Coffee Shop:
Keith's Coffee Bar
http://keithscoffeebar.com
2450 S. Downing St
Denver, CO 80210
Date Visited:
Thursday, June 30, 2016
About 2:45 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Purchased:
small (12 oz) soy latte: $3.85
.70 cent charge for soy milk
I haven't had a soy latte in a few months, which is part of the reason I tried one again today. It tasted a bit weird at first, but after I got used to the taste it was pretty decent. I have also grown to prefer less milk with espresso, but 12 oz was the smallest size they had.
They make cappuccinos the same sizes as lattes, but with more foam, basically (the barista said). She did say that they have 6oz glasses if I wanted a more traditional cappuccino. (I liked that she knew what she was talking about.) I was leaning toward this, but then I asked about how their almond milk foams and stuff and got the impression that it is "the best they can do" but it's subpar. This made me lean back toward just getting a latte, but then the barista also mentioned that she doesn't personally like steamed almond milk because of the background roasted nut flavor - which I am guessing is the gross flavor that I don't like either. Of course she said some people like it, but I was pretty sure I was not going to be one of those people. I still don't know how to distinguish between when I like almond milk lattes and when I don't. In some shops they have been soooo good. But I am glad that the barista here mentioned the taste because I guess that I would have been disappointed.
At this indecisive juncture I asked if they cold brew their iced coffee, thinking I had made the decision to get that. But then she said they actually hot brew it. This is normally disgusting. It's just coffee with ice in it. But she said they use a particularly smooth blend and let me try it. It was not entirely disgusting, but it wasn't very good. So I didn't order that.
And I know at this point I sound like a totally obnoxious customer, but there was no one in line. And I would have been content to look a the menu and think for a minute (because I had no idea what I wanted when I came in), but the barista was trying to be attentive and helpful...so then there was a conversation about me not having decided yet.
So I thought for a few more seconds and decided to get espresso since that did sound good, and to get soy milk since I hadn't tried that in a while anyway. (I prefer almond milk and it is healthier, and I just generally avoid soy, mostly processed, although I happened to notice that the carton they had said organic, which means it is from a minority of crops that are likely more okay to eat than average, and I think that's cool. I think they should make a note of it on the menu, because if they're using higher quality ingredients then they should let people know. But maybe they vary it.) I think that soy more universally handles the steaming better as well. I haven't had a soy drink with a weird taste.
I should point out that I think they would have made me whatever drink I wanted, however I wanted. But since I was trying this place out...the point is to try out the place, so I didn't want to go off menu. So I am completely aware that I could have ordered a drink that I would have liked a bit more, and that this is a self-imposed restriction. But...it's significant how they present their products on menu. So this is why I got a 12 oz soy latte (as opposed to having them make a "short" 8 oz latte or something, without filling the mug). Also...if it's going to be the same price I am annoyed with telling them to put less in it and getting charged the same. So this way I got something on their menu and wasn't annoyed.
Okay. So then I had my drink!
It's funny because there is a picture of latte art. But no actual latte art.
I do love that they have customized mugs.
Since I hadn't had soy in a while, there was a different flavor factor involved. It was fun to try again. I don't like it as much as the best almond flavor, but it was decent. The drink seemed a little weak to me, mostly from the more diluted espresso, which makes total sense. The milk flavor was emphasized more that way. It tasted a little weaker than other 12oz lattes I have had as well, though. I think overall it would have melded better with stronger espresso. I don't have strong feelings about the soy taste, it's just kind of there because that's what it is. I guess that is part of why I don't seek it out.
Overall it was a decent drink. It wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't bad. Even considering that it's not my favorite kind of drink, I don't think it was particularly well-crafted. But again, it also wasn't bad. As you can see above, the latte art was a blob. Although I didn't have any big complaints, I just...didn't like it very much. I would not pay for the experience again.
The barista did ask me if it was for here or to go and gave me a mug.
The coffee shop is a pretty nice place to hang out. It's quite large, with a lot of nice, two-person tables and like eight big comfy chairs with useful end tables (this is always a significant factor), and a couple other seating styles. It has lots of nice windows and a spacious/comfy style. All of the furniture matches and stuff. The art was nice. The music was a good background. There is an outdoor seating area, but it is next to a pretty trafficked road, so it didn't appeal to me.
Overall, it was nice to try, but I wasn't particularly attached to anything. Decent drink. Decent space. Better than some, but nothing stood out to me. The baristas were friendly. This is definitely a good place to go in order to not be overwhelmed by craft coffee atmosphere if that sort of thing concerns you, but not because they don't know what they're doing or it's bad or something. It's a chill place that has coffee and drinks and nice places to sit! Personally, I wouldn't seek it out.
No wi-fi isses.
There is a small parking lot behind the coffee shop. There are only a few spaces there. There is free street parking around to. Parking was not an issue while I was there, but it is summer and Keith's isn't very far from University of Denver, so the traffic (for the coffee shop and in general) might fluctuate upward a lot during terms.
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