The ESPRO tamper

(A product review)

There are a number of variables that go into the pulling of a good shot of espresso. One of those variables would be the pressure used when tamping the grounds in the portafilter. If you have tried to find a good shot of espresso here in the Palm Springs of Washington, you are quite aware that Yakima is a coffee wasteland where baristas are untrained and usually know very little about any of the aspects involved in espresso making. Most have no idea of the importance of an even, consistant tamp at the proper amount of pressure.
The ESPRO tamper, a device I came across in an arcticle in coffeegeek.com, (http://coffeegeek.com/opinions/markprince/12-18-2006) is a tamper that gives a subtle click when 30 lbs. of pressure is reached. With an even and consistant tamp at the right amount of pressure it is, in turn, more viable to adjust the grinder for a shot that pulls for the correct amount of time, and that is, as Martha Stewart would say...a good thing. The sad truth is most "baristas" in this area have absolutely no concept of proper technique or what is needed in order to keep quality from bean to cup so the ESPRO grinder is, of course, not going to magically solve the problem of no training, poor training, or coffee shop owners who wouldn't know a well pulled shot of espresso from a twice warmed up cup of Folgers Crystals.
My piont being, anything that helps point down the road of quality and consistancy is a plus and the ESPRO tamper is one more step down that long road especially if the barista is still learning proper technique or just having trouble figuring out how to keep their tamp at 30 lbs. all day long.
I would definately recommend checking out their web site to find out more about this tamper at www.espro.ca

Espro Inc.
169-3495 Cambie Street
Vancouver BC, Canada
V5Z 4R3

info@espro.ca

Got Coffee?

QUICK TAKE: Friendly service with really, really bad coffee.

To Quote Huey Lewis, "sometimes bad is bad". My recent trip to a very small coffee drive-through had that song wedged in my brain as I tried to choke down just a few gulps of the daily special. I don't remember what the special was and It doesn't really matter because I will not be going back for another cup. I really think a big part of the problem is the beans used. Whatcha Know Joe Coffee Co. is their supplier, and there is no way to put this lightly. Those beans are awfull. I would personally stay away from any establishment selling 'Watcha know' beans. Maybe I'll give Got Coffee? another try if they ever change coffee venders, but no sooner.

Got Coffee?
3203 Summitview
Yakima, WA 98902
(509)969-4729

Mercedes & Family

QUICK TAKE: Excellent food at a great price. Fresh salsa/condiment bar, highly recommended.

I have long complained about how many Mexican restaurants we have here in Yakima, and at the same time, how none of them are really all that great. Well, boys and girls of all ages, have I got a treat for you. Mercedes & Familyis a little hole in the wall type of place that most people would be tempted to pass on by if they didn't know any better. They are located in sort of a strip mall area on the west side. I Think of it as a to-go restaurant mainly, but card tables and folding chairs provide a place to sit and eat if you're part of the clock watching lunch croud. Mercedes & Family serves up great food all made by hand at fast food prices. I can get a burrito that fills me up for under five bucks (the best burrito around) along with everything thats offered at the condiment station containing a variety of fresh made salsas, chopped onions, jalapenos, celentro, limes, sour cream, and the list goes on. Make sure you get your share of those little plastic containers full of your favorite salsa or you'll be cicking yourself when you get home. Just to be safe better try them all. Just thinking about the fresh mad tortillas makes me want to go back right now.
If you haven't tried Mercedes & Family you owe it to your wallet and your tastebuds.

Mercedes & Family
5603 Tieton Dr.
Yakima, WA 98908
(509)965-9193

Planet Joe

QUICK TAKE: Extra shots are free, somewhat inconsistent. The decaf beans have been pre-ground but all the beans are pretty bad. Go for the free Wi-fi, not for the coffee.

