Tokyo 東京 Espresso エスプレッソ

Nozy Coffee >>MAP 2-29-7 Shimouma (12 min. from Sangenjaya or Ikejiri-ohashi on the Denentoshi Line) TEL: 03-5787-8748 東京都世田谷区下馬2-29-7 Maybe I'm not done with my search for transcendent espresso in Tokyo. Thanks to reader Luke for bringing Nozy to my attention after his Bear Pond mishap. In what is a strikingly handsome bi-level space, Nozy outshines 99.9% of Tokyo coffee peddlers. Although this relatively new shop (opened in August 2010) might be considered behind the times in adhering to single origin coffee (many now consider this a dated industry fad), one can't fault Nozy for what is clearly a mission in pursuit of coffee excellence. With on-premises roasting and seminars on cupping and food pairing, Nozy really is doing something special for coffee in Tokyo. My espresso was a single origin Dominican with very high acid. I gauged it at almost two ounces of water (and mouthfeel suffered as a result). Although I have experimented with single origin coffee in my...

Bear Pond Espresso >>MAP 2-36-12 Kitazawa TEL: 03-5454-2486 東京都世田谷区北沢2-36-12 I'm done. The search for transcendent espresso in Tokyo is over. I might just retire this blog. Really. Opened in April 2009 by Katsu Tanaka, Bear Pond simply blows away all Tokyo competition when it comes to espresso. Period. There's quite a back story here. After 18 years in NYC as a certified barista and trainer with Counter Culture and Gimme! Coffee, Tanaka moved back to Tokyo to open his own shop with the help of his wife, Chisa. He walked the neighborhoods and found an old candy shop in Shimokitazawa whose owner wanted out (though she remains his landlady). Why "Bear Pond"? It's a lake in upstate New York for which the Tanakas have a fondness. More importantly, the characteristics of bears (the animal) suit what Tanaka is trying to do in giving Tokyo a taste of true espresso. In other words, his ristretto-type shot (I'm judging my shots were well under an...

Nid Cafe >>MAP 3-13-23 Aoyama TEL: 03-5772-7639 東京都港区南青山3-13-23 [UPDATE: Nid Cafe is permanently closed for business.] From the same group responsible for the fetching Eau Cafe in Daikanyama, Nid can be a bit hipper-than-thou at times and the place is something of a smokers' paradise. However, the espresso is often good to very good and the food, like lamb curry, is subtle and a step-up from pedestrian cafe fare. First visit: August 14, 2009

Bonnet >>MAP 1-12-3 Utsukushigaoka, Aoba-ku, Yokohama Tama Plaza Station TEL: 045-901-6550 横浜市青葉区美しが丘1-12-3 A bit feminine for my tastes, but Bonnet is a lovely cafe and the owner knows his espresso. First visit: August 16, 2009

Zaim Cafe Annex >>Map 1-51 Ishikawa-cho, Yokohama TEL: 045-308-8481 横浜市中区石川町１丁目５１ Close to Motomachi and Yokohama Chinatown, Zaim Cafe Annex is perhaps the most comfortable cafe I've found in the Tokyo Metro area. Too bad it's rather inconveniently situated atop a hill overlooking Motomachi. No espresso here but, if you're in the area, this renovated home is an absolute must visit. First visit: August 23, 2009

da Gino >>MAP 1-2-3 Minami-Ebisu TEL: 03-5723-8877 東京都渋谷区恵比寿南1-2-3 [UPDATE: da Gino is permanently closed for business.] After all the time spent "laboring" in Ebisu, I can't believe I missed da Gino. Thanks to Jeremy S. who brought this two-year old wine and espresso bar to my attention. Is it great espresso? No, not yet. Does it show extraordinary promise? Yes. My single espresso was more akin to a double pour. The barista was well-meaning and admitted to have only just started to really study how to make good espresso. He flushed the Cimbali about 10 minutes prior to my pull and my shot suffered. The result was an over-extracted pour. da Gino's massive Cimbali simply gets the water too hot and a flush is absolutely required prior to each pull. Otherwise , his technique was good (grinding fresh for the shot, swiping the portafilter, etc.). What da Gino also has going for it is the fact that it is roasting and using its own beans (it even sell...