Being the complete coffee junkie that I am, no site of mine would be complete without commentary about my favourite coffee place (yes, there will be a review of my favourite martini place too, but that will come later).

Once upon a time, in land far, far away there existed a coffee house that was the namesake of a famous French poet/writer. The land to which I am referring is Stratford, Ontario, and the famous writer is Honore de Balzac.

For a very long time, I had been coveting the opportunity to try this coffee. I had heard such wonderful things about it, but just never found the time to drive out to Stratford. And quite honestly, if I told my friends that I was driving out to Stratford for a cup of coffee, they would think I was insane (little do they know, that's not far from the truth). However, to maintain the appearance of sanity, I have had to supress the urge and placate my curiosity by satisfying my caffeine cravings at more local haunts.

Then along came the day when they ran an article in the Toronto Star announcing the arrival of Balzac's Coffee in Toronto (no, I don't have the reference information, but if someone does and would like to share it with me, please, by all means....). This was a joyous occassion. I was over-joyed at the thought of trying this coffee. And if it truly fulfills all my expectations, then it's I'd be even happier since it will be readily available sans a one-hour drive out into the middle of nowhere.

Balzac's Coffee (Toronto) is located in the new revamped Distillery Historical District.

If you like indie décor and funky artwork, you will love this place. It's got the heavy wooden door that's a bitch to open if you don't bench press at least 20 lbs on a regular basis, and the largest, gawdiest chandelier you've ever seen. The vaulting ceiling and funky indoor-second floor balcony that you see upon entering also add to the establishment's unique indie flair.

Service was friendlier than the assembly line at Starbucks, and the place in general just did not have that manufactured, insincere sterility. It was absolutely fantastic. After picking up my extra-hot skimmed milk latte at the end of the bar, I head upstairs to grab a seat on the funky wicker couches. They've got cushions (which is very important when you've got wicker furniture) and they were showcasing 3-d photographic art. I can't remember who the artist was (lost the business card) and they're not being showcased anymore so I can't even give the guy/girl a plug. Oh well. They're showcasing different art now, so it really shouldn't matter.

Balzac's is very urban and industrial and basically has the look of the loft that I so desperately want. The bare brick, exposed ducts and minimalistic furniture is just inexplicably soothing and relaxing. I love going there to sip my coffee and write my stories. It's a very inspiring atmosphere.

But what it all comes down to is the coffee. On my various visits, I have tried three different drinks. To ensure that I was all-inclusive, I ordered one iced coffee, one expresso drink, and one drip coffee.

Their Iced Mocha Frappe (or whatever it's called, I forgot) is probably the best I've ever had. It's not as sweet as its Starbucks equivalent and has a hint of the bitter dark chocolate that I love. Definitely a drink to order on a hot summer day. It was also perfectly blended (no ice chunks) and went down with a smooth and velvety texture. Sorry IceCap, you just can't compete with this baby.

This has to be one of the few places that truly understands what is meant by an "extra hot" Caffe Latte. Of all the establishments with a fully-equipped coffee bar that I've visited, only a disappointingly select few have understood the term "extra hot". Neither Starbucks nor Démetres ever makes my latte hot enough, but they all tell me "that *is* extra hot". As if I wouldn't know what I meant by extra hot. phhht! I guess I could complain that this latte wasn't strong enough, but they got the temperature right and it close to "strong enough" so I'll let it go. Marché still makes the best lattes and café au laits, but they're also overcharging for them.

What can I say? Balzac's Blend is by far, one of the best house blends I've ever had. I only drink drip coffee when I'm in a rush or excessively poor, but this is probably the one drip coffee that I would drink by choice. Tim Horton's makes good drip coffee too, but not *this* good. One sip of this will send you to caffeine nirvana. I felt relaxed and energized all at once. Defintely good for getting the literary creative juices flowing. I'm getting all worked up just thinking about it. It's a good strong-to-medium roast and doesn't have any after taste (very important). It gives you all the dark roast flavour without the expresso-induced shaking. Thank goodness this place is really just a stones throw away from my house.

Balzac's Coffee is definitely a positive addition to my neighbourhood's neighbourhood (not exactly close enough to say that it's in my neighbourhood). The ambiance, the coffee, and the friendly happy service means that it's not unreasonable to find me there on a dreary afternoon sipping a cup of joe with a good book or scribbling in my notebook. If I'm not reading a great literary work, I'll probably be there writing one. Definitely a place to check out.

Final rating is:

Service
Ambiance
Coffee

Their website is: The Distillery District's Link for Balzac's Coffee.