Phoenix Food Blog

​'Tis the season for coffee shops to start peddling their holiday flavors. Christmas shoppers looking to stay wired while standing in long lines will be running for peppermint, pumpkin, and apple spice-flavored caffeine concoctions. 

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is one of many java outlets offering seasonal drinks. I wanted to try the ice-blended Spiced Pumpkin drink, which is what I ordered at the Tatum & Shea location, because it looked like a yummy frozen treat. But after the baristas mistakenly gave my ice-blended drink to the woman behind me who ordered an iced apple spice latte, I ended up with an iced Pumpkin latte instead of the frozen blend.

Despite not being what I ordered, the iced Pumpkin latte was pretty good. It was very flavorful, and tastes rather like the liquid center of a pumpkin pie. The pungent, heady roast flavor of espresso was apparent, as well. The sweetness is almost overwhelming; there's definitely no need to add sugar to offset any bitterness.

The energy boost was pretty typical for a 16 ounce latte containing around 80-120 mg of caffeine. I felt awake, and maybe even a little queasy from the sugar rush. All in all, the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Spiced Pumpkin latte is a decent attempt at holiday flavor, but Starbucks still has better blends.

People who'd like to try the Coffee Bean's holiday blends for free are invited to do so at participating locations on Thursday, November 12, from 4 to 8 p.m. (Heck, maybe I'll even try getting the iced Pumpkin blend again that day). Visit www.coffeebean.com for more information. 

 

E. Groves

​Since it was introduced in 1985, Jolt Cola's had a well-deserved reputation as one of the world's most caffeinated sodas, proudly standing by its motto of "All the sugar and twice the caffeine" -- at least until the cane sugar in the original recipe was replaced with high fructose corn syrup. Now the tag line is "All the flavor and twice the caffeine."

And oh, how many flavors Jolt has added to its line since its birth 24 years ago. There's Cherry Bomb, Citrus Climax, White Lightning, Red Eye, Electric Blue, and our favorite, Orange Blast. The latter is a Jolt energy drink, and it's in one of those aluminum cans with the cap design, which means it's vacuum-sealed and super-carbonated, and will hiss and emit cold steam when you unscrew it. Now, that's how an energy drink should be!

The blend in the Jolt Orange Blast includes Taurine, Ginseng, a Vitamin B-complex, and natural caffeine from Guarana. There are also 26 grams of sugar per serving, and two servings per 16 ounce can. That's quite a sugar rush.

Yes, this drink will hop you up even more than Jolt Cola, and it tastes better, too -- rather like extra sweet orange soda. This one's recommended for hardcore energy drink fiends; it's certainly not for the faint of heart.

 

E. Groves

​There are seemingly a gazillion energy drinks on the market, loaded with sugars and artificial flavors and colors. And while we're fans of the sweet stuff, sometimes we like to try and get a boost without all the artificial additives. Hence, the appeal of a product like Guru, a "100% Natural Energy Drink."

The ingredients include sparkling water, white grape juice concentrate, cane juice concentrate, and lemon juice concentrate, along with a blend of herbs including things like ginseng, Echinacea, and Ginkgo biloba leaf. The caffeine comes from 125 mg of guarana. That description sounds more like a recipe for herbal tea than a carbonated energy drink, but Guru tastes surprisingly like a fruity berry soda.

As for the energy rush, it's decent enough if you're going to ride a bicycle for miles, play some basketball, or do some other healthy physical activity, but with only 22g of sugar, it's not a mighty mental stimulant at all. That's okay. The purpose of an energy drink is to provide energy, rather than just alertness, and Guru's a good choice for people who want to try an energy drink that's not loaded with carbs.

​

The human sense of smell is one of our strongest survival tools. Without our olfactory perception, we might eat rotten food, not shower for days, and fart in church. We are biologically engineered with the ability to deduct that something that smells like crap probably tastes like crap, too.

