Paris Insights - The Blog

Nœud is a sparsely appointed café located in the 15th arrondissement, not far from the Emile Zola métro station.

I entered, wondering why people would frequent such an austere place, where there were only hard benches and metal chairs to sit on. Whatever the reason, there were numerous customers who came into the shop while I was there.

I told the barista that I wanted to taste the espresso of the day and then purchase a bag of the roasted beans that were used to prepare the beverage. The espresso of the day was brewed from Ethiopian beans supplied by Friedhats, a coffee roaster located in Amsterdam.

I sat down on a bench and was soon served the espresso with a glass of water.

I thought that the coffee tasted remarkably elegant, but I could not identify aromas or specific flavors.

After I finished the coffee, I told the barista that I wanted to purchase a 250g bag of the roasted Ethiopian beans. I was disappointed to learn that they did not have those specific beans in stock.

Returning home and consulting the Internet, I learned that Friedhats sells its roasted beans via its Website. It identifies the Ethiopian coffee beans as follows: “this coffee is 100% wolisho (aka “welicho”) – an ancient variety found in the highlands of Ethiopia.”

Subsequently, I ordered a 250g bottle of the beans directly from the company. It was delivered by international carrier within a few days.

After grinding the beans with my DeLonghi grinder and brewing them with my 9Barista, I was able to identify a rather bright citrus flavor cup after cup. My perception was confirmed by the mention of the word “Bergamot” (a hybrid lime-orange citrus fruit) that was printed on the bottle cap.

The word “Jasmine” was also indicated on the label. I did not detect that flavor, although it may have been the source of the elegance of the espresso I tasted at the café.

Nœud
41, rue Violet
75015 Paris

Barista Gallery is located on a narrow street between rue du Sebastopol and rue Saint-Martin.

My partner and I visited the café recently. My intent was to taste their “espresso of the day” and purchase a bag of the roasted beans.

The serving counter was faced with grey Lego baseplates, to which were affixed colorful Lego blocks.

The counter held cakes and cookies, and behind it stood two charming baristas.

They told me that they could prepare an espresso made from beans from Bolivia Yungas. I later learned that this is the name of a subtropical and tropical forest in central Bolivia. The beans are identified as Catuai rouge and Typica, both 100% arabica, harvested at 1660 meters.

The room in which the serving counter stood had a parquet floor, bare stone walls, and wide, tall windows. A long grey bench provided a place to sit in front of colorful, painted boxes that served as small tables.

The room in which I tasted my coffee had exposed wooden beams and a marble-topped table flanked by two bent wood chairs.

My partner and I took a seat in this room. One of the baristas soon brought me the espresso that I had ordered.

While I sipped my coffee, the music of King Hannah played over the sound system.

Although I enjoyed the brew, I could not identify any of the tasting notes that an information card promised: citrus, lemon, orange, dried fruit, caramel, and milk chocolate.

After I finished the espresso, we explored the other room of the café.

The second room had a pair of Sprague double bench seats from a second-class carriage of the Paris metropolitan railway. A large tapestry displaying foreign currency bills decorated the wall of the room. One of the baristas told us that the owner had purchased the tapestry in Singapore.

The coffee served at Barista Gallery is roasted by Strecker & Mallard in the 18th arrondissement of Paris.

I took a 250g bag home and prepared espressos using my 9Barista stove-top espresso machine.

I was never able to produce a fine crema, but for that matter the coffee that I was served did not have much crema either (see photo above). In any event, my partner and I identified the following aromas in the espressos that I brewed each morning: caramelized banana, ripe banana, chocolate, and milk chocolate. I initially thought it tasted like chocolate, but later I also detected the flavor of cherry.

This was a coffee that I enjoyed drinking every morning, especially for its chocolate flavor.

Barista Gallery
15, rue Quincampoix
75004 Paris