Pizzeria Gusto - 404 Academy - The Best Espresso in Winnipeg

Have the budget for a proper dinner, but don't like things with French names or wearing a jacket? Why not join the rest of Winnipeg's 45-year old, gym-dwelling entrepreneurial assholes at Pizzeria Gusto?

As the above paragraph implies, I wasn't particularly taken with the crowd at Pizzeria Gusto, but I can't speak for their pizza - I've only had their coffee which, I have to admit, is Winnipeg's best and even pretty damn good by Vancouver standards.

The problem is they won't sell you just a coffee - I wandered in after seeing the Illy umbrellas one night when the crowd inside was thinning. The owner, who was smoking outside, invited me to try the coffee after I asked about it, but I had to mention this to the girl at the bar before she would sell me it.

I enjoyed it immensely. It had been far too long since I'd had a good Illy espresso and this one was near perfect. I missed the dark, Italian roasting style, one I've begun to prefer to critically-acclaimed North American roasters. Let my lack of complaints with the coffee be my compliment to it.

Careful not to disappoint their prosperous customers, Gusto has priced their espresso at $4.00.

I'll be returning as soon as my business venture picks up and I buy the most expensive striped sport shirt I can find.

Twist and Exchange

Besides being a dance craze which incorporates 1960s dance styles with international finance, Twist and Exchange are the names of Winnipeg's two most tolerable independent coffeehouses.

Twist, at 392 Graham, is trendy (for Winnipeg), brightly-coloured and serves De Luca's own coffee roast, not my favourite roast, even if I had to pick one from Winnipeg, but it's pulled okay and it's better than the spittoon-swill they serve at the Fyxx.

The staff - or those that I have seen - are all girls that can only be faulted for their immaculate hipness and superficial small talk: They're not rude or slow and they're certainly not ugly (not that I would fault anyone for that).

I've had two espressos there, both were a bit light on crema, but not totally lacking it, and both were a bit tinny and thin tasting, as if roasted darker than they were meant to be, like an Irishman in Arizona. It's a nice change from Starbucks, though.

The space is definitely the most tasteful I've seen a coffee shop in in this town. There's some sort of series of abstract lowbrow paintings hanging that I actually quite like (except for the title: Emotional Weather Report), but they're probably for sale, so they could be replaced by pictures of coffee anytime. There aren't really any good windows and the patio is kind of detached: It's in the middle of the sidewalk, so unless you really like the new Hydro building, there's not much to look at. I hope they'll continue to have decent paintings inside.

The Exchange Cafe is at 137 Bannatyne, on the east side of Main, in an old brick building (really the only kind of building they have around there). It's poorly lit and decorated with bad paintings of Winnipeg landscapes, but otherwise a nice environment - exposed brick, ceiling beams, etc. It's bigger than most cafes, but I've yet to see it filled to anything approaching capacity. In summer, you'd be a fool not to sit at one of the two outdoor tables, perfectly situated under small trees.

There are two people that work there: A pale, apparently overworked manager/owner who sits in a corner with a newspaper and gets up with something less than enthusiasm to make coffee when it's ordered; and a more chipper woman with curly hair.

Most importantly, the espresso at The Exchange Cafe - roasted by Winnipeg's own Black Pearl - is the second best in the city (I'll get to the best). Its crema is thin, but caramely and the pour is about 3% too long, but, overall, it's a wonderful balanced, if not bold or exotic, experience. Just don't order decaf, or drip.The former is crema-less, the latter comes from something that looks like it was bought at walmart. I doubt the milk is much good, either. It's a nice place, though, so suck it up and drink espresso.

Winnipeg

I've moved back to my home village of Winnipeg in order to learn how to do classics (that is to say, I'm studying classics). From now on, I'll be reviewing or, more likely, just kind of complaining about Winnipeg's three coffeehouses. I may also be forced to write about a bar or two, because from what I've seen, they're also pretty shitty.

Awesome: Turk's West Offers Like 8 Different Espressos at Any Time

Order an espresso at Turk's West and you'll now have a choice of roasts. There are actually 8 if I recall correctly, and they range in price from $3.00 to $3.60 for a double (but I should really stop drinking doubles). This seems to me a pretty ambitious thing to do: Even in Vancouver, where espresso-drinkers are relatively plentiful, it's easy to imagine opening a bag for one cup of a particular roast and not selling any more of it for a week. Maybe that's why it's $3.00.

