We're all over that

Not always the newest :(

Our Latest Year

• Cutting edge innovations in food preparation techniques
• newest recipes, outlandish colors
• texture and taste to make you faint!

Well not exactly, but we've done alright just laying low and shooting for adequate. I mean the food is great, but actually having it here and fresh 5 days a week and not fucking things up feels like a major triumph.

Take it Walkin'

They look something like this.

Our to-go coffee cups are starting to circulate and we are reaching new people all the time. It's not merely the latest bad habit to infect the Southern Cone, it's mad convenient to get a coffee in a sturdy, paper cup with a proper sip-top on-the-run. People are starting to get the hang of it.

 We're back

Coffee Shop was on vacation from Dec. 22 until Jan. 15th (or so), 2014. We're back with the same menu although some prices have gone up a bit. Thanks for a great year, etc. and thanks to our crew and customers for not just coming in, but for supporting, encouraging and validating the Coffee Shop way of life. It's no bullshit.

Work for Food

As ever, if you are staying in Mvd. for an extended period, speak English and Spanish please stop by or mail us at info@coffeeshop.com.uy to see about a job. Experience in food preparation is a plus, good attitude a must. Here's an example of the kind of thing we appreciate. I wish this guy would apply here.
http://9gag.com/gag/azbjDAB
The pay is quite modest, but there are other considerations. Come in and we'll talk about it.

End of an Era

Coffee Shop says goodbye (for now?) to our good friend and loyal customer Dangerous Dave Ellis who's moved on in his travels to explore life in Columbia. It's the care free, rolling stone of a life we'd all try if we could.

The higher the fewer

 Best of luck and we hope he rambles this way again soon.

Chocolate Chip or Die

 Coffee Life

The song "Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight" with Alejandro Escovedo joining Ryan Adams on vocals is twangy and a good fit here at the Coffee Shop.


Ryan Adams is in fact featured on a regular basis at Coffee Shop and for good reason.  I have little and less control of the algorithm that randomizes my playlists and some days RA is every other song and it's alright. I lean toward his stuff with the Cardinals, but the early Whiskeytown stuff can be great.

coffeeshop.com.uy

Our website is "under construction" which of course means it doesn't exist.

It is in the works and I envision a world where everything is not done by the book and you know what  book I mean. (hint: social media time-suck)

We'll include links to good finds in music; news or tour info. Whether to go back and find out about something you've heard at CS or share something from your collection, it will be easy place to find sanity for your ears. For now that information will be here and that social media slog until the site in finished. Our page is here. Go there if you must.

Meanwhile....

I don't mind saying that I have this friend named Becky.

I don't see her that often, but when I do it's clear that we're wild about each other. I think we have a connection.

Maybe it's best if Lola doesn't know.

Current Playlist

1. Angus & Julia Stone
2. Ben Harper
3. Cold Specks
4. Gillian Welch
5. Hungry Kids of Hungry
6. Nick Cave
7. Powderfinger
8. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
9. Louden Wainwright III
10. Thin Lizzy

Just to name a few.

Stay tuned.......

Thanks for reading.

This Year in Coffee

Well, we've made our first year. Derecho de Piso is like 'paying your dues' and so it goes.
We've done it with assorted helpers, great support from the community and a sharing of the load with our family.

Passed through were; Augie, Santiago, Don and now Andrew are learing the trade while they help.

Eight Years

Cecelia, Mono, Luca, Vincent - we couldn't do without you either.

So many new friends; Dave, Kelly, Francios, Katie and Jack just to name a few. Some I haven't even got the name, pero igual, it's all good.
We get so much love, it's almost wrong to charge.


The place hasn't changed much, but behind the scenes we are working hard to impove it.
We've made better friends of our landlord and hope this next year is a new beginning.



 We have outside umbrellas now (from sparkling water provider) to jazz up the front a bit.

