As Colonial-inspired restaurant Loyal Nine and its adjoining cafe were preparing to open in the spring of 2015, ideas for ways to round out guests’ experience started percolating. “Typically, you need electricity to do any form of coffee,” says cafe manager Lena Johnson. “But with siphon, because it uses the Bunsen burner, it’s electricity free.” Then came the light bulb moment: “Why not do it tableside?” Before wheeling over the after-dinner treat, servers grind beans and gather a thermometer, a timer and other tools for the five-minute process that has them fielding questions from excited onlookers. Says Johnson, “It’s like a science experiment at your table.”
-Dating back to the 19th century, the siphon combines two methods—immersion, as in a French press, and filter brewing, as with a V60—which lends a unique flavor profile. “You get those deep, rich flavors from that long-term contact with the coffee, as well as that clean, crisp feeling.”
-When a server appears, diners get a lesson in vacuum pressure. “As you boil the water, it rises to the top of the chamber,” Johnson explains. When the water reaches about 93 degrees Celsius, an exact amount of ground beans—here, 34 grams—is mixed in with the liquid and stirred twice. “When you cut the heat after a minute or so, the coffee then filters through.” Because there’s little transfer of heat, it’s piping hot, Johnson says.
-Loyal Nine’s guest roast program highlights a new purveyor, like Denver’s Huckleberry Roasters or Montreal’s Dispatch Coffee, every two months. “The philosophy is offering one coffee multiple ways, so you can decipher how the different methods bring out different flavors within the coffee,” Johnson says. Colorado’s Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters is on tap through November.
-Alongside their siphoned cup of joe, Johnson suggests diners order the four-days-in-the-making sourdough chocolate brewis. “It’s this super rich, chocolate-y bread pudding dish with all these textures and flavors. It’s kind of a show in and of itself because the server will come over and explain each topping as they pour it on.” Its many garnishes, sauces and housemade candies might include pumpkin seed brittle with smoked cayenne and toasted yeast streusel.
- -“This is a huge crowd-pleaser,” Johnson says of the theatrical brewing method. “It does require some attention to detail, but if you have a little bit of the knowledge and the interest, it’s totally possible to do on your own.” The cafe’s Japanese Hario brewer isn’t hard to track down, but her top tip for serving great coffee at home is to invest in a good grinder.
Loyal Nine 660 Cambridge St., Cambridge (617-945-2576) loyalninecambridge.com
Off the Carts
From baristas to bartenders, hospitality pros weigh in on tableside offerings you can roll out at your own holiday bash.
By Sarah Hagman | Photo Credit: Holly Rike | Nov. 11, 2016
Loyal Nine’s Coffee Cart
As Colonial-inspired restaurant Loyal Nine and its adjoining cafe were preparing to open in the spring of 2015, ideas for ways to round out guests’ experience started percolating. “Typically, you need electricity to do any form of coffee,” says cafe manager Lena Johnson. “But with siphon, because it uses the Bunsen burner, it’s electricity free.” Then came the light bulb moment: “Why not do it tableside?” Before wheeling over the after-dinner treat, servers grind beans and gather a thermometer, a timer and other tools for the five-minute process that has them fielding questions from excited onlookers. Says Johnson, “It’s like a science experiment at your table.”
-Dating back to the 19th century, the siphon combines two methods—immersion, as in a French press, and filter brewing, as with a V60—which lends a unique flavor profile. “You get those deep, rich flavors from that long-term contact with the coffee, as well as that clean, crisp feeling.”
-When a server appears, diners get a lesson in vacuum pressure. “As you boil the water, it rises to the top of the chamber,” Johnson explains. When the water reaches about 93 degrees Celsius, an exact amount of ground beans—here, 34 grams—is mixed in with the liquid and stirred twice. “When you cut the heat after a minute or so, the coffee then filters through.” Because there’s little transfer of heat, it’s piping hot, Johnson says.
-Loyal Nine’s guest roast program highlights a new purveyor, like Denver’s Huckleberry Roasters or Montreal’s Dispatch Coffee, every two months. “The philosophy is offering one coffee multiple ways, so you can decipher how the different methods bring out different flavors within the coffee,” Johnson says. Colorado’s Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters is on tap through November.
-Alongside their siphoned cup of joe, Johnson suggests diners order the four-days-in-the-making sourdough chocolate brewis. “It’s this super rich, chocolate-y bread pudding dish with all these textures and flavors. It’s kind of a show in and of itself because the server will come over and explain each topping as they pour it on.” Its many garnishes, sauces and housemade candies might include pumpkin seed brittle with smoked cayenne and toasted yeast streusel.
Loyal Nine 660 Cambridge St., Cambridge (617-945-2576) loyalninecambridge.com
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