I almost didn't want to take a sip when I first opened a bottle of Knetic Energy, an energy drink made by England-based Prospect Beverages that's supposedly really popular in the Middle East. The smell was thick and cheesy, and my first thought was, "This is going to taste like ass." 

To my pleasant surprise, it didn't taste that bad. The flavor was rather like a really syrupy peach soda that's gone half-flat -- not exactly delicious, but more than tolerable. I was able to finish the bottle.

Knetic Energy contains caffeine from guarana, though the exact amount is not listed on the bottle, and there is no Taurine in the drink. So while this drink is competing in a market with beverages like Red Bull, its composition is quite different -- made from natural plants and tea extracts (hence, the funky, earthy smell), not bursting with B-vitamins and amino acids. The result is that Knetic Energy provides an energy "boost" no more substantial than a caffeinated soda. That wouldn't be so bad if the drink tasted better, but we're going to follow our noses to the next product.  

E. Groves

​
Anybody who ever attended a LAN party has seen Bawls, the Guarana-based drink of choice for geeks. This is a reputation Bawls clearly embraces, as they named one of their concoctions "G33K B33R."

G33K B33R is a high-octane root beer that tastes great, like old time Sarsparilla. And the energy rush is unbelievable, packing 100 mg of caffeine from the Guarana plant. But don't call it an "energy drink" -- unlike most energy drinks, Bawls G33K B33R contains no B vitamins. It's not designed to give people energy so much as just wire them awake for whatever purpose (usually video game marathons). This drink goes straight to the heart and head, slightly increasing the pulse and peeling the eyes open like a bottle of Vick's VapoRub under the eye. It's an intense feeling that sticks with you for at least two hours. It's perfect for getting your game on, cleaning your house, and maybe even kicking crack.

E. Groves

​The Xyience Xenergy drink is "the official energy drink" of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). That factoid, combined with all the "x" references in the brand (as in "extreme," we assume), had us thinking that this drink was gonna either majorly kick our asses or help us kick some major ass.

Unfortunately, it did neither. Usually, we don't mind if a drink touted as some sort of super-charged elixir doesn't live up to its hype, so long as it tastes good.

But taste is not a virtue with the Xyience Xenergy drink. Blame the taste of aspartame. These sugar-free drinks won't tell you they have aspartame in them (because aspartame has gotten such a bad rap as an artificial sweetener), but a look at the label reveals the presence of "acesulfame potassium," which is similar to aspartame, and leaves the same bitter aftertaste.

There aren't too many variations of Red Bull drinks we haven't tried. The seminal energy drink seems to blend well with just about any kind of booze, which makes for the equivalent of a liquid speed ball.

But what if you just want the Red Bull energy boost? You could drink it straight from the can, but Dutch Bros. coffee offers a tasty, frozen variation that's perfect for Phoenix's hot, sunny days.

E. Groves

​Dutch Bros. Red Bull Smoothie
4 West Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85013
602-214-3576
www.dutchbros.com

There's not much to the recipe for the Red Bull Smoothie -- basically, it's one eight-ounce can of Red Bull, blended with ice into a slushy consistency. Dutch Bros. also allows patrons to pick a flavor shot for their Red Bull Smoothie. We went with the blackberry shot, which lent an extra sweet, syrupy kick to the drink. Overall, the energy boost from the smoothie (which really is more of a slushy) is more intense than just drinking a can of Red Bull, for two reasons: 1) there's extra sugar in the smoothie if you get a flavor shot, and 2) it tastes so yummy that sipping is not an option. So while you might be able to nurse a can of Red Bull for hours, this drink will disappear down your throat straightaway. We give Dutch Bros. an A+ for this fruity, cold, energy-boosting goodness.

​"This might make hair grow on your chest," the bald barista at Mocha Bianca tells me, as he prepares a mix of coffee and espresso he calls the "Depth Charger."

"Of course," he continues, rubbing his smooth dome, "It hasn't worked on my head yet."

