Remember this documentary I raved about a few months ago? It’s a low budget thing this young woman did.
Well, it’s much more than an anti-Starbucks rant. It also documents the emergence of the “third wave coffee movement.” The first wave was Folgers and the like. The second wave was coffee houses and Starbucks capitalizing on the idea to spread it well beyond the borders of bohemianism. The third wave is represented by efforts like Blue Bottle Coffee, and Ritual Coffee Roasters, the latter of which was started by former Blue Bottle employees who may have pushed the standard even higher.
They have several coffee houses. I got to visit the one on Valencia Street in SF this morning. After their owners’ interview in the movie, and a subsequent interview on NPR, I thought there was no way that the product could match the hype.
As I drove through my old neighborhood on Valencia, noticing a plethora of coffee houses, each with a few customers, I could see as I approached Liberty Street a line coming out onto the sidwalk half a block up. I figured that I’d found the place, and I was right. By some miracle, I found a parking spot just around the corner of 21st Street – right up the block from the place. I walked back around and got into line.
The first thing I noticed was the smell wafting out through the door – the richest coffee smell I’ve encountered. They have a brewing operation in place, with funnels right up by the cash register, and the barristas hard at work constantly refilling the espresso machines – one drink at a time – although with the line in place I think they just keep loading them up rather than wait for orders.
I noticed something when I was waiting. It’s still very much a bohemian neighborhood – all the same artists and politicos taking in their java with deep conversations and all. But unlike the early 90s, some of them have reproduced. There was one couple, and two mothers each with kids. Smart kids too – infant to toddler, all expressing themselves with accute awareness of everything around them. Maybe it’s the coffee.
It was only a few minutes I had to wait in line, and there were actually open tables in the back section. I took my cappuchinno to the table and sat down. Yes, it was the best cappuchinno I’ve ever taken in. Actually, that doesn’t quite cut it. It was the only true cappuchinno I’ve taken in. Two years shy of 50 and I”ve just had my first cappuchinno.
It made me happy!
Seriously, next time you’re down there – give it a try! And then come back up here and demand from our local coffee houses that they contact this business and learn! The first one to do so will probably make a fortune.
…..
On to food. Let me say that I do not post negative restaurant reviews online. Not here. Not on Yelp. Nowhere.
The reason? I don’t want to be a mechanism that costs someone his/her livelihood. Period. If the food is bad, the market will deal with it. I don’t want to take a chance that my taste is merely different. I don’t want to take the chance that I was there on a bad day.
And today, I’m especially grateful for my policy.
After the coffee experience, I walked back to 17th and Valencia. El Toro’s is there on the corner. It’s one of the few good notions I kept from my high school days’ membership of the Socialist Workers Party, when I was introduced to the restaraunt. It’s a burrito bar, and they used to make them the size of footballs, almost literally. And it was delicious.
Most people don’t realize that the burrito as we know it is actually not from Mexico. It first appeared in the Mission District – marketed as a meal in a single tortilla. When you order them in Mexico you get something smaller and different. There are about four or five establishments which argue that they made the first big burrito, and perhaps there was some synchronicity involved (Kind of like Newton and Leibniz coming up with the calculus theorem simultaneously).
This place was my favorite for a couple of decades. Lots of filling options, and just good, with a line all day so that everything is fresh.
Now, I haven’t been to El Toro’s (or either of its sister establishments) for a few years now, because the last time I was there I was disappointed. The burrito I bought was very thin, and the flavor just wasn’t what I had remembered. It seemed like they had made all the ingredients early on, and the asada chicken seemed dried out like it had been sitting. The magic seemed gone.
So with great trepidation I walked there for another try. I was still giddy from my coffee experience, and didn’t want to experience a downer. But El Toro’s had been faithful to me for so many years. I had to give her another chance.
I wasn’t disappointed. The burrito wasn’t quite football sized, but bigger than the last time – and I only ate half of it as I’m into portion control these days. The food was cooking fresh, the lines were back, and they’ve upgraded with a salsa bar that includes about 8 different salsas both cooked and raw-chopped, and some fresh vegetables including radishes and peppers. Limes. And flame-roasted jalapenos!
And it was delicious. El Toro’s and I are an item once again!
Addendum: Eileen Hassi, owner of Ritual Coffee Roasters, contacted me by email to thank me for the compliments, but also to correct me. She nor the others on her team were ever Blue Bottle employees. I had bad information.
