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GRAN CAFFÈ QUIRINETTA, VIA MARCO MINGHETTI 2, 00187 ROMA
Rating: Standard, decent cup of coffee being served
The Gran Caffè Quirinetta (or Gran Caffè Quirino) sits right smack next to the Quirino theater, and it’s like two blocks away from the Fontana di Trevi. It’s not necessarily on a very busy street, but the theater, and its location are good. The interior, on a monday morning, was spartan, not full of lots of things, and very quiet. It’s not necessarily an inviting place because there’s lots of empty space that’s not used, and at the bar area you really can’t stand anywhere near the counter as the vitrines are round and don’t let you drink coffee there. So it’s a bit of a mystery why they use the space in this manner, maybe it’s because on theater nights it gets so packed that folks just need the space? Either way, the coffee was decent and that’s no small thing!
Asking for a coffee, next to an very nicely dressed Italian middle aged exec. like lady who was carrying a suitcase with, got me this response:
Presentation: A nice large still water was served immediately, no questions asked, and the barista was really attentive that the only two customers in the joint (the exec. and I) were in good hands.
Temperature of Cup: It was great temperature, could drink it right away.
Quantity: Super short shot, great start up to this point.
Temperature: Here I was not pleasantly surprised. I burnt my tongue on the coffee as it was hotter than I expected! Ouch!!!
Volume/Consistency: It was silky, had volume and body, and not watery. We’re doing good.
Crema: It was uniform, sandy looking, persistent, yet not too thick. It was not complex in any way, so it was good/bad at the same time. Looked solid.
Odor: What does that mean?
Taste: It was not rancid, it was very bitter, but done the right way. It was round, full and yet, cutting.
Overall: It was a very good solidly Roman espresso, it had all the qualities of a good Roman espresso. But what didn’t make it different was that it wasn’t oily, it wasn’t rich, nor complex in any way as I’ve had at other cafes in Rome. By the time I finished this, the exec cum suitcase lady had disappeared, and a group of 4 guys, also in suits walked in asking for coffee. Both the lady that was gone, and these four guys seemed to be regulars by the way the barista was interacting with them. Interesting.
The setup: They had a very nice Astoria three-group machine with a like grinder. It was a very good setup. The coffee being served is Gima Caffè, which is a Roman-based roaster and is usually brewed quite decently by the places I’ve had it at.
The interior of the bar was very large, with a really long cafe area, then towards the right a large eating area with tables. The thing that I found interesting was the vintage semi-deco decorations in the eating area. It is a cool place to go to after the theater, for sure!
Gran Caffè Quirinetta,
Iris S.R.L.
Via Marco Minghetti 2, 00187 Roma