The roasts are different enough that I can distinguish them with sugar and there aren't any particularly unpleasant ones that I'm aware of.

They also have retarded slogans for each roast, like, (for a roast called Miscela Royal), "Hail the prince!"

I haven't written about Turk's before, so if you only drink coffee at places I've mentioned (this applies to you, no one), I'm sorry for denying you this. Turk's west is only open during the day and it's much too trendy to be an enjoyable place to lounge, but the coffee is good. Milano patriarch Brian Turko cares immensely about his work and he'll be happy to tell you about it for 20 minutes if you ask him.

Update: There are exactly 8.

Tonina's - 4125 Main Street

I've noted in my recent posts an increasing tendency toward introspection and philosophizing, both of which are unattractive qualities in any form of writing, particularly blogs about local coffeeshops. This assessment of Tonina's deli-type thing, therefore, constitutes an effort to return to the old standards of practicality and objectivity evident in my seminal review of cafe Agro, written in the infancy of this blog.

Tonina's is almost directly opposite The Grind, previously reviewed in these pages (I say "pages" under the assumption that you, the reader, have printed out and stapled together this blog). It's not so much a coffeeshop as a deli, but such a description belies the quality of the coffee available within. Illy is becoming more and more rare in Vancouver cafes, perhaps partly due to the popularity of the "buy-local" ethos, but Tonina's is thankfully unfashionable in this area (by which I mean they serve Illy). It's a roast unlike the connoisseur's favourites of North America, such as 49th parallel or Ingelligentsia, but it's a welcome departure. The pour, also, is unlike what you'll find at most high-end coffeeshops; my double espresso was around 5 oz, but did not possess the watery burnt quality and lack of crema that usually characterize a more voluminous double (such as the one you might find at The Grind nearby).

There's very little in the way of pastries, as is befitting in a deli, and I can't vouch for the quality of their sandwiches or other deli goods. The only solid good I've consumed from Tonina's is a small square of Austrian chocolate - filled with some kind of liqeur - which was perfectly sized to accompany an espresso, if rather pricey (just under a dollar, I believe, for about 10g).

Seating consists of a row of chairs at a bar facing the window and a couple tables outside - as I said, Tonina's is not really a coffeeshop. You won't find any reason to stick around after your coffee, but you've got important things to do anyway, right?

'Til next time, Mom and Dad,

Ben

Gene - 2404 Main

Remarkably, Gene is neither a cocktail bar nor an electronic group from the nineties. Instead, it's a coffeeshop, which is why I'm writing about it.

Gene is singularly situated situated for cafe-dom. It occupies a wedge-shaped building that splits Main street into two around 8th Avenue. This means that Gene is supplied with two street-facing windows and, because it's on a hill and at the end of a block which becomes the middle of the road to the north(ish), one gets quite a view of downtown from inside.

The furniture is plain, similar to that at Prado, actually - lots of whitewashed wood in a fashionable state of decay. There's a fine example of 'street-art' in the bathroom (no, really). The whole place is in a state of perpetual renovation, which gives it a sort of industrial feel that I like.

The Coffee is pretty good. Naked portafilters, which are probably pretty passe among coffee enthusiasts by now, are present to some effect. The first few times I went to Gene, I thought it (the coffee) exquisite and decided I had not enjoyed an espresso so much since Ziggy's days at Lupo, which is a reference I don't expect anyone to get, but I liked it. Whether the quality of the coffee has declined or my tastes have changed, I don't know, but the last time I went I found my espresso excessively bitter and hot (the latter probably due to the tall, narrow cylinder it was served in). But enough of these relatively objective matters and on to my weird problems with this place.

I suspect myself of being one of Gene's first customers. I noted its transformation from some kind of weird art studio to a cafe with anticipation (I love gentrification!) and started going there in the evenings to break up my workdays (usually 12 hours at the time). Then, it was in a more severe state of renovation and usually all but deserted. I consequently came to know the owner/manager, Gideon, which is one of the reasons I rarely go there now. Because Gideon always acknowledges me with such familiarity, I feel I obliged to make conversation whenever I go, which is not easy with him.

This and the hipsters that (tardily, I think) have infested the place have been enough to keep me away from Gene most of the time. Avoiding hipsters is a pretty hip reason to forsake a place, but there you have it.

I am an idiot

I'm trying to add digg, etc. buttons to all of this crap, but they currently look ridiculous.