I am always for supporting local businesses, so when I saw a new coffee shop opening on Tieton Drive where local bean roaster and the coffee shop were one in the same, no one had to twist my arm to go check it out. Like most places, there is some good, and there is some, how should I say...not so good. To begin with, they do have some very comfortable leather chairs and a couch in the back. This makes for a nice place to kick back for a while and maybe surf the net using the free Wi-Fi. As a whole, the atmosphere could be better, but it's possible to get comfortable if no one is already in that leather-clad section in the back. Just as all good things must come to an end my friends, so must the comfortable warm fuzzies that blissful relaxation on the information super-highway brings. My drinks have been somewhat inconsistent and the pre-mix powders are really pushed. Even my best drink was not all that great, but that's not the worst of it. When I decide on a decaffeinated drink, for whatever reason, the beans are taken out of a canister, beans that have been...(brace yourself, and cover your children's eyes and ears before you read this)...pre-ground. Oh, good people of Yakima, I beseech thee to pray for the souls of the purveyors of this discontent. Pray forgiveness, for they know not what they do.

Planet Joe
5607 Tieton DR. #106
Yakima, WA 98908
(509)965-1078

Ozeki Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

QUICK TAKE: A great place for sushi and friendly service.

A couple days ago my wife and I were in the mood for some take-out, but not in the mood for gambling on finding food worth eating. I was really in the mood for some Chinese food but finding good Chinese in Yakima is something I have yet to experience. We decided some Japanese food would fill the Asian food cravings we both seemed to have, so Ozeki, on the corner of 16th and Summitview was our take-out target. One of the first things I have to say about Ozeki is how great we have been treated there on a consistent basis. There are so few restaurants in Yakima that realize the importance of good service lasting longer then a few weeks after a place opens. I have time and time again been treated with wonderful friendly service at Ozeki. As far as the food goes, the vegetable tempura is great, with big slices of sweet potatoes, spears of asparagus, rings of onion, broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms make a great appetizer. The udon soup is generally quite good, but the broth was less flavorful last time I ordered it, I've enjoyed it enough times to definately give it another chance though. The yakisoba is pretty good, but not exceptional. The sushi bar offers an extensive list of offerings with quite a few different vegetarian rolls to chose from. I recomend trying several kinds, after all, it is a sushi bar. Whether you are picking something up for take-out or want to enjoy the full ambiance including Japanese decor, I recommend giving Ozeki a try.

Ozeki
1502 Summitview Ave.
Yakima, WA 98902
(509)834-4282

Summitview Espresso

QUICK TAKE: If you like super sweet drinks, and don't care so much about the coffee taste, this place is for you.

The new drive-through at the Rubber Ducky car wash on Summitview replaced a smaller drive-through that stood in the same spot not long ago. This new bigger yellow building attracted my attention enough to stop by and try it out. As a matter of fact I have been there twice. Unfortunately I was not thrilled on either occasion. The mocha had a funny taste to me. I am not sure, (and feel free to correct me of you know otherwise) but I think they use a powder for the chocolate. As far as I am concerned that's a big no-no. I have never tasted a good mocha where a powdered chocolate had to be stirred in. The second time I stopped by I figured I would just order "the special" without even knowing what it was. As it turns out, the special was a "chocolate covered cherry latte". Chocolate and cherry are two flavors that do go well togather but I had two main problems with this drink. First of all, if there was any coffe in it, I could not taste it. Second, and even more disturbing to me, the drink was so incredibly sweet I felt like if I had finished it I would have went into a diabetic coma. I'm sure there are people around here who like that sort of thing, (the sweetness I mean, not the coma) but I am definately not one of them.
Chances are, I will not be filling my punch card at Summitview Espresso.

Summitview Espresso
1502 Summitview Ave.
Yakima, WA 98902

Russillo's Pizza & Gelato

QUICK TAKE: A neat place, but going down hill from when they first opened.

