Kaladi Brothers Coffee, 1730 E. Evans Ave, Denver

I detect a touch of Bolivian bean in this Ethiopian/Guatemalan blend... And wow, I can really taste the Single Pass Fluidized processing on this...Is this Sivetz roasted? Oh God, it is... If this is plausibly something that might pass through your lips ever at any time, you've come to the right place: Extremely serious coffee for extremely serious coffee drinkers (though know-nothing coffee newbies and tea drinkers are invited too). A few blocks West of the University of Denver, Kaladi's (as it's frequently called) is *the* place for aficionado caffeine tripping. All of Kaladi Brothers' coffees are organic and Free Trade, which makes this venue an especially good choice for the socially-conscious sipper - and all of the employees are trained roasters too, so you know we're talking serious coffee-house. Atmosphere-wise, the place is kind of plain - pleasant, though not very much of one thing or another: An understated decor, and a somewhat small space overall, there are some tables, benches, and chairs (along with bar-and-barstools options) on the inside, and a couple of modest metal tables and chairs on the outside. People-wise, while you might find occasional students / profs working on laptops, you'll mostly find a fairly diverse bunch of patrons listening to i-Pods, reading newspapers, and some others just hanging out and talking. Not really a hotspot for meeting-and-greeting, and probably not the best choice for a solo afternoon of dark-mooded, beret-wearing cafe brooding, it's an absolute must-visit for the serious coffee-gourmand looking for a serious gourmet caffeine experience. And while you're here, check out the DU campus just a few blocks away with all its awesome newly-constructed copper-coated architecture.

Review by: Sarah Pessin

Posted: Sunday, November 20, 2005