Asado Coffee Roasters

Doing my bit for a small friendly start up:
Walking down Irving this weekend I noticed the little storefront and popped in. An inviting, cozy space, neither spartan nor horribly tzchokified. Quiet and just dark enough to feel like an oasis from the bright noisy street. Just a few small tables.
The proprietor is friendly without that Ancient Marriner garrulity that can afflict some owners of small new shops.
He imports and roasts his own beans from Ethiopia and Nicaragua. (At least that's what he had this weekend.) The drink menu is nicely focused on the basics (no cute names, no 8-ingredient combos), and he makes regular coffee through a cone, by the cup, to order.
I didn't test his espresso pulling prowess as I was in the mood for a regular mug of joe. So he may be able to recreate the Sistine Chapel ceiling in crema with a toothipick, or not.
The coffe of the day was the Ethiopian and it was very much as advertised on the board: velvety and chocolatey. Deep and with lots of coffee flavor, a hint of bitterness from the coffee, not from burning.
There is a small sandwich menu and I saw some muffins on the counter---just enough to have a little something with, but I'd say the focus is on the coffee.
I gather he may have overcome some serious obstacles to finally getting open. Just alluded to, didn't get any specifics, and they don't take plastic yet, though they will shortly, he says.
Prices were about $7/ 1/2 lb. as I recall. He didn't have any literature I could take with me.
There is also a (forgive my tech ignorance) hosted Web site, or blog spot out there. Google the name of the business and you can find it.
Certainly worth stopping in if you're in the area.

Asado Coffee Company
1432 W. Irving Park Rd.
Chicago, IL 60613
773-661-6530

This tiny little storefront is roasting small batches of fantastic coffee onsite in a very cool looking 12-kilo roaster that's just steps away from the counter. I bought a pound of beans roasted earlier that same day, and used my french press to make one of the richest, most luscious cups of coffee I've ever had. The mouthfeel of this coffee is full - almost creamy. The flavor is like deep, dark chocolate smoothed out with some nuttiness and quite mild acids. If you love coffee, check this place out.

Asado Coffee Co
1432 W. Irving Park Rd
(773) 661-6530

Your description is making me drool...my AeroPress'ed Trader Joe's Maragogype tastes all bitter & sour after reading it

Do you happen to remember offhand what they charge per pound? If it's reasonable, I could see taking a trip up to Irving Park & Southport every so often to stock up.

$14 per pound. Not cheap, but a very nice luxury. Also available by the half pound for 7.50, I believe.

More info here: http://www.asadocoffee.com/

Kennyz wrote:$14 per pound. Not cheap, but a very nice luxury. Also available by the half pound for 7.50, I believe.

Huh...that's actually somewhat doable, considering Trader Joe's charges $7-10/lb (except for Kona, which is $20/lb) for coffee that's decent, but not good enough to make me feel pumped about going to work.

LTH,

Positive posts on LTH and a telephonic reco by Pigmon led me to Asado, and damn happy I did. Friendly, if not particularly talkative, owner, impeccable, if small, space, terrific attention to detail and soft clear flavored house roasted coffee drip brewed to order.

Asado Coffe Co



In-House Roaster



Kevin Ashtari, owner



Mike Sula has an interesting Asado write up on the Reader web site.

Enjoy,
Gary

That's a really cool story in the Reader. Thanks to Gary for the link, and to Sula for the terrific piece. Heading back to Asado today,

Ignore the 7-6 hours posted on the website. Locked door and no sign of life at 7:30 this morning, and no one answering the phone at 8:25.

Kennyz wrote:Ignore the 7-6 hours posted on the website. Locked door and no sign of life at 7:30 this morning, and no one answering the phone at 8:25.

Web hours are incorrect Asado is open 8am to 7pm 7-days a week.

Note: When I called Asado to check the hours I mentioned the web site had incorrect info. I notice it has already been changed.

Wow, that's impressive! Literally 20 minutes ago it said 7-6. Thanks, Gary.

Kennyz wrote:Wow, that's impressive! Literally 20 minutes ago it said 7-6. Thanks, Gary.

Your eagle eye spotted the discrepancy, thank you.

