I know a lot of people cut off their caffeine at a certain time of day or they won’t be able to sleep.
But there are those of us that can pound back 4 shots of espresso and pass out like my one and a half year old granddaughter did after a long day at my daughter’s wedding without getting a much needed nap.
So I was pretty happy to hear that there was a new cafe opening up in New West that promised later hours. I often find myself wanting a cappuccino mid evening and most places are closed by then.
I know all my Italian readers are shaking their head at me but I don’t care. Coffee is great late! And you can get it as late as 10 at After Hours.
Merilynn actually popped in last week on opening day and very much enjoyed her experience. As today is my day off I thought I’d give it a try as well.
I found it to be bright and airy, with a good amount of seating and even a couch and a couple easy chairs to relax comfortably. Which I did for half an hour while I started this review.
I am using straight espresso as my baseline for comparison these days, though today I started with a cappuccino.
Smooth espresso but the balance of milk to foam was off. I think the problem here might be the size. It’s probably too big to get the proper 1:1:1 ratio. Too much milk, not enough foam. It could also be an inexperienced barista who isn’t pulling the foam properly. Regardless the potential for a great cup of coffee is there.
I also tried a straight espresso.
If you look at that picture closely the first thing you’ll notice is the color of the crema. It’s too dark. This can come from a few different factors. Over extraction, too fine a grind or water temperature being too high are the common reasons this happens. The shot wasn’t overly bitter and I didn’t have any sludge in the cup so my best guess is the water temperature. However my barista skills are a little out of practice so I’d have to have a closer look at their process to know for sure.
Merilynn had an iced latte.
Not my usual drink so I don’t really have a good reference point to compare, however I would say it’s better than a lot of iced lattes I’ve had. Having said that, most of the iced lattes I’ve had have come from Starbucks, so that’s not a particularly high bar to reach.
Since our coffee the other day I’ve been back to try the Pain au Chocolat.
And the Tiramisu.
We did ask where they got their pastries and it seems like they get the base croissant from a bakery in Port Moody and then finish it. It was very fresh but lacked the crispness you will find at any higher-end pastry shop.
The Tiramisu, made in house, had really nice flavor but its balance of cake to custard was way off. Too much ladyfinger, not enough custard.
The After Hours cafe is definitely a nice spot. Good coffee, great atmosphere and fresh pastries might be enough to make it our new go-to for caffeine in New West.
A quick Google search turned up another new cafe, which I’ll endeavor to get to as well.
One thing we do know for sure: it’s time to stop giving so much money to big chains for what is too often mediocre coffee.
7/10
While I’m on the topic, here’s a quick list of the best coffee shops (IMHO) in New West, worst to first.
- Second Cup – Royal Centre
The only time I found myself at a Second Cup over the last few years is when the idiot executives at Starbucks decided to stop doing Eggnog lattes at Christmas. Otherwise not my favorite.
- Serious Coffee – Carnarvon Street
Every time I’ve come here my lattes have been way too hot. The location is not ideal if you want to sit and relax for a while. Small and uncomfortable.
- Starbucks – Columbia Square and Westminster Centre
Reliably mediocre no matter where in the world you go.
- Waves – Columbia Street and Uptown
Better than a lot of the chain options nearby, but just does not reach the quality of the small cafes just a couple minutes away.
- Craft Cafe – Riversky at the Quay.
We usually go here for the breakfast and the coffee being somewhat of an afterthough. Regardless the coffee is pretty good.
4. Coasters Cafe – 6th Street
The coffee is good but the atmosphere is not for me. They have tried to make it feel a little like you’re in a west coast rain forest inside. I just feel depressed when I’m there.
- After Hours Cafe – 6th Street
A great location with a nice selection of pastries and desserts all made on site or locally. It’s very new at the time of this write-up so the baristas may need a few weeks to really get into a groove. Very good potential here.
- Moodswing – Front Street
A close second to the quality of Mukasi, it’s just a little too left wing wacky for me to be comfortable there. If I get a coffee here it’s always to go, and I go as quickly as possible. I almost feel the need to put a Libtard Alert sign outside the building.
- Mukasi – Front Street
The worst location and the worst hours but the best coffee in New West. Roasted right onsite, the coffee is excellent. With the new staircase off of Columbia you can avoid all the vagrants and get the gold standard of coffee in New West here.