We stopped by the "Cuban Coffee Queen" yesterday morning. It's a nice little place with outdoor seating. (You can enjoy looking at the chickens). I had a double shot. They wanted to serve it to me with a touch of sugar in it, but I declined (she said it helps with the bitterness). I actually enjoyed the double shot. The shot was actually pulled on a Rancilio (non lever) machine. I want to go back and try one with a touch of sugar. They also have a sandwich menu that I would like to try (they looked very good).

The double shot was actually poured into two small plastic containers (bucci?) Like something you would pump ketchup in at a burger place. All the drinks are in plastic throw away containers, since it's all outdoors.

Since they are a roastery, they had a small roaster in a small building next door along with merchandise for sale (cups, t shirts, etc.) with their name and logo on it. In the roastery, they had a brand new Victor Arduino machine that will eventually replace the Rancilio. It was a two or three group, nice looking machine.

I think this is a nice little place to try out and have a good shot and enjoy yourself.

It's crazy to me that people are complaining of the coffee here. It's not too bad anymore. Several years ago it was completely devoid, and now places are springing up all over. Not only that, but they are doing well. Anyway, I stumbled across a roaster/cafe a while back in Pines called Roasting Buddies. I don't think it's been mentioned yet. It wasn't too bad, and the atmosphere is nice.

Paul, I checked that place out a few years ago but didn't post about the experience here. They roast their own coffee. I should probably revisit since my first impression wasn't great. Also on my list to try locally, perhaps with low expectations considering who recommended it to me: Ella Café (locations in Plantation and Cooper City).

^^^ Update: The Plantation location of Ella Café isn't worth your time for coffee IMO. The food looked good, but my cortado was sub-par (overly roasty coffee from an unidentified local roaster combined with poorly steamed milk).

A few developments in no particular order:

- Henry's Sandwich Station in Broward has been added to the main post. They serve Stumptown coffee. Smoked meat? Count me in.

- A new Counter Culture shop, Sabal Coffee, has opened in Dade, a stone's throw from the Design District Blue Bottle location.

I haven't been to either of the above yet. Feedback, as always, is welcome!

I continue to enjoy Switchbox, in Broward, since it's consistent and close to where I teach. I go once or twice a week and have never been disappointed. Thumbs up.

p.s. All Day in Wynwood is now carrying Sudden [instant] coffee tubes for those interested.

Added two new (to me) shops in Coral Springs (Broward Co.): He-Brews, serving their own roasts, and Lady and the Mug, serving Per'La. I haven't visited either yet. You?

jbviau wrote:^^^ Update: The Plantation location of Ella Café isn't worth your time for coffee IMO. The food looked good, but my cortado was sub-par (overly roasty coffee from an unidentified local roaster combined with poorly steamed milk).

A few developments in no particular order:

- Henry's Sandwich Station in Broward has been added to the main post. They serve Stumptown coffee. Smoked meat? Count me in.

- A new Counter Culture shop, Sabal Coffee, has opened in Dade, a stone's throw from the Design District Blue Bottle location.

I haven't been to either of the above yet. Feedback, as always, is welcome!

I continue to enjoy Switchbox, in Broward, since it's consistent and close to where I teach. I go once or twice a week and have never been disappointed. Thumbs up.

p.s. All Day in Wynwood is now carrying Sudden [instant] coffee tubes for those interested.

I had a hard time dialing in Switchbox for espresso at home, great in the shop, I just couldn't get good extractions for espresso. Sprayed and channeled even after resting like 8+ days thinking maybe was too fresh since it was roasted light.

^^^ Ah, maybe so. Was it their 811 Blend?

Yup was the 811 blend, friend had picked some up before as well and couldn't dial in either and he has a K10... so between my Vario and Sette, lido and K10 I'm thinking its not grinder related lol. Not sure what shots I had at the shop if it was 811 or something else. But at home it pulled like you'd think stale beans would, was just completely blond and stream was swinging all around spraying everywhere. Even let the bag rest 8+ days and it just got worse and worse. Ordered other stuff and kept the bag out, tried pulling again 2 weeks later and was still bad. I even updosed 20+ grams, weird...

Nearing the end of our nearly annual visit to Florida.

A couple days ago, we arrived in West Palm Beach after our visit to Disney, Orlando. I dragged the family over to Subculture Coffee to check it out. It was a little disappointing, I must say. Certainly better than the undrinkabke Joffrey's cr@p at Disney, but that doesn't tell you much. I began the encounter by telling the baristas how their shop has received kudos from the HB community in the South Florida thread. They did seem wxcited about it, but it wasn't really enough to get them to kick up their game and try to impress me. Rather, I got the same random quality all of their other customers get. I wasn't expecting much after watching them prepare drinks for the customers ahead of me in line. They "pre-grind" into their doser, collect some of it in a paper cup, give it a quick stir and then pour it into the pf basket. A very quick tap of the pf to sort of even out the bed and then straight to tamping, and subsequently pulling the shot. I was, honestly, afraid to try a straight shot, so I ordered 2 cortados. The first shot was clearly over extracted, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if there was channeling during the extraction. The second drink was considerably better, but I wouldn't give it anything better than good...certainly nothing worth returning for.

Today, on advice of my friend (and yours) Josh "jbviau", I dragged my family on yet another trek, to hit up Wells Coffee. Now that place is worth going to. I wasn't in the mood for straight 'spro, so I did get 2 cortados again, but both were very good. I chatted quite a bit about the coffee community and equipment with owner Brandon Wells, and his barista AJ. They were the kind of uber cool you like to meet in a cafe! I felt especially lucky because I walked in about 5 minutes after closing, and they treated me like family. It seems to be my trend. The first time I visited Grind Coffee Project, back when they had a no sign purple industrial building, Yoni opened the shop up for me a couple of hours after he had closed!

emradguy wrote: I dragged the family over to Subculture Coffee to check it out. It was a little disappointing, I must say. Certainly better than the undrinkabke Joffrey's cr@p at Disney, but that doesn't tell you much.

Was it the Delray Subculture or the WPB location off of Clematis? I have been disappointed with the Delray location each time I have been there, seems like the baristas have always been in training/inexperienced. This is in contrast with the WPB location (where they do the roasting) which has ranged from pretty good to excellent.