I have visited Toronto on a several occasions, but Mercury was a café that I hadn't previously come across. The 'internet' promised me that this was a must-visit so, due to geography, this would be our first Toronto destination. I visited with my wife, already a quality coffee convert, and one of our best friends whom I hoped to convert from the heady heights of Tim Horton's by experiencing that pivotal coffee moment.
First Impressions
Mercury occupies a corner unit with fetching orange brickwork and, even under the grey skies of Toronto, it looked pretty good. It has a few seats outside (for when it's not -10) and plenty of seating inside - wooden tables and chairs, some stools at the window for people watching, the obligatory always in-demand single sofa - and lots of light, all contributing to quite a relaxed little indi-feeling café.
When we visited, there was a real mix of customers and, praise be, when I looked up at the menu behind the bar (chalkboard, of course) I was excited to see that it wasn't just an espresso establishment: it had a selection of filter coffee and brewing methods.
Need to Know: Mercury Espresso Bar
Coffee:
George Howell Terroir Coffee Co.,
Intelligentsia
Machine:
Synesso
Grinder:
Mahlkonig K30 Twin
Address:
915 Queen Street East,
Toronto, ON, M4M 1J4, 647 435 4779
Nearest Streetcar Stop:
Queen Street East at
Logan Avenue. Map me...
Hours: Mon-Fri: 06:30 - 20:00.
Sat: 07:30 - 20:00. Sun: 08:00 - 20:00.
Site: www.mercuryespresso.com
Details
I made my way to the bar with the aim of ordering a filter to share (softly, softly - it was going to be a long coffee day), and an apple cider for my wife. Mercury has a limited filter offering but matches the brewing method to each coffee on the menu - this can be a good move as you expect the brewing method to have been selected and tested to bring out the best in the coffee. The barista working the bar, as well as having an impressive 'tash, seemed to be pretty experienced and to know what he was talking about, so I felt a little safer in ordering a filter.
The baristas were talkative and friendly so the remaining, and some might argue, most important test, was the quality of the beverages.
Drinks
What was my coffee of choice, I hear you ask? I went for an Intelligentsia Ethiopia Yergacheffe DAMA Co-op that was being made with a syphon. I love Yergacheffe, and I thought it would be a great gateway coffee for my friend. But, as ever, even if you have great beans, the brewing has to be spot on. I'd like to say that I am experienced enough to be able to tell you what the exact cause of the problem with any given coffee is but I'm not - so, unfortunately, I can't tell you why the coffee was not up to scratch. What I can say is that it was bitter on the palate and continued to be that way even whilst cooling. I could get some hints of what the coffee should show like: vanilla & cocoa with soft lemon acidity, but it was overpowered by the bitterness.
This meant that the majority of the coffee lay un-drunk as we left but, as I went up to pay, it was mentioned that the usual grinder wasn't working and they had fallen back on to a previous one while waiting for it to be fixed. My advice? If you can't get it right with the backup grinder then take it off the menu. On a brighter note, the apple cider was great and perfect for the cold weather.
I didn't try the espresso, so I can't give any opinion. That being said, I did try Terroir espresso at other cafés and it's a pretty dark roast.
Conclusion
Despite the coffee, I found myself liking Mercury. It's relaxed, quite understated and has a nice layout. I'd go back and pay another visit, but I'd be sampling the espresso.
The biggest disappointment was not the quality of the coffee, but the fact that when I raised the issue, I was told it was an expected characteristic. If this was given to someone trying a quality coffee for the first time, it would surely have them running back to Tim's for a drip coffee quicker than you can say double-double.
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