Mocha Bianca is just a few miles from where I've lived in northwest Phoenix for the past eight years. Surprisingly, I didn't even know the place existed until my girlfriend noticed it on a drive to my local KFC last week. It's tucked inside a strip mall between a liquor store and a Burger King, adjacent to Paradise Valley High School and across the street from a hospital. It's definitely not the kind of prime location Starbucks always moves into. But somehow, Mocha Bianca has survived its inconspicuous presence in an obscure strip mall.

E. Groves

The El Salvador

​"What's your specialty drink?" and "What's the most caffeinated coffee you carry?" are pretty common questions at a coffee shop. Usually, baristas will give a specific answer: at Cartel Coffee Lab in Tempe, they recommended the iced toddy. At Gold Bar Espresso in Tempe, we were encouraged to try the Mocha Especiale.

But at Village Coffee Roastery in Scottsdale, asking "What's the most caffeinated coffee you carry?" netted the answer: "It's always just gonna be coffee." Um, okay, well, "Do you have a recommended house blend?"

The answer was something along the lines of how they have several house blends on drip, it's all self-serve, and there are different blends on the counter at different times. I was then handed a cup and left to my own devices. So much for friendly, informative service.

Thankfully, the ambiance and coffee at Village Coffee Roastery made up for the barista's lack of enthusiasm.

So what, exactly, is the "Coffee Conspiracy" at Conspire coffee house in downtown Phoenix? We can let you in on one thing -- this offbeat mom-and-pop shop uses the house blend of Tempe's Cartel Coffee Lab for its brews, so CenPho folks can enjoy Cartel's heady roast blends without having to drive to the east Valley. But Conspire is more than just coffee -- as we pointed out in this week's cover story on freegans, the coffee shop also serves as a hangout for neo-hippies, local artists, anarchists, and reluctant hipsters. The front of the shop contains a variety of boutique clothing and locally-designed goods, including artwork, jewelry, and a collection of buttons. The back of the shop houses the anarchist library, where patrons can read up on everything from Reagan economics to space exploration, or take advantage of the community computer and Wi-Fi.

But this is about the coffee, right? We couldn't resist the Chai Latte.

Conspire (The Coffee Conspiracy): Chai Latte
901 N. 5th Street
602-237-5446
www.myspace.com/conspirephoenix

Conspire owner John Sagasta often makes this himself, hand-mixing the ingredients (chai tea, cinnamon, cloves). It's heavy on the nutmeg and the soy, which means it's rich and heavy on flavor, too, with a spicy kick that sticks with you after each sip. In fact, the drink might be too heavy for a morning pick-me-up -- it's more like a dessert in a recycled plastic cup. But fret not -- there are plenty of other high-octane beverages on the menu, including espressos that can curl nose hairs and flavorful iced mochas. Whatever your poison, Conspire's probably got it, and they've got plenty of stuff to stare at while you're waiting for your order.   

Coffee Rush's plain house blend is good, but its menu brims with such decadent flavors that anyone with a sweet tooth would be hard-pressed to just "plain Jane" it here -- caramel macchiatos, coconut mochas, tiramisu mochas, and caramel nut lattes beckon the caffeine consumer beyond just black coffee. It's a dive worth taking even for dieters, because most of Coffee Rush's flavorful brews are available in sugar-free versions.

We ordered a cherry mocha at the Chandler location. Coffee Rush has a location in Gilbert, too, but we're partial to Chandler because of its "lake side" patio. And we're especially partial to their cherry mocha now.

Mama Java's has the good fortune of being close to several other cool businesses. It's across the street from Hazelwood's, should patrons decide they'd like to sing karaoke and get drunk after coffee, and it's in the same strip mall as the Book Gallery, should patrons decide they'd like to peruse more books than the two shelves full that Mama Java offers for your reading pleasure. But if it's just coffee and a laid-back cafe atmosphere you're looking for, Mama Java's does the trick all on its own. The cool decor comes courtesy of paintings by  local artists, and coffee drinkers can also kick back on black leather couches and enjoy live acoustic music from the stage. But how's the brew? We tried Mama Java's house blend this week.