There are paper to-go cups in the works (I know, I know they really are coming!) and there will be a cold case up front soon, for easy access for things ready to take away .

fruity

scary

happy

Stay tuned, we are working like little beavers to make Coffee Shop a place you won't want to be away from long.

Thanks to everyone for helping to make our dream come true.

Doc Ellis: loyal and loved

 "What's a Coffee Shop?"

We get all kinds of requests at Coffee Shop; sometimes complete with a menu from a coffee shop in Holland.

Request duly noted.

Warmer days, things speed up at Coffee Shop

Busier every day, more or less.
We have our moments of chaos punctuating quiet spells, but even those grow fewer by the month. Happily we are finding a place in the neighborhood...in the economy? Vamos arriba.

Segafredo - great coffee, but at price.

 This was one of our first machines and although Segafredo has been efficiently replacing them, they ultimately fail. We've never been a half hour without one (thank the stars for that!) to their credit, but I  believe we're ready for the big leagues. Come on 'fredo.
Notice Janine's posture as the guy explains how this one will be different.

Brownies, Bagels and Bulls**t

 No complaints on the brownies. I do believe  they're about the best in town. Try one and see.

 We're making bagel sandwiches now.  Not everybody has an overwhelming desire for bagels (not yet) and I get few orders for one as a bagelwich.


I've been eating most of them so far.

Most times it's toasted with cream cheese. I'm happy to oblige.

We're in a pitched battle with our landlord over maintenance. We've poured too much blood, sweat and tears (not to mention dollars) into this place to take crap from an out of town owner with little interest in us other than collecting rent.
I know with our transformation of the space he'd just as soon see us gone.

Don't worry folks, that's not likely.

Not likely at all.

Bagels. You heard right, BAGELS !

 Coffee Shop has bagels!

 Recently we've been buying medialunas (croissants) from a French baker. No joke, he's really French and medialunas have reached new heights here.

 

 

original medialunas

He's making us like these little ones that are a sort of snack and to the larger ones we add ham and cheese. Medialunas Rellenas are a hot ticket and customers are glad to find them.







Our baker was willing to give bagels a try. He's never had one.
I know.
I don't know how many tries it took him, but by the third batch brought here they are nearing perfection.
I think the recipe's a good one, the baker a genius, good water and we are nearly sea-level, so there you have it.

Try one for yourself. Visit the menu at www.coffeeshop.com.uy for everything else we have.

 Mucha Leche Away

Augie, we hardly knew ye. Well, I'm sure we've only knicked the surface.

After an outstanding term here, our pal (as well as assistant manager) has moved on. Not easy saying goodbye to an employee like that. Especially when he'll be coming in all the time anyway.

So it's with heavy heart we bid Sr. Leche farewell, for the time being that is.


Please leave a comment.

The Lesser the Fuller

Life's busy at Coffee Shop.
It takes a lot of hours to create the appearance of easy going tranquility.

You relax with a lemon bar, I'm going over here to loose my mind thank you.

"                    "

Quote of the Day - not as popular as the Soup of the Day, but we keep trying to say something about something all the time. Add yours, at your peril.

There has been; Roasted Red Pepper, Cream Spinache, Squash/Ginger, French Onion, and shown here Papa y Puerro (Potato/Leek). They are yummy and we never seem to make enough.

All specials do well in Mvd, people love a bargain. It's good middle ground: please try my food and I'll make it a better deal.

"I'm detective Gonzalez, Intergalactic Space Agency and you're in big trouble buddy". Maybe he said 'Lady'?

Or put your own caption to this photo of our charming regular and friend Christian Serron. He builds web platforms and sites and generally knows everything.
Sorry ladies, he's taken. And sorry to all the dudes as well, Hell's Bells- he's handsome! I know, right?

Rolling Thunder

 The weather has been blustery; cold and sometimes windy. I'd hate to be biking it around town (yeah, that's the reason I don't bike around town) or even motoring as with CS standard Andrew Lim (L). He's driving a sweet Red Vespa, but likely freezing much of the time.










