Crave, Dessert Bar and Lounge - Downtown
I immediately regretted ordering the coffee last. Having tried the sweetened latte and sugar-indulgent dessert first, I could not fairly judge the flavors of NOVO’s San Sebastian blend.
I’ve heard it said that when the weather temperature is high, you should drink hot beverages in order to make your body cool itself naturally. Now, in my opinion, though the principle is sound, the application is not. First of all, everyone knows you want something cold and refreshing on a hot day. Secondly, the human body cools itself by means of perspiration. While it may be natural, that does not seem like a desirable experience – for either the individual or those in the immediate vicinity. It was with these misgivings that I watched the temperature rise, but even as the mercury peaked above 100, my excitement was not diminished. After many long months, I was going COFFEE BLOGGING!!
Like a child on the way to grandma’s house, I watched the second-hand tick. Somewhere in the back seat of my brain, the little girl in me whispered, “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Is it four o’clock yet? Huh, is it? Huh? How much longer?” I chastised my inner-child for her impatience, and forced myself to remain at work until the last possible moment.. then just a minute longer. Still, I had to consciously remind myself to breathe calmly and drive safely as I battled past rush-hour traffic into the heart of downtown Denver.
Crave Dessert Bar & Lounge sits on what I would consider one of the most coveted corners in the city - directly across the street from the Colorado Convention Center. If the iconic, giant Blue Bear was suddenly startled to life and stumbled backwards, he would probably trip over Crave’s patio umbrellas, and collapse with his blue behind against the plate-glass window. The question then is whether he would wander off in pursuit of bearish-type things, or whether, as a city bear, he would pause for a cup of freshly-brewed NOVO coffee (not being a bear myself, blue or otherwise, I am unqualified to speculate on the subject). My intentions, however, were clear. I, blogger and coffee-hater extraordinaire, was there to seek out new life and coffee civilization.. to boldly go where I had never gone before.
My good friend Nathan, undisguised coffee snob, joined my adventure. We exited the furnace into a cool, inviting retro-modern interior. The décor, with flourishes of stainless steel, stone, and glass, created just enough of a 50s diner atmosphere to be both edgy and comfortable.
As is my custom, I asked our friendly barista Manfred for recommendations. He asked the expected, “Are you a big coffee drinker?” I grinned and responded, “Ummm… No. I actually hate it.” I explained briefly. Smiling, he responded, “So, you have to drink it.” I nodded, “Yep. Exactly.” He said then that Crave’s specialty is making its own sauces. A slow grin of the creative genius spread across his face as he described the caramel latte. I ordered that, and Nathan asked him which coffee blends were available. The question seemed to surprise him at first. He said they brewed NOVO coffee – both espresso and drip from Colombia. I smiled to myself, thinking that Manfred may have never encountered true coffee snobs before. He offered to go check the name of the roast, and we were gently adamant that he do so. He returned with the name - San Sebastian from Colombia. Nathan ordered a large cup, black, and we both ordered specialties from the menu.
They weren’t lying. The cup of coffee was so large, it possibly should have been marketed as “the great big bowl of coffee.” Nathan described it as, “fruity and slightly spicy,” with a definite tangy aftertaste. Wanting to test my fledgling coffee knowledge, I said, “I think I remembered hearing that South American coffees have more of a fruity flavor.” Nathan agreed and added, “and Central American coffees seem to have more of a nutty flavor.” I beamed, feeling like I almost knew what I was talking about.
The caramel latte was very mild. I’ve found that over the course of time, I have come to tolerate foofy drinks if they are made with quality coffee roasts. It used to be that even coffee-flavored ice cream disgusted me, but now I can drink mild lattes and drinks laced with flavored syrups and cream. That’s not good. I don’t want to be content with drinking sissy coffee. When someone claims to like coffee, but his or her preferred drink contains mostly sugar and cream, I cringe with coffee-snobbish contempt. Thus, when I found myself content to sip the robust, slightly sweet, pleasantly enjoyable caramel latte, I realized that I had sold myself short. As soon as I got the chance, I ordered a small drip coffee. When asked if I wanted cream and sugar, I said no. Nathan smiled and told the barista that I had to drink it black.