Special Winnipeg Edition

It will surprise few of my readers to learn that I was born and spent the first 19 years of my life in and around Winnipeg, Manitoba (I say it will surprise few of them because the majority of my readers are part of my immediate family). Every Christmas since leaving this shining example of urban decay, I've returned to it and this Christmas was no exception.

Winnipeg offers one in search of quiet lounging and coffee little variety. Every time I return, I search in vain for some hidden gem.
Despite my failure in this, it may prove useful to someone someday (or better yet, give me an excuse to write some stuff) to advise potential visitors to Winnipeg in how to negotiate the difficulties associated with finding a nice coffee shop in Winnipeg.
Unsurprisingly, the most available coffee shop in Winnipeg is Starbucks. Somewhat more surprisingly, Starbucks is probably the best, if only by virtue of its coffee alone. If, for some reason, you are in Winnipeg for a short period of time, settle for Starbucks. You'll find no locally-coloured alternative.

If, however, you find yourself in the city for a whole 15 days (December 19th 'til January 4th, for example) you may get tired of Starbucks and be willing to tolerate inferior coffee in order to escape the chubby girls and their Clay-Aiken friend from the nearest high school. Should you find yourself in such a situation, you have two major options: Second Cup and The Fyxx.

Both are far less accessible than Starbucks: I believe the Fyxx has 4 locations throughout the city and Second Cup has 3.

The Fyxx is the natural choice of Winnipeg's university students, attracted as they are to spelling errors and heroin references. Of its 4 locations, 3 are located within a 10 minute walk of each other. I visited only one of these, located in Winnipeg's old commercial district which is now full of night clubs and pseudo-designer clothing stores. This particular Fyxx is not an inviting place and I suspect it is only in business because the only other cafe in the area is possibly the worst in Western Canada (the last time I went to the latter, there was an old porn magazine lying on the table we sat at).

Whatever its other faults, The Fyxx can hardly be blamed for its uninviting exterior. The space it occupies was surely not designed for its current use: It was more likely an office, and, though it may not be suited to retail or restaurant use, it is a fine building, typical of those in the area, with brick walls and an ornate (for this century and country) stone facade.

Nor is the interior without merit. There are high, moulded tin ceilings and more windows than one might expect in a space of its intended use and period. These few qualities, however, do not compensate for the Fyxx's many deficiencies. Whether for practical reasons, or in an attempt to make the place cozy, the Fyxx is badly underlit. The little daylight that reaches it is scarcely enhanced by the dim scattered points of illumination. This condition of dimness is made worse by the walls, which are painted the colour of a partially-healed wound. As if in warning, a painting depicting two nude figures lounging on a sofa, surrounded by floating a Greek alphabet hangs at the entrance. "Beware," it seems to say, "you are about to enter a rural 10th grade drama student's idea of a cool place."

Nor is the coffee, service or food an exception to the theme of slightly pretentious indifference. Do not be surprised to find yourself longing for the affected gaiety of the Starbucks barista.

Suffice it to say I do not like this branch of the Fyxx. I should note, though, that each location appears, from the outside, to be entirely different to the others.

The other option for one wishing to avoid Starbucks in Winnipeg is Second Cup, largely found in malls. Because it is a franchise, I cannot condemn all Second Cup stores, having only visited one, but I'll bet the roast, which is consistent among them is enough to ensure an unsatisfactory cup, (second or first), wherever you are.

This Christmas I visited a Second Cup store which I have known since long before I had ever tasted coffee, in downtown Winnipeg, across from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

On this particular day, it was well-supplied with customers, many of them North Africans (at least they appeared so to me - I didn't ask any of them where they came from). At one table near the window, a group of men, middle-aged and seemingly North African, sat talking animatedly the way old Italian men can sometimes till be seen doing on Commercial drive.

I was so pleased to be in the midst of something like a community - in Winnipeg! - that it hardly occurred to me that my espresso was acidic and burnt. Whether downtown Winnipeg is on the verge of a revival thanks to the North African community or I was just fortunate enough to visit this place on a day which left me with that impression, I can't say. Whatever the case, Second Cup is an acceptable place to visit while touring Winnipeg's bizarre downtown.

The rest of the locations, mostly in malls, as I mentioned, should probably be forsaken in favour of a Starbucks, which, in malls, often have the advantage of being surrounded by a bookstore.