Montevideo continues to churn up sunny afternoons, idiotic political ideas and a populace more optimistic than it lets on or should be really. Why is everyone so nice here when there's so much wrong going on in this world?

Please come and do the research yourself. Stop by for a coffee if you can.

Peace.

not making sense now

thanks for reading.....

El Tigre del Fuego

He came, he saw, he coffeed.

  
Sanitago was as so many very good things; too good to last. Added to our tiny staff mere weeks ago, he'd only just mastered the place when a job offer (in his trained field, graphic design) came along.
We knew it deep down, the guys got talent. Also a member of the up-and-coming band The Bear Season, Check out their newly released video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoA5L3C0ePg&feature=youtu.be (or it should appear below). It's clear the sky's the limit for 'El Tigre'. We know he'll be dropping in frequently on his rise to the top.

Sopa!

The weather is cold and wet lately. Precisely why we've added soup to the menu.
Calabaza/Jengibre (Pumpkin/Ginger), Arvejas/Menta (Pea/Mint) and Zanahoria (Carrot), just to name a few. There's a new one every day. Get a half sandwich and soup for $120.

Burritos and Quesadillas continue to win hearts every week. Not particularly adventurous concerning food choice, Uruguayos need some coercing. We tempt and they fall, easy.

Tarte Tatin is edging out our standard Apple Pie lately, but this could be a fad. You know, like French things can be.

Augie (Mucha Leche, don't ask) still working hard despite his busy schedule. He and his friend and Coffee Shop regular Andrew run an English Language Institute called MVD English. They teach business and conversational English to a variety of profesionals and things seem to be going well for them.

Let it go already

Still plenty of activity on the street, mainly some utility tearing it up again. You should have seen these guys unrolling this tube. Clearly letting go was not an option.
It's a nice refuge in here from the mist, the noise and the crush of it all.


Come on in, we've got just the thing.

Ordenar Aqui

 Coffee Shop is growing a bit.


We've added a member to our troop; Augie (aka. Augustin) is an American raised by Uruguayos back in the US. So he shuttles between Spanish and English easily, which works for me and an increasing amount of customers.







We have been getting loads of foreigners and Yanquis top the list. It's can be weird, the mix of languages all talking at once.
We are getting an international following and that is just fine.

 Augie took these amazing photos of CS.

 It looks so big here. We only have 26 seats and four more outside.

 The 'ORDENAR AQUI' sign is kind of new. This is my last attempt at creating old looking signage. I'm calling in an expert.....Holly get down here!

This guys's got talent. The place does not even look this good.

Right side.

All is well in Coffetown.

The long road

All good at CS.
The weather in Montevideo is cooling rapidly, but we have some warm days still happening.

This past week was SEMANA TOURISMO or Holy Week and we were open just Mon., Tue., and Wednesday. That was plenty. By that time it was pretty quiet Here in Uruguay tm. 

Lately, a new friend has been dropping in and letting fly with his music.

This is Dave McIntyre.

He's and ex-pat and an incredible artist; painting murals, etching, whatever! 
He's just completed the score for an independent film and his laid-back style fits right in here. I want to post a link to his site. I'm looking for it, wait. Wait. Stay tuned for that one.
I'll see if I can get his music posted as well.
Friendly, bluesy (Jack Johnson meets Joe Cocker) he has a raspy, very seasoned voice. This guy's been there and back.
He's promised to play more at Coffee Shop, I'll be sure to post when he does.

Apple Pie still rules the roost here. Nothing we make typifies the place better.

It's hard to make the transition to baking in quantity. Every time a pie sells out we are amazed.

Everytime.

See you there.

Eat Here Now

I think I remember a place in Manhattan with that name. Could have been just a sign, but I rember liking it.
There's a Chinese truck here called GO NOW. Same deal, keep it simple.

