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| - First Impressions:
I've gone the Indie Coffee Passport route each year that it's been available, and have found lots of interesting out-of-my-way places.
I must admit I would never had tried Rise without this impetus, and I'm kind of glad I did.
This year the Passport allows you one free beverage from each cafe's list of 6 specially chosen items, and I decided to try Rise's version of a Cortado with coconut milk, a combination I've never had before. The young lady in line before me highly recommended that I go for the coconut milk. She herself was picking up a coconut milk latte and was obviously a regular since she had a loyalty card that had just earned enough stamps to get her next latte free, and she was pretty pumped about that.
My Passport companion had the classic Cortado and he found it very enjoyable: a good true coffee taste that lingered long after the drink was done. Mine was intriguing and quite smooth, but I don't know that I'd go for the coconut milk again. Maybe I'd give it another try just to be sure, but my first impression was that it added no particular bounce. Overall, though, my Cortado was lightly creamy and very pleasant.
The cafe itself is quite compact with three swivel stools at the front counter and a small bench for two just outside if you'd like a breath of fresh air or, as was the case when I was there, a cigarette with your Bullitt [their name for a single-shot espresso].
There was interesting and timely promotional material for art shows and classes on the counter plus a wonderful huge piece of art on the side wall and a view of Dundas and Mutual to keep you occupied while you waited for your coffee.
Full disclosure: I hate sitting on bar stools, even wooden swivel ones with backs like these. I'm very uncoordinated plus too much of me hangs over the edge which all told makes for a very uncomfortable experience. But for those who don't mind, these were better than most.
The drink prices fell mostly around $3, from $1 for the aforementioned Bullitt to $5 for something extravagant, a mocha I think. The barista was helpful and friendly without being all chatty, and he took a great deal of care making each order.
All told, my first impression was that Rise is a low-key, quirky little cafe that has lots of ways to keep its local clientele happy and loyal.
3 1/2 stars, for sure.
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