The News & Review has a great story about Sacramento’s Best Baristas. The Q & A with local baristas was especially entertaining. I really need to get out more as I have only been to one or two of these local coffee houses. Next to bike shops, the hipper-than-thou attitude at most of these places is enough to keep me away, but these guys seem like the real deal and totally into it for the right reasons. Well, reason, I guess; they love them some coffee.
The Sac Rag 
I stopped by The Chocolate Fish after visiting the Crocker three weeks ago, not knowing anything about the place. Neither of the champion baristas was there, but Robert served me a really terrific cup o’joe, after giving me a short explanation of how they made the coffee. (Fresh ground on the spot, with your choice of flavoring added before the hot water is poured through.) I admit, part of me kept thinking, “Yeah yeah, just gimme my coffee,” and it did take a few minutes longer than if I had gone to the Starbucks down the road. But they’re not pretentious—-these guys acted as if they really cared about how I liked their coffee, which is more than I can say about a lot of shops around here, hipster and chain alike. They also have one of the nicer outdoor seating areas downtown, which I hope to use when the weather finally turns spring-like again. (Unless we get one of those years when we leap from winter to deep-fry summer in one weekend.)
The sad part is that they’re probably going to lose some business when the Crocker opens up its own pricey museum cafe this fall. So support your local award-winning barista while you can.
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Is it wrong to rate them on their general attractiveness as well as technical skill?
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