After reading a bunch of very solid reviews from some very reputable Yelpers, I decided to give Friends Bar and Bake Shop a try.
I ordered a large double wet cappuccino. The first thing I noticed was a dirty milk jug. It hadn't been cleaned since the last time (and probably the last several times) milk had been steamed in it, so there was dried milk caked on the edges. Yum!
Despite having a professional machine capable of steaming milk and pulling a shot at the same time, he decided to steam the milk first before even thinking about the espresso. He started steaming the milk, then went off to do something else -- and forgot about it. It was not only overflowing, but it was way over temperature. Over 160 degrees Fahrenheit, milk curdles and expands rapidly. Although that might SEEM like a way to make cappuccino foam, IT'S NOT.
By the time he moved on to pulling the shot, I wasn't even paying attention anymore. For all I know, he poured in a few ounces of his Tim Hortons double double.
I took the drink. Lucky for him I paid up front, so he got a tip. The milk was burnt and curdled, so although it was foamy, the sweetness of the milk was gone (i.e., cardboard foam). In fact, the milk was so hot that it burnt my tongue (a cappuccino is supposed to be served somewhere between warm and hot, but nowhere close to scalding like this drink was). The espresso was burnt, too. It wasn't bitter, though, so props to him I suppose.
I can forgive a bad drink or a grumpy barista, but I don't mess around when it comes to cleanliness. There's no way I'll be going back to Friends Cappuccino Bar.