INNOCENTI CAFFÈ, VIALE COLLI PORTUENSI 429, 00151 ROMA

Rating: Standard, normal Illy coffee served

This was a cute place to visit. It looked manicured to the last detail. It was chock full of stuff, but all in its place, neatly there. All the sweets looked really appetizing. The locale has a very small bar on the right hand side that has room for 3 or 4 people max. When I walked in it was all full, and I had to wait a second to get to the bar. Somehow, my dumb touristy gaze alerted the owner that I wasn’t there just to have a coffee and go. My smile was just too odd for him…

Either way, once I got to the bar, a very nice barista (there were two working) gave me this in return for my demanding a coffee:

Presentation: How nice, a chocolate, and not just some crappy chocolate, a Baratti & Milano dark chocolate. I was happy. The water came automatically, and it was cold, this was a nice touch. I think again, my smile made the owner look at me suspiciously. And then the fact that I photographed the damned coffee… that started to get his blood boiling…

Temperature of Cup: I think this was transmitted to the cup. It was scalding damned hot! I had to keep my calm and not take away the chocolate as I was under observation, any wrong move and I’d be kicked out of the place… at least I felt!

Quantity: It was a large Illy cup, and I felt the quantity was a bit abundant. But this was OK, I preferred a bit more in this context.

Temperature: The temperature was scalding hot, I had to wait yet another minute, and try not to stare too much at their coffee machine, as I was being observed like a hawk from my left side…

Volume/Consistency: This was a thick espresso. It was chalky, and hot, and tarry.

Crema: Crema was darker than the picture lets on, it was on the thin side, uniform and not persistent. It didn’t have any body to it, as you’ll see in the final picture.

Odor: Just deeply roasted coffee. It was there, very faint, but there, I will admit.

Taste: This was a very very dark tasting espresso. Very strong, and I think with the cold glass of water it went well. And had the damned saucer and cup not been so hot, I could have had it with the chocolate as well.

Overall: A very very bitter, yet not rancid esperience that was strong as hell. Yet, it lacked a particular oily quality to it that i’ve had with other great Illy experiences (here on the Colli Portuensi avenue there’s another great coffee house squirting out good Illy coffee… stay tuned for Spartaco Caffè).

So the setup: So as with all the Illy brewers, I was able to make out that the espresso machine was a La Cimbali M39 and the grinder I’m sure was the same brand. The coffee being brewed, as we see was Illy.

So yes, once I took these last two pictures, the owner felt that it was too much. He walked to me and said, very politely, that I was being extremely rude and uneducated by taking pictures without having asked his permission… he said next time, to ask. I said, of course.

So the guy turned out to be a nice person, more educated than I was, and that’s always nice, to learn from others. Yet, when I was outside I realized that the chocolate was completely melted … ugh I thought.

Innocenti Caffè,

SRL Società unipersonale,

Dal 1970 Pasticcceria, Caffetteria, Rinfreschi.

Viale Colli Portuensi 429, 00151 Roma