Week of April 4th 2011: CSSC - Ritual Coffee

I didn't actually study at Ritual Coffee, but I did scout out the potential for it. Ritual coffee is where I met Tim for our most recent (which means we are long overdue) conversation. Below are our my observations:

Taste - 4. I was really excited that they had Brazilian coffee. It's actually really hard to find (I found out later that this is just because they don't make specialized blends like most coffee shops get and that Ritual specifically grows theirs). However, there were two options and I went for the slightly cheaper one which I think made a difference. It didn't taste quite as bold as some of the ones I've bought in Brazil. 

Buzz - 2. I don't remember how I felt that day but I did buy a pound of it for the house and it just hasn't woken me up as much as I've come to expect from Brazilian coffee. 

Presentation - 4. I didn't get a latte so I didn't get a decorative foam but Tim did and they definitely did a little swirl in it. 

Ambiance - 5. The feel was really nice. There was a friendly, happy feel in the space. The table next to us had a little girl who was dancing and spinning and I know Tim, being a parent, loved that the coffee shop was so welcoming to the girl. 

Food - 4. I got a yummy almond croissant. It was pretty good and I was happy with it.

Selection - 4. They had a decent choice in a beans for a regular roast or a variety of options for how you wanted your coffee prepared.

Study - 3. I didn't study here but I could definitely have seen the potential too. I'd like to head back in the near future and see how easy it is to read for a few hours.

Novelty - 3. Maybe if this was my first coffee shop it would have gotten a higher score but I'm starting to see that a lot of them are similar. They do get an extra point for the Brazilian coffee. I think they change them up too so maybe I am under cutting them.

Overall - 3. Like I said, I would love to go back and check it out with a book, but I think generally it is a great little coffee shop with a lot of unique blends but possibly not too different from some of the others. I would definitely prefer Four Barrell for taste, feel, and proximity.