E. Groves

​Mama Java's House Blend
3619 E. Indian School Road
602-840-5282
www.mamajavascoffeehouse.com

Mama Java's House Blend is very aromatic and packs a deep-roasted punch that's heavy on both caffeine and bitterness. The blend's so strong that even though it's a slow-drip coffee, it smells as if there were a few shots of espresso in the cup. Black coffee drinkers would probably love the headiness of the house blend, but those who like their brews a bit sweeter will definitely go running for the sugar and cream, and will want to use lots of both.
  

If you can drive just 20 feet past the Starbucks in the Basha's Plaza on the northeast corner of Southern and McClintock in Tempe, you'll find another gem of a coffee house in the same shopping center: Gold Bar Espresso. This cozy little corner shop touts itself as "simply the choice of the connoisseur," and its menu reflects an appeal to coffee snobs: lattes, cappuccinos, granitas, and breves are available alongside steamed hot chocolates, chai teas, and Italian sodas. Not only is every Gold Bar Espresso house coffee made with Allann Bros. beans from Oregon, but the whipped cream is homemade, too, with baristas whipping up a fresh batch from Entner-Stuart syrups every other day.

The ambiance inside Gold Bar Espresso is low-key and comfy. Ruby-red artisan drapes hang over the windows, sheer enough to let the sunshine in, and patrons can seat themselves in iron-backed chairs and pound away at their laptops on the coffee house's free Wi-Fi. Gold Bar Espresso also hosts live music on weekends, with jazz, classical, and acoustic guitar as the predominant styles.

We were already looking lustfully at the ingredients in the Mocha Especiale when the barista told us that it was Gold Bar Espresso's signature drink, so we had to try it.

Joe Johnston

The FAEMA E-61 espresso machine at the E-61 Espresso Bar in Liberty Market.

The FAEMA E-61 was a revolution in espresso when it was presented in 1961. It represented the sleek design ushered in with the 60s -- and introduced the new technology that made espresso better for good.

Today, there is an E-61 machine operating right here in the Valley -- at the E-61 Espresso Bar at the Liberty Market in Gilbert -- and it is turning 45. Yes, that machine has been churning out gorgeous Italian espresso in cafes from Milan to Arizona since it was built in Italy on July 22, 1965.

In honor of the event, restauranteur Joe Johnston and the good folks at

Joe Johnston

Liberty Market will be serving up steaming cups of classic, Italian drinks from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. at the E-61 Espresso Bar in Liberty Market, 230 N. Gilbert Rd. Head on down and enjoy an espresso, macchiato or cappuccino, on the house.

All we know is, we're looking forward to its 50th.

There's something about old, recycled gas stations we just love. Maybe it's the quaint feel of days gone by, or the security of being surrounded by hearty brick-and-mortar, but whatever it is, Copper Star Coffee's got the cute, indie coffee cafe vibe down pat. The place still features  gas pumps in the drive-thru area, and the interior is a cool mix of gray brick and burgundy-red furniture. Original paintings by local artists adorn the walls, and the menu includes a variety of hot and cold drinks, pastries, and sandwiches. This week, we tried the Coconut Mocha (iced, of course).

Copper Star Coffee's Coconut Mocha
4220 N. 7th Avenue
602-266-2136
www.copperstarcoffee.com

The first thing we noticed about the iced Coconut Mocha were the streaks of dark chocolate syrup striped throughout the drink. Not surprisingly, the mocha itself tasted strongly of chocolate -- more chocolate than coconut. Actually, we couldn't taste coconut in the drink at all, though we watched them put coconut syrup in it. Maybe they just went a little overboard with the chocolate, but the overall end effect was a mocha that tasted like a piece of coffee nip candy covered in chocolate. The brew was very rich and sweet, and we got a subsequent energy boost from the blend of coffee and sugar, but as with any sugar rush, there was a crash, too. What we wouldn't give for a cold, fresh coconut right now.

