Staryucks

[slkinsey]

...almost no one knew what an "expresso" was and they surely weren't going to pay 3 dollars and change for a cup of coffee...

Never mind, of course, that an infinitely better cup of espresso can be had on most any Italian street corner for about a buck.

[Steve Klc]

"The key for the independent is recognizing espresso as a culinary art and giving it the attention to detail that it requires."

Which begs the question--how often do we try espresso in restaurants? I can't tell you the number of times I've wished I've gotten something at least as good as Starbucks in a restaurant. In that environment, with service staff pulling espresso around their already hectic pace, it may just be "Super-auto machines and espresso pods" with say Illy or La Colombe pods, is the answer--even though neither would probably rank as the very best espresso options out there.

The question I have for all you Starbucks haters out there--isn't restaurant espresso generally worse than scalded milk over-roasted high-altitude-grown bean Starbucks? Is there hope for restaurant espresso ever rising above Starbucks?

[KNorthrup]

Latest news - Starbucks has signed an agreement to open branches within Charter One banks in Chicago. Unusual plus - the banks will keep regular Starbucks hours, not vice versa.

[fresco]

...almost no one knew what an "expresso" was and they surely weren't going to pay 3 dollars and change for a cup of coffee...

Never mind, of course, that an infinitely better cup of espresso can be had on most any Italian street corner for about a buck.

True--although the real cost may be closer to, say, $5,001, after you add in the cost of getting to, and staying in, Italy. Fourbucks is a comparative bargain for most of us.

[hjshorter]

Latest news - Starbucks has signed an agreement to open branches within Charter One banks in Chicago.  Unusual plus - the banks will keep regular Starbucks hours, not vice versa.

Every new Safeway here has a Starbucks in it.

[erraticninja]

....or to Bentonville, the richest little town in Arkansas, I wonder if they have a Starbucks,  Hey that could be a very lucrative franchise site with all that walmart money.

actually unfortunatly i live in the area right now (don't ask. it sucks.) anyway the only starbucks here are in the barnes and nobles. no standalones whatsoever. not that i'm sad because south of bentonville in fayetteville (where the univ. of ar is) there is some awsome local coffee.

[Toliver]

...the only starbucks here are in the barnes and nobles.

While we do have stand alones here, the Starbucks inside our local Barnes & Nobles are not allowed to be called "Starbucks". There has to be some sort of legal reason why they can't call themselves "Starbucks" which is really stupid because everything from the paper cups to the bags of coffee they're shilling have the Starbucks name plastered all over them. But I tried using my Starbucks giftcard at one of these inside joints and they refused to take it since they weren't "officially" a Starbucks. Go figure.

[Beto]

Those Starbucks that you see at airports and bookstores aren't owned by Starbucks, Inc. They are franchises (or so I've been told).

[bloviatrix]

Heard on NPR this morning that the first Starbucks to open in NYC is closing -- on 87th, it opened in '94 when I was in college in the village.  Back when there were only 281 locations.

For a Latte Landmark, the Last Drop

New York City's first Starbucks has served its last latte. The branch, at 2379 Broadway, at 87th Street, closed two weeks ago in a neighborhood that has changed tremendously since Starbucks came on the local scene nearly a decade ago.

[Malahini]

I live on the East Coast but used to travel to Seattle for business. Those of you who've said that Starbucks coffee tastes burnt may be interested to know that that's not the case everywhere.

In Seattle, Starbucks serves their standard coffee in a medium roast. It never tasted burnt at all. Here on the East Coast, however, every Starbucks I've been to serves an extra-dark roast, hence the burnt taste. I just assumed that it was a marketing decision based on what sells better.

[Beto]

Starbucks, to my knowledge, has two roasting facilities: one in Seattle and the other in (Harrisonburg?) PA. Maybe the company uses different roasting profiles at each facility.

[Exotic Mushroom]

I refuse to drink at Starbucks unless a companion insists on it for two reasons, both mentioned here.

First, they burn their beans. I hate their roast. It just tastes charred, and when you always order house black (as I do), that makes for undrinkable coffee. Many people tell me that they don't like to drink Starbucks locally, but when they travel, the go there because they know the coffee is consistent and good. I'll give it consistent, but good? I'd rather take my chances with any given neighboorhood joint. Even if it's bad, it usually tastes better to be than Starbucks.

Second, I refuse to demean myself by ordering in ridiculous pseudo-Italian. When I go there, I order a large, and the cashiers usually force me to go through some ridiculous back and forth of "You mean venti?" "Large." "So what size? Venti?" "Large" and so on until they just finally cave because a line is forming behind me.

On the issue of Starbucks raising coffee awarness - I really don't think so. The vast majority of the drinks they serve are so over-diluted with sugar and cream that most of their customers have no more appreciation for coffee than they did ten years ago. All Starbucks has really accomplished is making people feel justified in drinking oversize milkshakes all day long by calling it coffee.

[hjshorter]

First, they burn their beans. I hate their roast. It just tastes charred, and when you always order house black (as I do), that makes for undrinkable coffee.

OK, so, am I the only one who likes their roast? Every time I drink "medium" roasted coffee it tastes overwhelmingly sour. With their darker roast I taste sweet, caramel notes.

[Exotic Mushroom]

I only drink dark roast coffee as well, but theirs isn't dark, it's burnt. There's a difference.

[Laughing Goddess]

....or to Bentonville, the richest little town in Arkansas, I wonder if they have a Starbucks,  Hey that could be a very lucrative franchise site with all that walmart money.

actually unfortunatly i live in the area right now (don't ask. it sucks.) anyway the only starbucks here are in the barnes and nobles. no standalones whatsoever. not that i'm sad because south of bentonville in fayetteville (where the univ. of ar is) there is some awsome local coffee.

Yeah, I heard Bentonville sucks, too. I've never heard anything good about that town! And I've never yet met anyone that liked working for Wal-Mart.

Come on down here to Fayetteville, and we'll hang out at Arsaga's on Gregg -- two minutes from my house. Good coffee. Try Jammin Java on the square, too -- absolutely fabulous sandiwches on beautiful bread, fresh fruit salad, good coffee.

Is Bentonville really a town, or is it a cult?!

[Malahini]

First, they burn their beans. I hate their roast. It just tastes charred, and when you always order house black (as I do), that makes for undrinkable coffee.

OK, so, am I the only one who likes their roast? Every time I drink "medium" roasted coffee it tastes overwhelmingly sour. With their darker roast I taste sweet, caramel notes.

Heather,

If you really want a coffee with sweet, caramel/chocolate notes in a medium roast, check out Pele Plantations. After drinking this for a few days, you'll be surprised how harsh other coffees taste.

(Oblig. disclosure: My cousin's farm is one of the ones featured here, though they usually sell out before the season's over anyway).

[erraticninja]

Yeah, I heard Bentonville sucks, too.  I've never heard anything good about that town!  And I've never yet met anyone that liked working for Wal-Mart.

Come on down here to Fayetteville, and we'll hang out at Arsaga's on Gregg -- two minutes from my house. Good coffee.  Try Jammin Java on the square, too -- absolutely fabulous sandiwches on beautiful bread, fresh fruit salad, good coffee.

Is Bentonville really a town, or is it a cult?! 

actually i live in fayetteville right now

i like arsagas on gregg but I also love their block street location (the bakery. although I miss their old school block location above hugo's )

I have not tried jammin java yet. i have also tried the perk on wedington. not big on it but it is nw arks first cyber cafe i guess.

and i think bentonville is a scary cult. but i will admit some stuff going up in rogers since i was away is kinda cool.