Elena and I were joined by Aunt Sara and Cousin Marion today on our trip to EVP Coffee. I have heard many good things about EVP, but I've never actually been to one. It is a Madison roaster who has three coffee shops in town. We visited the newest one, on Midvale. Elena was in a good mood the whole time. Marion was pretty quiet, too.
The new EVP is a pretty nice shop. It is decorated with large canvas paintings of abstract art. There is a crew hull hanging from the ceiling, commemorating the roots of the owners. There is a play area for kids, though Elena and Marion are a little too young for the toys. We went at about 10am and it was pretty busy.
I ordered a latte and a double espresso, as usual. The latte was good, but a little bland. They served it in a paper cup, which is not my personal preference. The espresso was much better. It was slightly over-extracted, but had a nice body and some creme on top. I think the results here could be largely dependent on who is making your drinks. I had two different baristas preparing my beverages.
The machine was a brand new La Cimbali, which automatically dispenses a measured amount of water. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how fine the grind is and the tamping pressure. Personally, I think I would have ground the coffee a little finer. The grinder was a Mazzer Major, I've never seen one of these before. EVP roasts their own coffee, but not at each shop. They roast at the East Washington location, and distribute it to their coffee shops.
Overall, I think EVP is a decent shop. They have everything they need for excellent results, but depending on who makes your drinks you could end up with a completely different drink. The locations are pretty convenient and I definitely didn't feel like an old man there. I think I would like to try the East Washington location if I'm in that area.
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