Cantook Micro Torréfaction — Restaurant in Quebec

Time of Visit: Breakfast/Lunch on August 19th Order: Cappuccino, and a chocolate pastry Pros: Coffee and overall selection Cons: Seating and size of store

Thoughts: First let's talk coffee; it was good. Nothing that I was absolutely blown away by but it was good pure espresso. They didn't load it down with sugar, or burn the espresso (common occurrences with a lot of cappuccinos). The espresso itself was delicious, and the foam (my wife is a huge fan of the foam on coffee) was quite good as well. As it was still a bit early so we also got a chocolate pastry to go with the cappuccino. Again the pastry was very good, but nothing to write home about.

What I was incredibly impressed by was the selection of coffee in the store. Not the coffee being brewed but the actual coffee availably for purchase to prepare at home. There had to be at least 30 different kinds of coffee along with all the various tools needed to make the coffee. They had slow drips, french press', Aeropress', Chamex, and pour overs all in stock. Based on the number of people that stepped and picked up a pound or less of coffee while we were waiting on our order, this is the local coffee drinkers shop. Unfortunately based on the number of people that walked in, then immediately back out, when they saw the 5 person line; it is not the place you come to "hang out". The store was exceptionally small; while there was a small area in the back for 5-7 people to sit, I asked my brothers and sisters to step outside while we waited on the order as 8 people was starting to make the stood feel overly crowded.

I would say this is the place you go to get your coffee supplies, and your morning or afternoon cup of coffee. While it is very good, the physical space the store is in keeps it from really being a "hang out" spot for more than 2-4...

I don't think I have ever been to a coffee shop like this. It is hard for me to describe but it seems like it is a micro roaster for the community. You can see people are by this large machine that looks like a roaster, you can buy roasted beans by the gram, staff is knowledgeable and friendly to describe each of the beans. We were looking for mainly light to medium roasts. Coffee was excellent, I had an Americano and my wife had a rooibos espresso shot. She said it was tasty and different. Very unexpected combination. We aren't coffee connoisseurs, but we only started evaluating each cup and what's good to our preferences. There was a bit of smokiness for the Ethiopian blend I had. It was probably the first Ethiopian cup I enjoyed. Normally, I find it too bitter for my liking. But this cup, was quite clean, not too bitter, with a smoky note. I can't actually taste all the notes, but that's what it felt like. We haven't tried all the beans we got, we purchased an Indian blend that was described to be salty and we can kind of taste it. It's very different, not something we would get again for our palate. Overall, it's a great stop for coffee in the city and...

Disappointing! This café could deliver so much more but each time I visit there’s something wrong. The espresso shot is not where it could be: it’s bitter. The milk poured in latte-based drinks is bubbly (ew!) (when it should be tight with micro bubbles) and too hot to my taste (masking some of the coffee taste). Sadly, they are still using cheap milk. For the same price, you can get a 5 star coffee elsewhere.

Previous Review: Third wave coffee at its best for Quebec City. No doubt people running this place have a lot to say about coffee. And if you like brewing your own coffee at home, the bean selection - roasted on site- could make your head spin. It is a 5-star if you’re an espresso drinker but 3-star if you like it with steamed milk the reasons being that 1) they are using the cheapest brand of milk you can find in the market - how sad. It’s like pouring gravy out of a tin on a prime Argentinian beef (no, no, no please don’t do this) and 2) it is steamed too hot to enjoy the natural sweetness milk can bring to a...