Stumptown Coffee Roasters

Whilst waiting for the lineup at Voodoo Doughnut to die down, Viv and I headed up one block to Stumptown Roasters for some refreshment. Seattle has its Starbucks and Portland has its Stumptown. But most people would like to think of Stumptown as the anti-Starbucks. Whether that actually holds true or not, especially since Stumptown's corporate model seems a lot like Starbucks, there is indeed a difference. Just merely walking into a Stumptown location, you will notice that it's got this Bohemian thing going on. From the decor to the unique pieces of art on the walls, Stumptown does not have the slick, polished appearance of Starbucks. The location we visited was quite spacious; if not a bit too spacious. So few tables occupied the cavernous room which is a complete opposite of Starbucks. We particularly were fond of the plastic ducks chained to the washroom key. Despite being a real inconvenience while trying to open the door, the duck represents the attitude of Stumptown. It is what it is.

I'll be honest, I'm not much of a coffee aficionado, we'll save that distinction for Costanza and Vandelay. However, I do know what I like and what I do not like. In terms of Coffee, I do not like Starbucks. It's far too strong and bitter for tastes. Personally, the coffee seems a bit burnt-tasting. Not being a huge fan of black coffee, I went for the large Mocha. When they say large, it's pretty large. It came in a large pint glass. One sip and I was quite happy. It was neither bitter or burnt. Rather, the mocha was smooth and aromatic. This is how I like my coffee. Viv took a couple of sips and echoed the same sentiments. However, she did not really like her Queen's Ice Tea so much. She thought the flavours were too intense. I, on the other hand, enjoyed the chai flavour and ended up finishing it for her.

While enjoying our drinks, we admired the artwork, the ambiance and other people around us with DSLRs taking pictures of their drinks. Yah, we thought was odd too, it's usually just us! There was also a wall of magazines that people could peruse or purchase at the front of the store. A totally chill place to hang out before heading off to Voodoo Doughnuts!

The Good:
- Relaxing atmosphere
- Smooth coffee
- Not Starbucks?

The Bad:
- Haven't really thought of any