Here's what you do and by the way, do it now.


Meanwhile at Coffee Shop, we've got a test run of maybe 10 menus going.
They look good.
CEBRA Comunicación Visual, a local design group is making my design notions into handy pamphlets, signs and now a menu. All the proper lay-out of everything seen so far at CS is from these guys. Big shout out to Marcello, Camilo and the rest.
Also none of this is possible without Carlos Filgueira. We are friends with similar attachments...... 

That's his son Mauro with Vincent.







Groups are welcome so feel free to call and see if we can work something out. Coffee Shop (2) 708-8346.

Still working towards delivery. Any day now, so stay tuned.



We've had work friends and birthdays, all successful.

There's WiFi,  good music ( put it to a test )  and a relaxed atmosphere.

........and you can stay as long as you like.

See you then.

Mate, no.

                                                                                

If you time it right we can share one, but no we don't serve mate.

Still warm in Montevideo, downright hot many days, but nights can be cooler. 

When you see kids going back to school it can only mean one thing: playstation will get some rest. 

Or that fall is near.

Coffee Shop has some specials this week:

Quesadillas-tortillas de trigo relleno con queso, cebollas carmalizadas

 pollo o carne

                           - flour tortillas with melted cheese, caramalized onions and chicken or beef.

$110.

 Ensalada Remolacha- Remolachas relladas, verdes, queso azul y pasas.                                                  

-shredded beets, greens, blue cheese and raisens. yeah, raisens.

$120.

We just finished a month of a promotion "Medienda por Dos". A two for one special promoted by WooW. If you've ever gotten a query from Groupon you know how this is. 

Lots of new faces, lots of converts.

Ya'll come back and see us sometime, y'hear? 

Sweetie

Try our lemonade; freshly made everyday, a bit tart, not too sweet. It's been known to revive the weary passerby.

Our specials:

1. Sandwich or Salad + choice of drink + big cookie (chunky chocolate chip) $150
2. Espresso or Tea or Cortado + Brownie or Cake $70
3. Espresso or Tea or Cortado + Medialuna $50

COFFEE SHOP
 Blvd. Espana at Franzini
Monday thru Friday 10:30am - 8:30pm

Beat the Heat

..........and the crowds.

This is quiet time here in Mvd. 

A good opportunity to get some of the city's sweetest treats, with no hustle or bustle.

Stop by Coffee Shop. We're in Pocitos, on Blvd. Espana and Franzini, more or less.

Sandwiches/Salads/Burritos/Brownies/Blondies/Cakes

and more.

What's the hold up? See you there.

Have your own Coffee Shop !

This, or should I say any, job is never done for me. Of course there are actual, fairly substantial, original and necessary items still undone (think closet doors ) and the on-going attempts to control water in Mvd., but I could tinker with it endlessly.
I won't.

There's loads to learn about baking and keeping things fresh. This is not as tiring as carpentry, but close.
The down side: how fat are we gonna get?

Check this link to the last job; San Salvador  or if interested, some job photos from the US here.

Restored woodwork at San Salvador

The next Coffee Shop might be a commission, you never know.

Easy does it

The menu is a little limited for now, but we keep it fresh and full of what we have at the moment.

There's been very little drama over not having this or that. People do have a lot of questions though...

What exactly is a burrito?

A close friend living in Majorca is visiting. That's Cecilia Carambula in the center. The guy to her right is Fernando Gonzalez and knows Janine from Mvd. but then met  Cecilia while he was living in Majorca. He did not know they were connected until we bumped into him on the street not long ago.
Weird, right?
And now here they all are together.
Nice.

We're leaving this.

Luca is a big help.

Yes, we occasionally use child labor.
Guess who's exploiting whom?

Eat something or get out. Just kidding.

You can find us on Facebook if you do that, but I can't tell you how. Don't know.
Try this........http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coffee-Shop/309441182400077?sk=info, let me know how it works would someone?

Peace.