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| - It's no secret that Markham has an espresso drought. A search on Yelp will display Dou Patisserie & Cafe, Aroma Espresso Bar and Second Cup as the top three "best espresso" contenders in the region.
After a long soul-wrenching search, my friend and I had finally landed at Bodira Cafe and Fine Foods. Bodira Cafe is a neighbourhood gem. Coffees are crafted in the Mercedes-Benz equivalent of Espresso Machine. The owner, Sebastian is a coffee concierge. He mixes and roasts the beans for the espresso in house. Ann, Sebastian's lovely wife shares his passion for coffee and conversations. Together they opened Bodira Cafe.
It was 9:00 AM in the morning. We were greeted warmly by Ann, the moment we stepped into the store. Ann suggested we try her infamous cannoli. With slight hesitation (as we had no intention to have cannoli for breakfast), we complied. We ended up ordering a cappuccino, a latte and a cannoli to share.
Our coffee was crafted carefully by Ann. The coffee did not disappoint. It was a great relief from the long Markham coffee drought. We thoroughly enjoyed our drinks - the aroma, the acidity, and the flavor. The classic Sicilian cannoli, for me was the highlight! I have had my fair share of top notch cannoli in Toronto. Bodira Cafe has officially taken over the crown in the GTA. The crisp exterior of the shell is filled with subtly sweet ricotta. It was the perfect contrast between textures and flavour - the hard and the soft, creaminess and crispness.
During our conversations, Ann discovers that my friend is a fellow coffee concierge. She insisted on offering my friend an espresso on the house. My friend purchased a bag of house roasted coffee after sampling the espresso. Upon paying for the coffee bean at the cash register, Sebastian offered my friend another cup of espresso on the house. My friend told Sebastian that his wife has already graciously served him a cup on the house. In response, Sebastian made a hand gesture, indicating that this cup will have four shots and whispered, "this will be better cause I make it differently" with a big smile.
Bodira Cafe is what I picture a visit to an Italian household would be like - warm Italian hospitality with generous hearts and delicious treats! Look forward to trying their arancini and addictives-free house-made gelato in the summer!
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