Even if you don't live in Tempe, free coffee might be enough of a reason to go a little out of your way today...especially if you're as over-caffeinated as we are.

Dutch Bros. Coffee is opening a fifth location in Tempe today, at the corner of Mill Ave. and Southern -- and, in honor of the occasion, they are offering free drinks all day. Looks like this Oregon chain is making its mark in the Valley, one free, windmilled cup of coffee at a time. No complaints here!

Anybody who's ever been to La Grande Orange Grocery in Arcadia knows that parking is pretty tight at this super hip organic grocery/deli/coffee shop, as well as the surrounding high-end hipster restaurants like Il Postino and Radio Milano. There's sometimes even less room inside La Grande Orange, where multiple lines often wind around food, tables, and novelty gift displays. The grocery stays crowded for good reason -- even if space is at a premium, the food and caffeinated beverages are top-notch and worth giving up a little wiggle room. This week, we hit La Grande Orange's coffee counter to try the Green Tea Smoothie and a new addition to the grocery's beverage list: homemade chai latte.

La Grande Orange Grocery's Green Tea Smoothie and Iced Chai Latte
4410 N. 40th Street
602-840-7777
www.lagrandeorangegrocery.com

E. Groves

Drinks Up: La Grande Orange Grocery's iced chai latte (left) and Green Tea Smoothie (right).

The first thing one notices about the Green Tea Smoothie is its fruity green color, but there's nothing fruity tasting about the beverage. It tastes just like quality hot green tea, with an earthy, fresh leaf flavor, but is blended to a cold, smooth consistency on par with a thin milkshake. There's a slight sweetness to the smoothie, reminiscent of a touch of honey in hot tea. Final analysis: the Green Tea Smoothie is mm-mm-good, even if it doesn't provide a noticeable caffeine rush.

The homemade chai latte is one of two new kick starter drinks on La Grande Orange's menu (the other is their version of the iced toddy), and it's almost too tasty for its own good. The blend of Darjeeling tea, ginger, spices, and vanilla is so smooth, sweet, and subtle that we almost chugged the drink after a single sip. We managed to stretch our enjoyment out to a full ten minutes, and now we're waiting for the ice in our empty cup to melt, so we can drink that too. The chai gives a nice, comfortable pick-me-up effect, as well.

The charming Lola Coffee shop on Central Avenue shares a similar ambiance with hip hangouts like Lola Tapas and Lux -- lots of comfortable chairs and couches, magazines laying about, Wi-Fi access, smooth and unobtrusive music (often jazz) in the background, and good-looking people absorbed in laptops or philosophical conversations (or both). The laid-back vibe comes courtesy of Lola Coffee creator Daniel Wayne, formerly of the aforementioned Lola Tapas and Lux. But while Lola Coffee shares a groove with its creators' other hot spots, it serves up its own kind of unique, caffeinated kicks -- like the quadruple-shot espresso.

Lola Coffee: Quadruple-Shot Espresso
4700 N. Central Ave.
602-265-5652

The quadruple espresso, with a blueberry muffin and rosemary shortbread on the side.

One's heart rate could increase just watching this drink being made. Four shots of espresso -- all dark and frothy at the top, are slow-brewed into shot glasses and then dumped into a cup. The pure quadruple-shot espresso is dark brown, like muddy water, and smells so strongly of deep coffee roast that the scent can perk up nose hairs. We added a teaspoon or so of sugar to our uber-espresso, and about a 1/4 cup of half and half creamer. The drink was still very heady and bitter, and nursing didn't work. Our quadruple-espresso was sipped dry in about an hour, and two large glasses of water (thankfully, complimentary with lemon, in a pitcher over by the coffee straws) were needed to sate our thirst. But for caffeinated kicks, this monster brew does the trick. With an estimated 300 mg of caffeine (more than three times that of a can of Red Bull), this is one high-octane, ass kickin' drink.

