The Vancouver Indy Coffee Scene

I  once again had to return to the Sunshine Coast to pick up some documents and get my taxes done. (Thanks again, Peter). I decided to review one of the longest running coffee shops of recent times in Sechelt called The Daily Roast. This cafe has been a stable of coffee consumers in Sechelt since the mid 90s.

The Daily Roast in Sechelt BC

Its first location was a small place on the main street corner. It has an all wood interior, half a dozen tables and one of the first cafes that had an internet connection. Wifi had yet to become mainstream, but the marriage of cafes and internet had begun its courtship.

The Daily Roast was also the first time I tried the Swiss Water Process for decaf coffee and even to my untrained palette at the time I enjoyed the difference. And it was the first time I had ever tasted a decaf coffee that came even close in taste to the regular cup of joe I was used to.

Blast through the next 12 years, four provinces and one territory and The Daily Roast has doubled in size and moved across the street. The Internet station is gone, but they have free wireless and is more of a cafe with soup and sandwiches with beans provided from Beans Around The World.

Crema What Crema

An americano with out any crema

The girl behind the counter took my order quickly and orderly and if anything the price was right. I received two cookies and a 12 oz americano for just over four dollars. But when I saw the americano I knew the price was too good to be true. Their wasn’t an ounce of crema shortly after the double shot was poured on top of the hot water. ( Those of you in the know always pour the shot on top of the hot water to show the quality of the crema to your customer).

As I sat down I let it cool for 30 seconds and took my first sip of what I can only describe as under extracted, no depth, little body and a poor finish of no discernible taste. I would have been happier with a drip coffee spending the extra for poorly extracted espresso.

And while I sat and drank my coffee through the cooling stages, Corey Hart “I wear my sunglasses at night” was streaming through the cafe only to be followed up by Celine Dion . . . I just tried to go to my happy place.

Just before I left I decided to go back and get a 12 oz latte to go, again it was amazingly cheap in comparison to other cafes in Sechelt and yet I was completely disappointed. The drink was made with a single shot, the milk was over heated and the taste was more heated milk with the after taste of coffee. Sadly I couldn’t even finish it and had to drink some water to get the after taste out of my mouth.

The bar area

I went back a couple days later just to make sure they weren’t having a bad day and this time I tried a 12 oz Kona medium roast of drip coffee. It had been on a heater for some time and it was luke warm, briny, and very weak in taste. I did sample some dark roast and it seemed to have a less briny taste and seemed to hide the imperfections better than my medium roast. In almost everything I tasted at this shop it seemed old, woody or muddy or just not anything desirable in a coffee. Luckily it wasn’t playing Celine on my last trip.

I would suggest cleaning everything with espresso machine detergent (also known by the brand name espresso magic), I have had some Bean Around The World roast since then and the taste was a lot better then anything servered here, Or maybe a change of your water filter?

Barista to blame?

It is always hard for me to give a bad review, because generally I really like finding good cafes, but I also wonder if it is the fault of the barista or if they are just not trained properly. The girls behind the counter were no different in age then their counterparts in Vancouver and seemed to enjoy serving customers and being sociable and cleaning up tables in an orderly manner. But for what ever reason this level of service just doesn’t follow through to the most important part of the cafe. . .  the coffee.

Faces and Places

Where blog was written: The Daily Roast
Drinks ordered: 12 oz. americano & 12 oz latte & 12 oz med roast
Discount of own to-go cup: 10 cents
Barista Skill: sadly none
Barista’s friendliness: sincere, courteous and friendly
Website: none

Strait Coffee Traders in Wilson Creek

Before I go to Seattle I took a trip home for Christmas.

This time I decided to check out the Strait Coffee in the little neighbourhood of Wilson Creek just 15 minutes outside Sechelt.
The little cafe has been operating since 1995 in the small little mini mall located just off highway 101.

Owners of the little cafe have ebbed and flowed through much like the tide of this coast community but it wasn’t until current owner Grace Bland (Yes her last name is really bland) that this little cafe really took quality wise.

Brassy Bean dispensers

Anything but bland. . .

