ottawa foodies

Renamed the Thimble Cafe, I visited twice now and enjoyed the coffee offerings and the baked goods I tried. Now that I have a baby, I will likely frequent this place however I will say that this is not the place to go if you are in a rush. It's almost painful to watch how long it takes an espresso drink to arrive at the cash.

But a nice place to linger and chat. I'll be back.

I've just come home from what was a fun, entertaining, delicious, and most informative coffee tasting at the Two Monkeys Coffee & Tea House, located here in Barrhaven.

The shop's supplier, local roaster Peter Comino from Francesco's Coffee Inc., was our guide for the evening. Between learning how to prepare an excellent espresso and a fascinating roasting demonstration involving a popcorn machine, we all left feeling enlightened (not to mention totally wired!). Peter was fantastic - funny and engaging, but at the same time evidently very knowledgeable about all things coffee.

In particular, I was surprised to discover that I prefer a light roast over a dark one, and I'm inspired to try using a stovetop espresso maker (mukka pot, or Bialetti by trade name), which makes a smooth and slightly nutty shot. Bonus is that these are a couple hundred dollars less expensive than the countertop espresso machines. I left with a pound of Peruvian "city roast" (very light) which I can't wait to brew up in the morning!

Additional nuggets: nope, coffee doesn't stay fresh longer if you keep it in the freezer. A shot of espresso has 1/10th the caffeine as a mug of filtered joe! There's no such thing as an espresso bean (it's usually a blend of several types of beans that each contribute to the perfect balance of flavours). And, despite the name, the "Americano" was invented in Italy... not America.

If you're looking for a fantastic cup of coffee, a great atmosphere, or some excellent home-made food, Two Monkeys is the place to go. And if you want to get in on the coffee-tasting action, Two Monkeys co-owner Rob Kay tells me they'll be hosting another Evening with the Roaster in the not too distant future... check the website (www.twomonkeyscoffeeandteahouse.co), look them up on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter for the details.

I highly recommend!

Excellent baked goods! Friendly service, too. Their brewed coffee is pretty good too. If I lived closer I would go here much more often, but it's worth the drive for those butter tarts :)

Dropped in here for a relaxing cup of coffee / tea after running around doing errands. It was a weekday morning and there were several Moms in with little ones... looks like it is really catching on with young families in this growing part of Barrhaven.

We got a friendly greeting upon entry, and were pleased to discover the variety of Coffees and Teas on hand. "The Man" ordered a Coffee, and I an Earl Grey Tea... we were also informed that Fresh & Hot Cinnamon Rolls (homemade) had just come out of the oven... LOL, they looked delicious, so that wasn't a difficult decision to try those as well. They were indeed very tasty.

One thing I really liked, is that this spot makes you a whole pot of tea, not choosing to do as so many others do, and just offering up a tea-bag in a cup / mug.

All-in-all a good experience, would definitely go back.

I really like the cappuccinos, I have not found a better one thus far in the barrhaven. They have nice desserts, good loose leaf teas and a pleasant atmosphere.