The Mile High Layer Cake, “a flourless chocolate cake layered with caramel mousse,” had ten layers of two contrasting textures. It was surprisingly mild, and not nearly as overpoweringly sweet as I had expected. It seemed to be the perfect dessert to pair with a robust coffee blend - accompanied by buerre naissette caramel, a slice of brülee banana, bailey’s ice cream, and a florentine cookie with crushed peanut. Nathan thoroughly enjoyed it, and appreciated the slight variations from the typical flavors.
The White Hot, Black Forest, was described as, “mocha pot de crème with hot vanilla anglaise pour, caramel French macaron, hazelnut ice cream, and espresso sauce.” I tried the ice cream first, and was surprised by its sweetness. At first taste, I thought it was not unlike a frozen cup of Nutella®, but Nathan thought it wasn’t quite that sweet, and I had to agree. The macaron was extremely sweet as well, but light and satisfyingly crunchy. I found the mocha pot de crème very difficult to describe. The bottom layer was cold, the middle layer warm, and the top layer of vanilla anglaise was hot. When at first I tasted it, I had to stop and think about it for a moment. When Nathan tasted it, he too sat speechless at first. It was very sweet, yet bitter from the dark mocha and espresso. I could not put words to the texture.. smoother than a custard, thicker than a sauce. Nathan described it best as being similar to ganache.
While eating dessert, my coffee arrived. I waited a little bit, trying to decide on the best time to take a sip. I finally decided it was kinda like getting a vaccination – better when you don’t know its coming. I was wrong. With the first quick taste, I cringed and whispered hoarsely, “I should have warned myself.” Nathan looked up, pausing mid-sentence, and the look on his face said it all. It might seem strange, but one of my favorite things about having company when I go out for coffee is seeing the look on someone else’s face when they see the look on mine. The surprised bemusement on his face told me that my distress and dislike were very obvious. If ever he wondered whether I truly hated coffee, he had no doubts at that moment. As hard as I try to hide it, when I am caught off-guard, I can’t control my facial expressions.
I immediately regretted ordering the coffee last. Having tried the sweetened latte and sugar-indulgent dessert first, I could not fairly judge the flavors of NOVO’s San Sebastian blend. I had ruined my palette, and my tonsils were fighting every drop. I found it very bitter, obtuse, and citrusy. Yet I knew it wasn’t the coffee’s fault. I’ve gotten so that I can tell when a coffee is well roasted, even if I can’t stand the taste. Although I have preferences between blends, NOVO has proven to be the best local roaster thus far - in my opinion. My inability to taste past the bitterness was unfair to the coffee, unfair to me, and unfair to the experience as a whole. I put the dessert aside and began to focus on the coffee – cleansing away the defiling sugar with every sip. Within a few minutes, other nuances began to surface. I still tasted the citrusy fruit flavor - which had a bit of a bite and continued into the aftertaste. For some reason, the flavor reminded me of un-ripened bananas. That was cradled in a robust, medium flavor with hints of caramelized nuttiness. I found it similar to other NOVO roasts that I tasted several months ago, but very much unique to itself. Just for fun, I later looked up the description of the San Sebastian roast: “medium body, molasses, dried cherry and walnut, malt finish.”
I’d have to say that this experience was one of my favorites thus far. I was reminded that my quest from the beginning was not just for the purpose of tasting coffee, but also to explore the coffee culture. I remembered that the impetus for beginning my quest was the desire to build a greater sense of community. Sitting there, enjoying the conversation, I realized once again that the best thing to have with your coffee is a friend.
Postscript. Crave Dessert Bar and Lounge has closed since the time of the original post. January 30, 2021
ORIGINAL COMMENTS
Nathan S., June 29, 2012 at 4:00 PM
Very well put as always. :)
Anonymous, June 30, 2012 at 12:19 AM
You are not a coffee sissy any more! Sipping black drip Novo coffee is big time courageous; you have earned a Brown Star for this blog! - Lonnie S.
Shawn, August 8, 2012 at 4:30 PM
I want to go there!
