Paul Goldfinger photo. Odyssey. Main Avenue, Ocean Grove. 5/23. Blogfinger.net
Coffee time at the Odyssey. Making Paul’s espresso. Paul Goldfinger photo. 6/10/24
By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor, Blogfinger.net
6/10/24: I saw a lone bicyclist sipping an espresso at a table outside the Odyssey Coffee shop on Main Avenue in Ocean Grove. I asked him how it was. He said, “Excellent.”
So I went in and ordered one. It was bitter and warm, but tastes do vary. You probably have to trust that the barista–serious coffee crafting in a shop like this is complex. Yes? At home I like my coffee hot; I even heat the half and half.
I notice that this coffee shop is very popular. It was opened in 2018 with a great deal of promise.
The space is small, so I had no place to sit. I went outside. The cyclist was served his espresso in a white ceramic cup and saucer. Mine came in a little paper cup. I think that coffee drinks should be served in a proper cup. It affects the flavor; like wine.
The edibles were almost gone when I went late in the afternoon.
The woman behind the counter was unfriendly, but she was focused. The espresso cost $3.00 and change.
We also recently tried cappuccino there. It was luke warm, but as noted, maybe that is what baristas do.
A coffee shop experience involves more than just coffee: atmosphere is important.
We recall going to Venice many years ago. St. Mark’s Square had tables around the periphery. And there is a basilica and a palace. How could you not order espressos there? And how could it not be the best coffee you ever had? Well, it was $26.00 each, but what a memory! And my color photo of nuns made a Pfizer calendar.
Piazza St. Marks. Internet photo.
Every small town needs at least one good coffee shop. Such places have become cultural comfort stations in our society where you can chat, read, or fiddle with an iPhone or laptop. The Odyssey was very quiet when I went in even though all seats were taken. It is not an exuberant place, but maybe that mood is intentional.
The Internet reviews of the Odyssey are very complimentary.
Perhaps some regulars here might weigh in by clicking on comments below or send us an email to Blogfinger@verizon.net. If you want to do that, we hope you will sign in with your real name, but Anonymous, a Greek name, is acceptable.
There are at least four good coffee shops in Asbury. We have written about Volan, which I like, but it’s not to everybody’s taste. It’s like they shipped it, lock, stock and barrel from Greenwich Village.
ADDENDUM. The Odyssey Coffee Shop will be moving to 63 Main Avenue this winter, perhaps in March. The owner has grand plans and renewed promises.
The new location will be across the street at the former home of the Emporium, a clothing store. The building used to be a bank.
Joey, the owner, says from his lovely and erudite web site: ” We are doing so much more than merely moving Odyssey Coffee from 50 Main Avenue to this noble historic building. We are also taking the first steps toward creating a community center, and restoring this iconic classical structure into the heaven-meets-earth architectural wonder it was intended to be.”
LINK:
The new Odyssey promises to be a “heaven meets earth wonder”
We’re looking forward to the opening in 2025.
Don Julian and the Meadowlarks: From their album Street Corner Harmony:
And speaking of music, hopefully the new Odyssey fulfills its new promise and achieves fame and fortune. Maybe Rufus Wainwright will show up, “Putting on the Ritz:” This recording is from Carnegie Hall.
Hi Prosper. Thank you for your comments about my Odyssey post. It was one of my slice-of-life adventures in the Grove and was not intended to be a formal review. I thought it was a friendly and amusing post. Perhaps you will read it again to find the positives.
I like the idea of Odyssey and I have been following the goals stated by Joey. Odysseus took over ten years for his travels, so we wish Joey well as he strives to achieve his goals in his new habitat—Odyssey V 2.0.
I will be eager to experience his new abode which was once a bank and then a schmatta emporium.
The new Odyssey, converted into something unique in the Grove, will be a welcome step-up for the Grovarian downtown.
As for the ideal temperature to serve an espresso I did point out in my post that the barista would choose his favorite serving temperature, so I enjoyed my luke warm espresso without complaining.
I have discussed that point with baristas in the past and I know that some will choose a lukewarm serving, but some experts say that the “sweet spot” (temp served in the cup) is 155-165 degrees F. And that is quite hot.
The gas company says that your water heater should be set to 120 degrees and that 140 degrees can cause burns.
So if get an espresso that is 160 degrees I had better sip carefully.
Glad to hear from you. Paul
Dear Paul:
I don’t quite know what to make of your impression in this article on Odyssey Coffee.
Taking your grumpy nature into account, I was still “mifftified” at your description of OC based on one visit and two cups of coffee.
First off, as any customer of Odyssey has discovered their barista’s are chosen to work there primarily based on personality, I.e. how well they interact with the public. They pride themselves on knowing your name (once you’ve shopped there) and are genuinely friendly. “Unfriendly” could be mistaken for someone concentrating on the task at hand and not being interrupted.
Joey’s mission when he opened Odyssey was to have a space for folks to meet and talk. A community space rather than a dash to the door. There was no WiFi in the beginning to discourage customers from tuning out. As OC survived COVID and re-built its customer base, it inevitably outgrew its present space.
As far as your experience with warm coffee, why did’t you bring it to the barista’s attention?
If you had, I guarantee you would have had been given a hot replacement delivered with both an apology and a smile. Any good coffee shop would do the same. But not every shop would deliver the smile.
And a paper cup? Probably because you ordered “To Go”.
I’ve been a regular customer at Odyssey since it opened. I would not be if it was not as nice an experience as it consistently is.
If anyone reading this wants an alternate view of Odyssey, my email is prosper54@aol.com