The Trimethyldioxypurist Gets It Right the Second Time
The coffee at Phil'z is, in fact, the star of the show here, so let's skip straight to the conclusion:
It's like drinking "green." It's vibrant, a little raw, and really just . . . different. Strong, but not oppressively so. Pungent. Piny through the middle; a nice, fresh finish.
Perhaps some elucidation is in order. Perhaps we should go back to the beginning.
The scene: SFist corporate headquarters, two weeks ago.
"Did you go to Phil'z on Folsom and 24th, like I suggested?"
This was SFist editor Jackson West talking. His suggestion about Phil'z was the closest thing we'd had to an actual assignment, so we took it.
"How'd you find it?" he asked.
"Good, fine, a little weak," we responded. "The mint leaf was a nice touch, but I'd rather the coffee itself be the star of the show, ya know?"
He gave us a look as if we'd just whipped out a Family Research Council membership card.
"What. Did. You. Order?" he asked.
"Latte."
"Ah." He shrugged. That explained it.
Seems we were supposed to order something a bit less pedestrian. After all, Phil'z tagline being "one cup at a time," it appears the drip coffee is the way to go. Usually we pick up on these things -- after all, we drank espresso at "the west coast birthplace of espresso," didn't we? But, yeah, your Trimethyldioxypurist screwed up.
Incorporate into the mission statement: "order appropriately."
So, another weekend, another 40 minutes on the bus back to the Potrero/Mission-ish area, and back to Phil'z coffee -- the recommended way.
The place is simple -- no frills, really, it's as much of a neighborhood market as anything else, with bulk goods, wines, imported items, and other sundries.
While it may not be built for hanging out, there are a few places to sit; the folks behind the counter are extremely friendly.
So, this time we ordered "The Turkish."
And, man, it's good.
A recap, if you don't recall from the first paragraph: green, vibrant, strong, piny, fresh. Really different. Probably has something to do with the cardamom mixed in the ground beans. Probably has even more to with the obvious quality of the beans, which in their storage case are practically dripping with delightful trimethyldioxypurin oils. Said beans, by the way, are available in bulk in many blends.
To compare with our ever-changing benchmarks: if Blue Bottle is "coffee the way it should be," perhaps Phil'z -- or at least the Turkish -- is "coffee as you didn't know it could be."
Okay, so should you take a cross-town bus (especially with the bullshit that is MUNI these days) just to grab a cup of Phil'z?
Well, sure. Not as an every day thing, but once you're there you're sure to enjoy it. If you live nearby, or are meeting people in that part of town, however, we'd urge you to incorporate Phil'z as part of your plans, if you want to enjoy one of the nicest, freshest, and most vibrant cups of joe in the city.
Oh, and that fresh mint leaf? A very nice touch.
Apologies to Mr. West for causing handcramps.