I stopped by today and was a bit underwhelmed by the coffee. It's a strong, clear cup, but the single-origin Ugandan I tried isn't as complex as, say, a blend brewed on the clover at Intelligentsia. I much prefer the drip at my local coffee shop, The Coffee Studio. The paper filters Asado uses remove some of the flavorful oils from the coffee. And the Japanese vacuum pot I used at home makes more flavorful coffee, I'm sorry to say.

I really wanted to love this coffee, but I found it merely good, not great.

A cup of the day is $2, 18-hour cold-brewed iced coffee is $3.50 (!), and they serve cortados and hot chocolate. The barista told me they're experimenting with a DIY-version of Blue Bottle's siphon brewing bar. I'll be very interested to see that.

I admire the initiative behind the place, which was bright, clean, and pleasant, but I'll continue to buy from Intelligentsia on Tuesdays (when they offer $2 off beans), or Metropolis on Thursdays (their $2 off day).

fleurdesel wrote:I much prefer the drip at my local coffee shop, The Coffee Studio.

I tried a cup o joe at The Coffee Studio, a fine cup of coffee in a pleasant environment, but I was slightly surprised to see they purchased roasted beans from Intelligentsia. Last cup of coffee I had at Asado was made with beans ten minutes out of the roaster and was really quite an experience

Another coffee house worth checking out is Ispento, beans roasted in-house and choice of pour-over, brewed or French press along with the standard offerings.

Enjoy,
Gary

Ipsento
2035 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60647-7249
773-904-8177

Gary,

Your coffee at Asado was no doubt made from extremely fresh beans--probably no more than a day old, two at the very most. But Kevin at Asado lets his beans rest for 12 hours after roasting, as they continue to give off gases from the roasting process.

m'th'su wrote:Kevin at Asado lets his beans rest for 12 hours after roasting, as they continue to give off gases from the roasting process.

Mike,

I am fairly certain, at least that moment in time, the coffee was made with freshly roasted beans. Possibly they ran out and varied procedure. I can say with absolute certainty the bag o beans I took home was still warm to the touch from roasting.



Enjoy,
Gary

Huh. That's funny. He was pretty adamant about that.

You sure the beans he sold you were from the same batch with which he made your drink? He also sold me warm beans with the warning I shouldn't use them until the next morning.

m'th'su wrote:You sure the beans he sold you were from the same batch with which he made your drink?

Mike,

As I said a few posts up, "fairly certain" This was a week ago, right after the Asado media onslaught led by your article in the Reader, and it was my impression Kevin misjudged the impact it would have on business.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:As I said a few posts up, "fairly certain"

Just had a short conversation with Kevin of Asado and am now fairly certain the beans he made my cup of coffee with were not taken directly from the roaster.

Enjoy,
Gary

Visited Asado Coffee Roasters today with a friend who is an avid coffee drinker. Upon entering, you are immediately surrounded by the pleasant aroma of roasting coffee. My companion ordered the cafe con leche (espresso with steamed milk - $4) and I ordered the chocolate caliente (freshly melted chocolate in steamed milk, no coffee - $4). Both were beautifully presented in heavy, comfortable mugs with an intricate leaf design floating on top.

My companion said the flavor of her cafe con leche was a bit mild for her taste - she would have preferred a stronger brew, but it was all in all a good cup of coffee. (I have never acquired a taste for coffee so I'll have to rely on her report.)

We both agreed that the chocolate caliente was a fantastic rich indulgence - absolutely the best hot chocolate that I have ever enjoyed. Not too sweet, it was made with dark chocolate that did not entirely dissolve in the milk, so that there were little bits of shaved chocolate floating in the foamy milk.

The seating area is comfortable and we were able to linger over our drinks and enjoy our conversation. The gentleman running the roaster also graciously answered all our questions about the roasting process.

I had a rare Thursday off a couple of weeks ago, so I called up a friend and had her meet me at Asado. I had a Groupon and it seemed like a perfect day to use it. I had a cafe con leche and a ham & cheese croissant. My friend had a sage tea. I bought a half-pound of beans to take home. It was a pleasant way to spend part of my morning. I'm fairly unpicky about my coffee, but I really enjoyed the cafe con leche. My friend was intrigued with her tea never having had sage tea. It was definitely sage-y. If I find myself in the neighborhood again, I would stop by Asado. I enjoyed the coffee and the relaxed vibe.