Locally-owned Jolta Java's beverage menu reads like a wish list for sugar freaks: caramel espresso blends, fruity tropical teas, Italian sodas, smoothies, and whipped cream on pretty much anything you want. We decided to combine our quest for caffeine with a massive sugar rush by ordering Jolta Java's Mexican Joltachino (with a slice of the store's homemade coffee cake on the side).

Jolta Java: Mexican Joltachino
14418 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
480-607-7771
www.joltajava.com

The Joltachino is basically espresso blended with ice, and topped with whipped cream. Patrons can choose from six flavors: Mocha, Mexican, Caramel, White Chocolate, Vanilla, and Green Tea. The Mexican blend has a spicy edge, combining nutmeg and cinnamon flavors for a taste similar to a Horchata, but a bit richer. Jolta Java blends their Joltachinos smooth, but it has the consistency of a milkshake. With an estimated 75 mg of caffeine in a 16 ounce Joltachino, the drink's caffeine content isn't as high as some other coffees, but the mountains of sugar and whipped cream give the brew a substantial boost, and could easily amp up the casual consumer.

Cartel Coffee Lab sits in a cozy little cove behind East Side Records in Tempe, and the ambiance of the place is half the fun. Comfy couches, second-hand art tables, and black and white drawings adorn the walls, along with a plethora of handmade signs that say things like "Hang up your cell phone while ordering or we'll call in The Raptors!"

The coffee selection is pretty cool, too -- patrons can pick from coffees made with beans from El Salvador and Guatemala to fresh-brewed Brazilian-bean Black Market Espresso and Costa Rican peaberry blends. Naturally, we asked for Cartel's most caffeinated coffee. We got the Iced Toddy.

E. Groves

 
Cartel Coffee Lab: Iced Toddy
225 W. University Drive, Suite 101, Tempe
480-225-3899
www.cartelcoffeelab.com

Take some fresh South American coffee beans, grind them, soak them in cold water for 24 hours, filter, and serve with a smile. That's Cartel Coffee Lab's recipe for their Iced Toddy. The result of this cold-brew process is a concentrated coffee that's less bitter than its traditionally-brewed counterpart because it's lower in acidity. According to the barista at Cartel, who was very educated and enthusiastic about their Toddy, the process also leaves a potent amount of caffeine in the drink. The flavor was indeed very mild and semi-sweet, even before we added sugar and syrup. And with an estimated 100-120 mg of caffeine, the Iced Toddy provided a substantial pick-me-up. The caffeine kick wasn't overwhelming, but it was steady and subtle enough to make us avoid more caffeinated drinks for the rest of the day.

E. Groves

Unlimited Coffee is a quaint little coffee and pastry shop on Glendale Avenue, just north of Seventh Street. Their menu includes scones, croissants, brownies, teas, and of course, coffee galore. We asked them for their most caffeinated brew, and they gave us a large "Black Eye." It turned out to be a half-liter of pure adrenaline.

Unlimited Coffee's Black Eye (Iced)
741 E. Glendale Ave.
602-252-1200
www.unlimitedcoffee.com

Just got the skinny from chef Joshua Hebert that Posh is rolling out a special $35, four-course prix fixe dinner that will be available all summer long, from 5 to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

If you're not familiar with Posh, go back and read my review from February. The restaurant's novel concept is "improvisational cuisine," with multi-course dinners that Hebert custom tailors to each customer's wishes. You get a "checklist" of likes and dislikes to fill out, and then the kitchen runs with it.

Nothing stays the same at this ephemeral, seasonal spot, but lately Hebert says he's been dishing up figs, wild mushrooms, peas, local stonefruit, kangaroo, softshells, alligator, veal cheeks, sustainable Chilean sea bass, popcorn soup, potato chip pasta, and more.

Popcorn soup? Potato chip pasta?

Consider me very curious . . .