The cafe now roasts their own beans and supplies all  four Wheatberries locations. They also service most of the grocery stores on the coast with whole beans and a few other cafes I have yet to find. The wholesale business is locally based and uses  fair trade certification with customers from Whitehorse to Saskatchewan.

While I am home on the coast I go to either Strait or Wheatberries for the best dry cappuccinos’ on the planet. I am sure it is just the relaxed atmosphere or the fact I am usually on vacation when I am hear but I love to sit and savour the absolute best micro foam. ( I usually like it with a slight hint of vanilla sugar on top)

Latte Artist

This cafe is also home to quite the latte artist. Now for as seasoned “Drive” veteran like myself latte art is nothing new, the leafs, hearts, are the old school versions of this art foam. But (yes a different Grace) has done something completely different with her skills. Watch the video below.

Bazinett, 25, has been a barista for about five years working in Vancouver, Alberta and now Sechelt, one day was pouring a latte and saw that the foam resembled a face. She then took the spoon and began drawing in the foam, an artist outside the cafe she always enjoyed drawing so this just came naturally.

Grace Bazinett Latte Art

Grace and Grace can usually found behind the counter in the mornings four to five days a week.

Update March 2009 ~ I recent had an Americano at Strait Coffee Traders and it was the best coffee of my recent trip home. If you are in the area and it is sunny and warm I would certainly suggest grabbing 12 oz. Americano, one of their white chocolate brownies and head up to Cliff Gilker Park in Robert Creek, you will certainly enjoy it, I did.

Faces and Places

Where this blog was written: Strait Coffee
Drink ordered: Medium Dry Cappuccino (16 oz with foam)
Discount of own to-go cup: medium for a price of a small
Barista Knowledge: Decent
Barista friendliness: good
Website: www.straitcoffee.ca

Wheatberries Sechelt Location

Wheatberries amazing Cookies

While on a little trip back home to the Sunshine Coast I decided to check out a little cafe called Wheatberries Bakery. This cafe started as a bakery and is home to the best cookies in the entire world, it’s coffee doesn’t take a back seat either.

The Sechelt location has an open wood feel with sunflowers through out the cafe. There is large bay windows through out the cafe seating area and both indoor and outdoor area’s are bathed in natural light for most of the day.

The company started in the garage of the Mark & Jane Yellowley Robert’s Creek home in 1997 as just a bakery and had quite the following from the early beginnings. They opened their first location in Gibsons (circa 2002) to foster more growth beyond what their garage could handle. At this time they started the cafe portion.

The little bakery that could

The Sechelt Location has been operating for about three years and is centrally located right behind the cenotaph at the end of Cowrie Street.

The little family run company now has two locations in Gibsons, a year round small kiosk at the Langdale Ferry Terminal and the Sechelt Location. I don’t think their after world domination (aka like the big green machine) but it is so nice to get a good cup of coffee before catching the ferry.

Indoor of Wheatberries Sechelt

The Coffee is supplied by Straight Coffee Traders of Wilson Creek another family run coastal enterprise and is organic fair trade and offers a wide variety of roasts to chose from. I had dry cappuccino which had beautiful velvet foam and was perfectly made. I couldn’t of ask for a better cup anywhere on the Lower Mainland.

The Sechelt location has wireless and was working the last time I was in town. ( March, 09 )

Langdale where the hell is Langdale?

Langdale’s claim to fame is the BC Ferries terminal to Vancouver and for the longest time if you ever missed a boat all you had to look forward to was three sparsely filled vending machines and a dullsville of waiting room for two hours.

Wheatberries Langdale Kiosk

Well more then a year ago now Wheatberries took over a former hot dog stand and turned it into a coffee Kiosk which they decided to keep open all year long.

Anything, ANYTHING is better then BC ferries coffee and when I missed the boat a couple of times last winter it was the saving grace of a long two hour wait.

Faces and Places

Where this blog was written: Wheatberries Bakery ( Sechelt )
Drink ordered: dry cappuccino
Discount of own to-go cup: 10 cents
Barista Knowledge: Fast
Barista Friendliness: Friendly
Website: None