Tesoro

I went to Tesoro yesterday to try out their coffee. It's a cute little restaurant in Oliver Square. They serve pizzas and salads as well as all forms of coffee. I got the feeling like they were trying to make you feel like you might actually be in Italy while you were here.

I liked that the cappuccino came in a unique cup. Most of the cups I have had are white but this one had these crazy markings all over it. Felt like a party before I even started.

But here's where I get confused. This cappuccino was bitter again and had little to no foam. The impression I am getting from some anonymous people who have posted strange comments on this blog is that this is a true cappuccino. But the Italian center, a place run by Italians, has this amazingly smooth cappuccino with pillowy foam. I dare someone to argue with the Italian lady behind the counter who precisely made me that ridiculously amazing drink.

So I don't get it. But to be honest it doesn't matter to me. I am going for the cappuccino that tastes best to me but also has all the perks that I like too. And so I feel confident saying that this one was not the best. It was fine, I had to add sugar, and it looked like a really great place to hang out (the $10 pasta looked phenomenal)... but I still love the Italian center.

L'Espresso

So a good friend of mine found this forum of people talking about Edmonton lattes and cappuccinos. I actually have no idea anything about cappuccinos other than what I like about them - which is turning out to be a small cup, good foam, smooth coffee, funky atmosphere and hopefully a friend with me. But this is what one person named John said which helped me on the technical front:

"Making a "hooded" cappo with non overstretched milk (like the garbage at Starbucks) is just as tough as good latte art. The fellow at Transcend who won the 2008 prairies barista comp (Chad) prides himself on making a trad cappo- but you will not get a big airy pillow of foam because that is overstretched and wrong. It would be like asking a baker to burn a baguette for you."

I like to give most drinks a fair shot. I haven't liked them all, but for the most part, not many have been unbearable (save you Second Cup). These cappuccinos were so strange. Neither of us could really taste the coffee because of the copious amount of foam. I wonder what dear Chad, Barista of the Year, and John, defender of cappuccinos and my new but never met friend, would say. Something well worded I suppose and something about burning bread. Regardless, I think it is safe to say that this was one large cup some seriously overstretched milk.

Beuno Gelato

I don't have much to say about this cappuccino. I didn't really like it at all. It made little to no impression on me. I found it kinda bland actually. It surprised me because it came from this little Italian shop, but it also didn't surprise me because they have the best gelato in Edmonton. I personally don't think they need to excel at two things. So, keeping this review short, don't go there for cappuccinos, but don't go anywhere else for gelato.

The Manor

After a beautiful but freezing cross country ski, my friend and I decided we needed a cappuccino. We popped over to The Manor, ski boots and messy hair and all, to warm up. This restaurant is one of my favorites in Edmonton. I love that it is in an old house and I love the food. Even though we looked slightly out of place we still ordered yummy desserts and warm drinks. I kinda think this is how you survive Edmonton. Outdoor activity followed by good food.

Sadly, I did not love this cappuccino. I have better photos of it but I am going to use this one to show you how the foam all but disappeared on its own. It sat for about 2 minutes while I was showing my friend all of my 'must have' apps on my iPhone and by the time I went to photograph it, the foam was half gone! I could almost hear the foam popping away, like when you have a bubble bath with your kids cheap Barbie Bubble Bath and within the first 5 minutes the bubbles have pretty much melted away. That is how this foam looked. Within three sips, the foam was gone.

So I won't be going out of my way to go there for a cappuccino, but I kinda feel like, Who cares? because I will forever go there for the poached pear salad. It's phenomenal.