 

Things are not as they appear with the Abu Abed Energy Drink. Looking at the can, which is covered in Arabic writing, gives the impression that this drink is perhaps a Middle Eastern import (we picked ours up at Lee Lee's supermarket in Mesa, which sells food and drinks from various parts of the world). But the drink is actually made by the "Abu Abed Beverage Co." in Lake Forest, CA. And in case you're wondering who Abu Abed is, he's a popular Lebanese cartoon character known throughout the Arabic world for his fumbling and failures.

But is the Abu Abed energy drink a failure? Let's break it down.

Abu Abed Energy Drink (Orange Flavor)

Looks like: A colorful aluminum can covered in Arabic writing. The jovial image of Abu Abed winking at us from under his Fez indicates this drink should be fun to consume and buzz off.

Smells like: Baby aspirin.

Tastes like: Carbonated Tang, or orange soda that's gone slightly flat. The fruity citrus flavor is similar to that of the popular NOS and 180 energy drinks.

Caffeine and other contents: An 8.5 ounce can contains 80 mg of caffeine, the same amount as an 8 ounce can of Red Bull. There's also 266 mg of Taurine, which is only 16 mg less than the amount of Taurine in a Red Bull.  As usual, there's a bunch of B vitamins in the blend, too (160% of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin B2, 90% RDA of B6 and B12, and 110% RDA of Niacin), which is the standard energy drink recipe. But the drink also contains the dreaded Tartrazine, a.k.a. Yellow No. 5, a synthetic dye also used heavily in Mountain Dew. Rumors abounded a few years ago that the dye caused problems with male potency. Those claims have never been substantiated by the FDA, but the dye does cause more allergic reactions than any other azo dye used in food and drink.

Caffeine kick: Decent. The buzz is about as strong as what you'd get from drinking a Red Bull, but not as sustained. Two cans might do the trick better than one, but then you might as well just buy a 16 ounce energy drink.

Cup O'Karma coffee shop in Mesa has always been a popular hangout for East Valley hipsters, and for good cause: portions of every coffee and tea sale go to the National Advocacy & Training Network, a human rights organization that works to end domestic violence and sexual assault. But while buying coffee here can give you warm philanthropic fuzzies, how are the actual belly washers? We tried the shop's Iced Chai Frappe.


Cup O'Karma's Iced Chai Frappe

Looks like: Very creamy, beige coffee.

Smells like: Well, a spicy Chai tea.

Tastes like: This blend of Chai was extremely potent and spicy, filled with the sharp taste of cloves. There was only about a shot of tea mixed with almost a full glass of milk, so we can only imagine how strong an uncut blend would be. But while the milk helps offset the spiciness, it also makes the drink much heavier and creamier, which makes it less than ideal for a hot day.

Caffeine and other contents: While this Chai blend is caffeinated, it's not on par with high octane drinks. There's an estimated 60-80 mg of caffeine in here, which is about the same (or less) as a Red Bull.

Caffeine kick: Decent, but nothing to get jittery about. The energy boost lasts about 30 minutes if this drink is chugged, and is subtle enough to slip by unnoticed if you're sipping.

This week's Caffiend starts with a couple of caveats: 1) We bought this Mana Energy Potion at Hot Topic, and 2) We were warned to drink only half of the 1.6 ounce bottle. We raise the first point because if an energy supplement is available at Hot Topic, it's supposed to be "edgy" and "extreme." And it turns out that the "drink half" warnings had little to do with the energy boost of the drink and more to do with the uh, continence boost that comes from shooting the whole bottle.

Mana Energy Potion

E. Groves

Looks like: Windex in a tiny plastic genie bottle.

Smells like: Windex with sugar added.

Tastes like: Ever drank one of those blue Otter pops in its liquid form? That's what this tastes like, but much more potent.

Caffeine and other contents: The exact amount of caffeine isn't listed on the bottle. Caffeine is included in the 2 grams of "energy potion," which also includes Phenylalanine and Taurine. Other ingredients in this brew include 32 mg of vitamin B6 and an enzyme blend.