Also, Lucca’s is still open at 22nd. Sorry Robie.
And also, someone else informed me that El Toro is spelled with one “r” not two.
16 comments
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January 18, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Fred Mangels
Left my comment on the Humboldt Herald, although I meant to leave it here.
January 18, 2013 at 6:02 pm
Joshua
Hey Eric, living on 21st at Valencia- my, how things have changed in that neighborhood, in the 80′s we too remember those generous, affordable burritos at El Torro- and the variability, there was one time 28 (!?) years ago that we remember distinctly wondering if the chicken was actually stray dog. but that was then….
January 18, 2013 at 8:43 pm
Eric Kirk
Josh – yes, it’s much different.
January 19, 2013 at 8:11 am
robie tenorio
At Almquist in Arcata there are 2 young men who have started a “Craft” chocolate business, they are making it right there. They are being very ethical, organic, fair trade etc. It was really exciting to hear about how they do it all. Everything from restoring an old roaster (which is very beautiful) to learning how to make their wrappers. It seems similar to the coffee your speaking of. I was very impressed with these guys starting this type of business here in Humboldt County. And it was delicious.
It is always a treat to read about folks visiting the Mission. I grew up there and moved here long before the coffee house thing started. We used to go to Folsom and 20th for the best burrito. I don’t recall the name of the place, but they where big and yummy. What I do remember the name of is Casa Sanchez (24th st) that made fresh tortillas and chips. And Luccas (22nd & Valencia)for fochacia.
January 19, 2013 at 9:24 am
Eric Kirk
Robie, I’ll give them a try.
Unfortunately I don’t think Lucca’s is still there, but they may still have their North Beach branch open. Never went as far as Folsom for a burrito, but I’ll look the next time.
Katz’ Bagels is still on 16th near Valencia. They sold the one bagel that didn’t have my in-laws whining about how they missed the east coast.
The no-name sushi place is gone, as is the Hong Kong on Church Street which was a little place with lots of formica that sold the best Chinese-California cuisine anywhere. And I don’t even recognize 24th Street. My grandmother lived on 24th and Noe for years, and it was a working class community. Completely gentrified now, with the last straw being the replacement of Cala with Whole Foods.
However, there’s nothing glitzy about Ritual Coffee. It’s all about the coffee. The couches are worn. It’s comfortable, not pristine.
And Modern Times Bookstore is still there!
Oh, and Robie I owe you a phone call!
January 19, 2013 at 5:02 pm
Joshua
a coffee house in santa cruz in the late 80′s (before the earthquake) was making individual filter pours as ordered- the twist there was that they would assign you a picture- say an elephant, or Einstein, as a place marker and you would watch for the dripping to stop into your assigned cup. ahead of their time?
January 19, 2013 at 8:46 pm
spyrock
nice story about coffee. i stopped at a coffee shop in twain harte on the way to a family reunion last summer at long barn. i asked for the best coffee they had and the waiter said that thanksgiving coffee was the most popular coffee in the whole central sierra. their factory is in fort bragg, mendocino county. according to their owner, “Now we roast over 600,000 lbs of coffee yearly and employ 30 local residents that have received health and dental care, paid vacations, sick and maternity leave, and all major holidays with pay for the past 25 years. Half of our employees have worked at Thanksgiving Coffee Company for more than 15 years.” so i’m wondering why you are trying to insource your coffee from your old neighborhood back in the city. or maybe you just never heard of thanksgiving coffee or you just don’t belive in shopping locally or supporting local business.” i don’t really think that a line in the city is a valid indicator because they have lines wherever you go. just one of the reasons, i no longer live in the city. so rather than fight all the traffic and drive 4 hours back to your old neghborhood and wait another 30 minutes in line, just hop on over to ft. bragg for a cup. you might be glad you stayed local.
January 19, 2013 at 11:07 pm
Eric Kirk
spyrock – I don’t know if it’s the beans or their method of brewing or both. I buy Thanksgiving coffee and other local brands. I’ve probably been to a hundred coffee houses in my life, across the country, and had coffee in expensive restaurants. I’ve tried everything local. Most of it is very good.
I have never, never tasted anything like what I had Friday morning. It’s not just good coffee. It’s on a level I’ve never experienced. Anywhere.
There’s no point in my debating with you spyrock. You ask me “why” and all I can suggest is that you try it the next time you are down there. If you don’t feel the way I do about the experience, then come back here and tell me so. But I guarantee that once you’ve tried it, it will completely change your very concept of coffee.
