, but I felt their coffee was pretty weak. Not in a watered down kind of way, but I felt my usual milk would have overwhelmed my coffee. Even the chai we ordered had a good flavor but ended very weak, but I enjoy a little spicy bite to my chai. Maybe that's just a personal preference. Perhaps it was my fault for not ordering their signature espresso. After all, I didn't see anyone else there ordering a pour-over coffee... maybe for a good reason. It wasn't bad coffee, just so-so.


The bag of coffee I bought was a little lighter than I was expecting for a medium-dark blend, but turned out pretty good after I tinkered around with my usual brewing amount. The first cup I made was way too weak and acidic and my usual amount of sugar was far too much. But after tweaking the amounts I was pleasantly surprised that I could actually identify that 'woodsy' flavor described on the packaging!


The second place we went to was Doughnut Plant, about a 12 block walk through Chinatown. By the way, never walk through Chinatown without cash, it's torture! 

Good crab, not to be confused with bad crab.

Cool sidewalk art we saw outside a locksmith's shop on our walk to Doughnut Plant. (Those are real keys inside the cement!)

Again, the first thing I see at Doughnut Plant is the line snaking out the door. There are moms and dads with their kids and a group of college kids all waiting in line and looking at the sign outside listing the specials of the day. 

 

 

 

Front of Doughnut Plant

Decisions, Decisions...

Inside, there are no tables, but there is a small wall counter with some stools and a ledge to sit on by the window. Not that anyone was sitting at the counters. The line was winding all over the interior of the space, leaving no room to sit. 

There are two t.v.s though. Both  tuned in to the Food Network (naturally). The decor is minimal industrial and very nice. All of which, leads to a counter where the cashier takes your order and hands you your goods, while another person stands by ready to pop a fresh batch of steaming donuts from the kitchen window to the waiting display case. They had many interesting flavors, but my favorite by far was the Creme Brulee

My biggest complaint about these places was the lack of seating and space. I guess the main purpose of these establishments is that they have one product and all of their focus goes into the production and service of that product, but I couldn't help but wish for a seat to relax and enjoy my coffee and donuts. That's one thing I know I'd like for my coffee shop/bakery- space to sit, linger, and enjoy the atmosphere. Maybe it's a zoning/license thing though? And they can't have a large number of people in that small amount of space?

In any case, I hope you have a great holiday filled with love, happiness, and lots of coffee! haha!
And, if you've been to either of these places and have something to add to this review, I'd love to read your comments!