Vic's

Vic's
251 W. 5th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43201

This is the place where, back when it was called Victorian's Midnight Cafe, I cut my teeth on coffee and cafe culture when I was in high school. Back then it was just an espresso machine and a big drip brewer. Over the years the owner, Greg, transitioned his cafe into something that resembled any old bar. Now, under new ownership, it is more like the trendy Short North hotspots on High Street than the quirky vortex of weirdness it once was. Wine tastings and 60 beers compete with a relatively small assortment of coffees. My nostalgia notwithstanding, I gave it another go after a long hiatus.

Espresso

Beans: Cafe Apropos (just a few blocks away on 3rd)

Positives:
Served in demitasse.
Ground per shot.

Negatives:
Shot volume (about 6 ounces) was twice that of a normal double espresso.
Dissipating, faint crema.
Sour taste, hints of kalamata olive (This sourness is a problem at Apropos, as well).

Cappuccino

Positives:
Appropriate proportions.
Foaming of milk was very quiet.

Negatives:
Skim milk used by default.
Milk foam clung to cup; visible, albeit tiny, bubbles.
Sour espresso.

Drip

The organic Sumatra was great. Medium body with positive toasted nut/rice flavors. Very good indeed.

>Don't forget about the Barista Jam at Kickstart on Saturday!

Caffé Apropos

Caffé Apropos
443 W 3rd Ave
Columbus, OH 43201

Caffé Apropos is a little, European-style cafe in Victorian Village on W 3rd. Tile floors imitate an outdoor patio which only emphasizes the ample real patio space outside. They feature their own roasted beans, a large wine collection, and an assortment of pastries and a menu of sandwiches, soups, and pizza. The coffee shop advertises their own roasting of coffees both flavored and non-flavored. While maybe the coffees were finely roasted, their barista was not finely trained, unfortunately.

Espresso

Equipment: Brasilia Portofino.

Beans: Apropos' own.

Overall, we got one heck of an espresso...and by that we mean we got an entire demitasse full of a double espresso. This should not happen; the shot came out too fast and ran too long, causing an over-extracted, sour shot. We should be clear that we forgot to ask for a ristretto (the standard short shot). The espresso we were given was more like a lungo (long), a shot pulled for a longer amount of time and that generally has twice the volume and twice the bitterness of a ristretto.

Positives:

Served with saucer

Negatives:

Too thin, airy
Sour; acidic in a bad way
No spoon
Shot was underdosed and overextracted
Medium-tan color of crema

Cappuccino

Sadly, your snobby coffee reviewers were engaged in a thoughtful conversation about coffee while the barista was making both beverages, so we did not take great notes on the barista's procedures. The result in the cup was all we needed to guess at what the barista was up to. The cappuccino had bubble bath foam and was not the correct size; it was served in a 12oz mug without a saucer or spoon. The acidity in the milk emphasized the acidity in the espresso. We did not finish it.

Positives:

Good ratio of milk: espresso: foam

Negatives:

Bubble bath foam (started as microfoam but quickly dissipated)
No saucer
No spoon
Incorrect size
Very acidic

Drip Coffee

The drip coffee was lighter bodied, medium acidity, and weak. It was significantly cooler than most drip coffees we have come across. Nothing to write home about.

We cupped some of Apropos' Ethiopian coffee later in the week and found it floral, of a moderate-high acidity (a good thing here), and having a moderate body to it. An excellent coffee when made at home.