-Mary

Asado has changed their pastry supplier almost as many times as their hours. They currently bring in donuts, danish, and croissants from Dinkel's. Dinkel's, in turn, now carries Asado coffee.

This is the best food and beverage news I've heard in a long time: Asado is now stocking pastries from the wonderful Ivy Uppercrust

I went by Asado this morning, and found the shop locked up tight, with a few newspapers on the doorstep. No notice posted. Most confusingly, the gutter outside was full of coffee beans. Their website is still up, with no news on the matter. I found this link:

http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2011/ ... r-more.php

The article links to a Facebook post which I can't view, but is said to state that the store was vandalized, and is shut "until further notice". I hope they are back on their feet soon!

Asado's Facebook profile states "We are expecting to relaunch by February, stay tuned." Here's hoping...

Went by Asado earlier today. They've been remodeling a bit -- the wooden tables have been replaced with a long, sparkly blue Formica bar. Also, the walls are now painted a bright blue. They only have one stool, but Kevin told me they were expecting them in soon.

Asado is one of my favorite roasters in the city (along with Intelligentsia and Dark Matter), and I will definitely continue purchasing their beans, but I thought the remodel didn't serve them well. It looks like it's trying to force slick modernism on what was once a very comfortable, almost rustic, environment.

I went to Asado yesterday as part of a bike and bean tour sponsored by REI. Our first stop was the Asado on Irving Park. Jeff went through the process with us and served an amazing cup of coffee. The espresso he pulled was the best I remember drinking. Friendly environment great coffee, it was the highlight of the tour. Intelligensia which was next, became my second favorite coffee.

http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2014/10/15/ask-geoffrey-1015

Made a trip down to the new loop location. It's cozy and hip, tucked away in its own world. I picked up a bag of coffee today that was still warm from being roasted a couple hours ago. I'm thrilled to have an option like this a block from my office!

I could hardly be happier with the new Asado in the Loop. First, because it's my favorite coffee in Chicago, and I too rarely get to the original shop on Irving Park or the Chicago Avenue location. Second, the building is an obscure Chicago landmark, lovingly restored. For years I wondered about the fate of the tiny building at 22 East Jackson, originally used as horse stables, that for a century following the Great Fire housed a succession of restaurants. When renovation of the two flanking buildings started a few years ago, I feared we had lost this tiny survivor from Chicago's past. Work on all three buildings is now complete and the results are better than I imagined possible. Walking on Jackson between Wabash and State it's easy to miss the old street, now properly renamed Pickwick Place, where Abson's English Chop House served their renowned mutton chops from 1871 until 1900.

In 1931, William McKay in the Chicago Daily Tribune wrote:You may still view the scene of Abson's delightful old chop house. Walk east on the north side of Jackson boulevard from State street. First you will cross the alley between State and Wabash. Trudge right along. Fifty feet further, and now look sharp!

The little building still stands (though whether it's technically the same structure it was in the 19th century is open to debate).



It's truly tiny—less than twenty feet square. More than four or five customers and it starts to feel crowded.



Pour overs are done at the back of the shop and espresso is pulled along the east wall. Three coffees are offered, roasted to different degrees. I had a pour over of the lightest, a Tanzanian peaberry. Simply the best coffee in recent memory, with nuances of flavor long lost in darker roasts. It's worth noting caffeine is also lost with roasting, so this cup provides a serious jolt.

Getting back to Abson's, how were those chops?

William McKay wrote:It was a matter of three quarters of an hour between the ordering and the service of Abson's chop, which came forth browned and glowing, a roast of mutton in miniature, larded with strips of bacon and veal kidneys tucked in here and there and held in place with wooden skewers binding the chop into oval form of plenteous proportions.

Asado Coffee Pickwick
22 E Jackson Blvd
Chicago
312-285-2786
http://www.asadocoffee.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Asadocoffee