Coffee Review # 7
by: Dave King, with special guest Simon Boucher.

Location: The new Starbucks located on Fairway Road, a half-block west of the Cineplex Odeon theatre.

Coffee: Mr. Boucher and I were both experiencing this specific location for the first time.  There’s nothing like a new coffee shop.  We decided to try the house blend.  I found it to be an okay, but unspectacular, blend.  It harbours a lingering, yet inoffensive, aftertaste.  What I don’t want in a coffee aftertaste is acidity.
     According to Mr. Boucher, it was a rather mediocre blend.  If I may be so bold as to quote him, he said, “It starts off subtle, then stands up and punches you in the face as if you’d just insulted its sister.”  I love having a mental picture to go along with my caffeinated beverages.

Service: Upon entering the coffee shop, Mr. Boucher and I noticed a small chalkboard that told us that we were being served by Whitney.  We proceeded to walk up to Whitney and order our houses.  Needless to say, we were so taken by her that we have named our coffee after her.  From this point forward, this house blend coffee will be called Whitney.

Atmosphere:  Mr. Boucher says that this location has an atmosphere that manages to capture a fine blend of both traditional and contemporary coffee shop elements.  It also has a home-like feel.
     To be honest, I couldn’t picture myself sipping on a good cup of “Whitney” at any other coffee shop.  There are many better places to have a coffee, but no better place to have a “Whitney.”

Suggested Reading:  The first thing that Mr. Boucher said came into his mind when I asked him about what he’d read at this location was Karl Marx.  I’m still trying to decipher whether that was a covert shot against the Starbucks empire.
     For reading at this location, I would suggest Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton.  The character of Father Brown is a fictional priest about whom Mr. Chesterton wrote many short stories.  This unassuming priest always ends up in the middle of a mystery that only he is able to solve, with the help of his priestly experience and back-door logic.  I find that these stories are both engaging and colloquial.

Overall Rating: Mr. Boucher and I have decided to give this location an 8.2.  The coffee was okay, the atmosphere was good, and, of course, what other coffee shop has Whitney (the barista)?