I decided it was too hot to do any cooking for lunch the other day so I stopped into Russillo's for some lunch time pasta while supporting an independent, locally-owned restaurant. Sounds like a win-win situation...or so I thought. It would have been nice to sit outside, but it was really too hot for that so I found a table inside, waited for the waitress to bring me a menu, and promptly ordered the penne with their maranara sauce with fresh basil and bell pepper.
My order was ready in a relatively short amount of time, but it felt like much much longer because it was so hot in the dining area it was ridiculous. I probably should have just left, but I was pretty hungry and thought I'd tough it out. Having to "tough it out" while you wait for your food is probably not the best way to pull in customers, but hey, that's just my opinion. The fly that would not stop dive-bombing my hand didn't really help matters either.
When my food came, I was rather disappointed. The pasta was just a tad overcooked and the marinara was thick and hearty, but left a dull bland taste in my mouth and sat heavy in my stomach.
I really wish Russillo's the continued success they have had in the past and I know they have been packing the seats on the weekends with a place where you can sit down to a meal and maybe listen to some live music, but I am afraid that in the rush to expand, not only the menu but to other locations, they have lost site of what made them worth visiting. Great food, service and atmosphere is what brought me to Russillo's in the beginning.
Bigger is not always better.

Russillo's Pizza & Gelato
Track 29
Yakima, WA
(509)469-0516

Lincoln Avenue Espresso

QUICK TAKE: They do a good job, but could be more consistant. I will probably be back.

This morning I was really in the mood for a good cappuccino. The problem is, here in Yakima it's pretty hard to find a really good espresso or cappuccino because most shots are pulled bitter and hard to enjoy unless they are masked with copious amounts of sweeteners and then whats the point.
I had been thinking of stopping by Lincoln Avenue Espresso for quite a while and desided this was the morning to do it. There was only one space left to park in the small crouded lot on the corner of Lincoln and 18th, and cars were lined up on both sides of the drive-through.
I sat at the small bar that wraps around two sides of a center island directly across from the three group Nuova Simonelli machine that appeared monsterous in the small shop that's just big enough for four tables, although quite small inside, lots of windows help give the place a bigger open feel. I didn't really care for all the advertising with business cards under their class table tops of the two taller corner tables, but that's just me. I ordered a dry soy capuccino and to my suprise not only was the soy milk frothed very well, the coffee itself was pretty darn good. There was no harsh bitterness, instead, I was treated with smooth sweet undertones that were slightly nutty and earthy.
I have held off on going to Lincoln Avenue Espresso for a long time because of the high traffic area and cramped parking situation, but I will definately be back. I just hope this was not a one time fluke where the espresso shot fairy was feeling especially generous, but even if it was a "lucky shot" finding somewhere that knows how to make good foam from soy milk around Yakima is pretty rare.
They do roast their own beans near by, and the decaf is processed using the Swiss Water method.
I do recommend this place, whether you would like to sit down for a few minutes or just want to swing through the drive through.

Review Update: Although L.A.E. is still one of my top choices here in Yakima, I have found some rather noticeable and unfortunate inconsistancies in espresso and cappuccino, even with the same barista.

Lincoln Avenue Espresso
1801 W Lincoln Ave.
Yakima, WA 98902
(509)576-6086

Comino Real de Colima

QUICK TAKE: Really bad service with food that is unremarkable. I won't be back.

