黒毛和牛太
This is a coffee specialty shop located in Oshiage! If you go straight towards Kinshicho on Tower View Street, you will find it. It seemed quite new, so when I asked, "Did it just open recently?" it turns out they have been in business since the end of April. I had no idea (^◇^;)
The interior of the shop is fairly spacious, but there are no table seats, only long bench seats and small counter seats on both sides of the walls. Towards the back, there is a quite large open space, and apparently they will be placing a roasting machine there soon, so it seems like the shop is still evolving.
Since I am completely clueless about coffee, I had no choice but to order an iced coffee and make a somewhat sarcastic remark about being ignorant of specialty shops. The kind female staff explained to me that they have coffee from Kenya and Guatemala. Guatemala is more acidic and has a light taste, which I understood. So, when asked which one I would like, I was at a loss. It must have been obvious that I was clueless.
While I was there, an older man who arrived later ordered iced coffee, but even after receiving the explanation, he just said, "Anything is fine" or "Either one is fine" and abruptly ended the conversation. It seems like it could be quite stressful for the sellers at a coffee specialty shop that is supposed to provide relaxation.
Due to the pandemic, it seems like they can't even engage in small talk easily. For the record, my response was "The staff's recommendation," which was quite a challenge. After some hesitation, the staff recommended the recently added Kenya, so I went with that.
As I sat on the bench waiting, the coffee was served quickly! Now, how does it taste... Oh, they brought two cups. It seems they kindly let me taste the Guatemala as well. First, I tried the Kenya. It was on the stronger side, but since it was cold brewed coffee, it didn't have a harsh taste. It was just right, maybe even good.
After tasting the Kenya, I tried the Guatemala. It was noticeably lighter in color compared to the Kenya. As explained, it had acidity and was refreshing. I think they mainly recommend Guatemala for customers who ask for iced coffee, as it was quite refreshing.
Overall, it was a pleasant experience. If I were to drink coffee slowly at the shop or at home, I would go with Kenya, but if I were to drink it quickly on the go, I would choose Guatemala. The shop is located in a somewhat quiet area with moderate foot traffic, so it might be a hidden gem for a little break. Just keep in mind that there are no table seats, so you can't have a casual chat. They accept PayPay as payment.