Caffeine kick: Rather unimpressive, considering the hype and the price (this shot costs more than a full 16 ounce energy drink). We chased our shot with a Monster and were ready for a nap. Where's the buzz?

It's going to hit 90 in the next couple of days; doesn't some gelato sound good right about now?

That's what Yaron Cohen is hoping. The Israeli native and his Argentinian relative, Leo Faria, just opened their new shop, The Gelato Maker, last weekend. The two trained in a gelato shop in Barcelona, Spain, before starting the business. Now, they're serving up freshly made, preservative-free frozen treats made in a glass-framed kitchen, so customers can watch the magic happen.

There are 32 diffferent flavors, and some pretty novel ones among them. Think mojito with fresh mint leaves, spicy chocolate, royal chestnut, avocado (!!!), and crema catalana, made with cinnamon, eggs, and caramel.

Head over between 2 and 5 p.m. on weekdays for their "happy hour" and get half off. A good way to indulge in twice as much gelato, I think! 

The shop is located next to Goldie's Sports Bar at 10135 E. Via Linda in Scottsdale, and is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (to 11 on Fridays and Saturdays). Call 480-767-2287 for info. 

I've knocked back many a fine glass of Malbec at NOCA, and enjoyed some great cocktails there, too (like Hendrick's gin with a spherical ice cube and a carafe of tonic).

But it turns out that the restaurant's food also goes really well with beer.

To prove the point, they've done the exhaustive "research" of tasting all of Four Peaks' brews and coming up with a killer menu to pair with half a dozen beers.

Wagyu pastrami with Hop Knot IPA, anyone? Yep, you know you want it. Get a look at this: Four_Peaks_Tasting_Menu.doc

The six-course dinner takes place next Thursday, April 23, and is $85 (including beer pairings). Call 602-956-6622 for reservations. 

You know a coffee company's out to serve up ass-whooping drinks when their menu includes beverages named things like the "Annihilator" and "Double Torture." Dutch Bros. -- an upstart company with drive-thru locations in Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, and other southwestern states -- seems to have made it the company's mission to serve high-octane coffees that kick the crap out of other brands. This week, we tried one of Dutch Bros.' more extreme-sounding coffees, the ER-911. The brew is available hot or iced, and since it's hotter than a whore's bottom on a lake of fire in Phoenix right now, we went with the iced version. (By the way, we hit up the location on east Bell Road, but there's also a Dutch Bros. drive-thru being built at Central and Camelback).

Dutch Bros. ER-911

Looks like: Pretty standard, creamy brown iced coffee.

Smells like: A bag of fresh coffee grounds.

Tastes like: A potent, rich Irish cream coffee blend.

Caffeine and other contents: There are six shots of three-bean Irish cream espresso in the blend, which packs a massive caffeine wallop -- one 1.5 ounce shot of espresso contains roughly 77 mg of caffeine, so we're looking at about 462 mg of caffeine in a 20 ounce cup of ER-911. The coffee also contains the Dutch Bros.' super-secret "Kick Me Mix," which we can't find any information about anywhere because, well, it's secret.

Caffeine kick: Substantial, even for someone with a high caffeine tolerance. Drinking just half of the 20 ounce ER-911 within a two hour period provides a noticeable boost in mental alertness and could probably make some people shaky. But if good taste and an almost overwhelming energy boost is your bag, dig in!

Monster is one of the most popular energy drinks on the market. The brand offers a plethora of flavors, including coffee-flavored energy drinks like the Java Monster Loca Moca.

 Looks like: A big ol' can of whoop ass.

Smells like: Sugar-laden espresso.

Tastes like: Chocolate coffee with an extra sweet kick.

Caffeine and other contents: About 140 mg per 16 ounce can. That's 60 mg more caffeine than an 8 ounce Red Bull. The product is supposed to contain half the caffeine of a cup of coffee, but seems about the same.

Caffeine kick: Pretty intense. The rush is a combination caffeine/sugar rush that lasts a good hour or so after consumption.