If there's one thing Yakima has way too many of it's Mexican restaurants, but I figured I should give this one a chance being a new addition the the Glenwood Square complex on 51st and Tieton. Plus it had been quite a while since I have had any mexican food.
The first thing I noticed as I walked through the door was I was the only customer. This wasn't necessarily that bad of a sign because Glenwood Square seems to have trouble drawing in a lot of people and keeping business there from what I have seen. at least this is what I tried to tell myself when asked to sit anywhere I would like, even though it was durring lunch hour.
The atmosphere was awkwardly unpleasant with open cafeteria-like seating and two large speakers up on stands at one end of the room with a small karoke machine at the other.
The waitress did not have any idea what I was asking when I asked if they used lard in the refried beans. She looked at me as if I were from another planet speaking a strange language so I decided I better just ask for rancho beans. Why on earth someone would open a restaurant on the west side and hire a waitress that can't understand enough english to take a simple order is completely absurd.
I ordered a bean and rice burrito with tomato, onions, lettuce, and guacamole. I recieved my burrito without guacamole and filled with refried beans and chorizo.
The presentation of my burrito was without effort and utilitarian but I was ready to let that slide for the time being. I was more intrested in letting the waitress know there was meat in my burrito. (not even mentioning the other mistakes)
After telling her what happened she confidently said there is not meat in my burrito. I held up a little piece of pork I had speared with my fork and she the tried to tell me that it was not meat, it was chorizo and that it came in a tube that was...and this is an exact quote...shaped like a weenie. after a time of trying to explain away the chorizo she reluctantly agreed that chorizo is in fact meat. After that awkward and unusual exchange she said that if I wanted they would make me another burrito, but only charge me for one. What a concept, offering to only charge me for what I actually ordered. There was no way I was going to eat one thing out of that kitchen so I generously handed the girl the amount of cash for the order that never arrived at my table and she took the money without hesitation. I could have easily not paid, but I was curious weather she would actually take the money, plus I didn't have a translator handy and I wanted out of there post-haste.
Obvoiusly I would not recommend Comino Real de Colima to anyone. We can all do are part by not patronizing places like this and sending a message to them that this kind of lackidaisical disregard for quality and sevice just isn't going to cut it.
Yakima can can raise the bar, but only if we are willing to finally stop settling for medeocrity.

Comino Real de Colima
Glenwood Square
5110 Tieton Dr.
Yakima, WA 98908
(509)965-1481

Essencia Artisan Bakery and Chocolaterier

QUICK TAKE: Worth a try for the quick in-and-out croud. Not the best place to stay and relax.

I thought I would stop into Essencia for a cappuccino and maybe a bite to eat if anything caught my eye. I decided not to eat anything there because the offerings were few and far between. I have had slices of pizza there before that were OK, but the pieces they had out looked like they had lasted past their prime. It was the tail and of the lunch hour and they had probably been made several hours earlier. I decided to go for a mocha instead of a cappuccino since I had not tried one there before and I wasn't in the mood to be disappointed, at least not to the degree of error possible for someone who may or may not be able to make a good cappuccino. The mocha actually tasted like a very good rich, smooth hot chocolate. Unfortunately that was not what I was going for. The flavor of the coffee was completely lost in there somewhere. I will be back to try something less flavored to really get a better idea how their coffee is if I am in the immediate area, but I probably wont go too far out of may to do so.
The Beans are roasted locally by Lincoln Avenue Espresso who do a pretty good job, but the blend is Essencia's own creation.
The atmosphere in Essencia is alright, with tables out on the sidewalk in front, but there is something that just doesn't seem that inviting to me. It's not a place where I would go just to relax and and feel comfortable spending a large chunk of time, say, reading a book or doing some writing. It may be that it's right across the street from the dead mall or that there are only a couple of tables near a window. It's definately worth checking out in the morning if you want a fresh baked cookie and a coffee, but it seems to cater to the in-and-out business lunch crowd more then a relaxing coffee shop.

Essencia Artisan Bakery and Chocolaterie
4 North 3rd. Street
Yakima WA 98901
(509)575-5570

Brief overview of Taste Yakima

My goal is to give unbiased reviews of coffee shops and the all around culinary situation here in the Yakima Valley. I encourage you to send your comments whether you agree with me or not. Feel free to add your own opinions on any review or send me ideas of places you have been thinking of trying but just weren't quite sure if was worth the trip. My reviews of restaurants will all have a vegetarian slant to them, I assure you any chef worth his salt should be able to make great vegetarian food, and I don't mean just removing the meat from the usual dish.....but don't get me started, that's a whole other discussion!
I will be updating this frequently so come back often.
Enjoy!