Coffee Review: Chocolate Fish Coffee

After a couple of meetings that I had scheduled earlier today in the Old Sacramento area, I had wanted to check on some coffee shops in the downtown/midtown area for possibly being venues for my art. The place I checked out today was Chocolate Fish Coffee (located at the corner of 3rd and Q streets). It's only like 2 blocks away from Crocker Art Museum so though it seems to be a little out of the way, the location is nice and relaxing. Well I discovered that I wouldn't be able to have that as a venue location but I didn't want to make the trip a total waste so decided to try out their coffee.

First up is their Macchiato. For those used to Starbuck's version of it, toss those thoughts out of your mind. I wasn't really sure what to expect when I decided to order it just to try it out and the gentleman behind the counter explained to me that they make theirs as authentically as possible which is closer to espresso shots in a tiny cup with a bit of foam on top. At $3.00 for this, I decided why not and go forth on this adventure. Once my name was called for my order, I was presented with this tiny cup with spoon on a saucer with a pattern on the foam to finish off the look. I was pleasantly surprised at the presentation, having only seen such thing in pictures from cafes in Europe. Carefully taking a sip, I have to say that yes there was an initial bitter taste (which may be off putting if you're used to the sweet combinations that Starbucks offers). What I say to those who may go "This isn't for me" just from reading that part of the description is to give it a try anyways. Strangely enough, it leaves a light smooth after.

Second up is their brewed coffee. Why review 2 coffees from the same location? I figured that not everyone is going to want to spend the money on a artisan coffee and would probably be aiming for just a straight brew without all of the frills. With the brewed coffee (costing about $2.40 for a cup), you get your choice of 4 different types. I decided on the Fazenda Esperanca from Brazil. Instead of many coffee houses that brew their coffee in large batches, the folks at CFC actually use a drip system and make each order individually in order to guarantee freshness and quality to each cup. While I was waiting for my order, I was chatting with the gentlemen behind the counter and had made the comment where I have had it in some places where the beans tasted as if they had been burnt in the roasting process. Oh the looks of horror that swept their faces at those words and commented that coffee, when done correctly, should never taste burnt or leave a bad aftertaste. With the Esperanca, it does have a light almost fruity flavor to it and was rather smooth. What I was really happy about was that it didn't have a bitter aftertaste like how many coffees do which just proves what the workers there were saying earlier to me.