Maybe this is what it’s like in Italy, I don’t know. And maybe Americans just never got it. Until now.
And I’ve waited in lines at Flavors and other local establishments. If what you’re selling is good, there are bound to be lines anywhere.
January 20, 2013 at 12:35 pm
Eric Kirk
Wikipedia on the “Mission District Style Burrito”
The origins of the San Francisco burrito, also known as a Mission-style burrito, can be traced back to Mission District taquerias of the 1960s and 1970s. This type of burrito is produced on a steam table assembly line, characterized by a large stuffed tortilla, wrapped in aluminum foil, which may include fillings such as carne asada (beef), Mexican style rice, whole beans (non refried), sour cream and light onion. Several theories account for the development of this style. It is thought that the original San Francisco-style burrito may have originated with farmworkers in the fields of the Central Valley, in Fresno and Stockton or with miners of the 19th century.[2][13]
Febronio Ontiveros claims to have offered the first retail burrito in San Francisco at El Faro (The Lighthouse) in 1961, a corner grocery store on Folsom Street. Ontiveros claims credit for inventing the “super burrito” style leading to the early development of the “San Francisco style”. This innovation involved adding rice, sour cream and guacamole to the standard meat, bean and cheese burrito.[13][14] The San Francisco burrito emerged as a regional culinary movement during the 1970s and 1980s. The popularity of San Francisco-style burritos has grown locally, with Mission Street taquerias like El Farolito, and nationally with chains such as Chipotle Mexican Grill,[15] Illegal Pete’s, Freebirds World Burrito, Qdoba, and Barberitos. In 1995, World Wrapps opened in San Francisco’s Marina District, bringing a burrito-inspired sandwich wrap style to the restaurant industry.[
January 20, 2013 at 3:48 pm
Anonymous
So the “San Francisco-style burrito” was first introduced to the public in… San Francisco. Gee whiz, I never would’ve guessed.
January 20, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Eric Kirk
The point being that the object most Americans identify as a “burrito” is precisely a “San Francisco-style burrito.”
January 20, 2013 at 10:09 pm
spyrock
maybe i will check it out.
the first coffe shop i ever went to was the blue unicorn on hayes in 65. i liked their tuna fish sandwiches on black rye bread with my coffee. it was the first hippie store in the haight. we saw a manequin with xmas lights on it in a store window in the spring of 66 on the haight just down from the b of a.
it turned out to be the psychedelic shop with the house of richard next door. they used to love to give me posters, then you had to beg them for one. i went over to valencia and 21st in the early 70′s. met a couple of poets who took me to berkeley to listen to some guy from chile recite his poetry. very cool area of sf way back then. so i will check it out
January 20, 2013 at 11:55 pm
Eric Kirk
Well, in the Spring of 66 I was living in the Haight, on Cole Street, just up from the panhandle. I know I was walking by then, but I doubt I was done with diapers.
January 21, 2013 at 7:11 pm
spyrock
we were the ones on skateboards, groovy and i coming down the big hill from the parking lot on top behind the haight, down the street, through the tunnel and over and around hippie hill. up clayton and down fulton to filthy foods almost every night and over by horny hill down the steep slope to mel’s on geary or through the park all the way to the beach. i think we were about the only ones riding skateboards there in those days. i lived mostly on clayton and next to the park on stanyon. we were younger than most of the people we would see that were attracted to that area for some reason early on.
January 24, 2013 at 10:41 pm
spyrock
i am the great grandson of john and laura simmerely who with john’s brother fred moved to spyrock from their ranch in covelo in the 1890′s, after a winter where they lost everything. 50 years later they owned over 12,000 acres from spyrock to nash, everything you see on the east side of iron peak mt. now, i can’t get beyond the locked gate. although, i have been invited by the current owners. whatever. i had a desire to see where we used to go swimming at shell rock creek where there were grinding bowls in the creekbed where the road crossed the creek. where a rattlesnake said hello to me at four years of age. a soul retreival kind of thing. something for a rattlesnake doctor to fix. so i became a rattlesnake doctor instead of trying to find my way past the locked gates.
February 17, 2013 at 11:21 pm
A Brave New Valencia Street « Sohum Parlance II
[...] few weeks ago I posted a positive review of Ritual Coffee, which has it’s flagship coffehouse on Valencia Street in San Francisco. I was there again [...]