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High-end coffee that the state of Hawaii deserves over the Starbucks imports. As part of the historic Sheraton Moana Surfrider, this cafe has a genteel plantation feel with high-quality dark wood and marble, large and airy windows for people-watching down on the strip, and white paint everywhere. Good pastries and excellent desserts, but espresso is their main attraction. They make espresso with their more lightly-roasted Honolulu Blend (10% Kona). Much of their coffee originates from Greenwell Farms on the Big Island, and they roast it at their Ala Moana location at least twice weekly -- so the coffee is fresh. Their baristas grind to order and take their deliberate time to pour an espresso properly ... though they do often pour from a shotglass into their Steelite International cups. They also produce milk microfoam with great consistency -- albeit without latte art. Using a three-group Mistral Triplette, they produce espresso with a medium-brown crema of a very fine, richer structure. With a flavor of cedar and some smokiness. A double espresso costs $2.30. Some coffee pros are real detractors and detest the coffee at this chain, but for some reason my samplings have been very good.
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