Restaurant Review: Crum Coffee Bar
CRUM COFFEE BAR 4640 Calgary Trail | crumcoffeebar.com Instagram: @crumcoffeebar | Twitter: @crumcoffeebar Co-Diners: Archie and Mom All Day Long
I LOVE A CAFE! There is something so cozy and comforting about visiting a cafe and enjoying a delicious fancy coffee. It's one of my favourite things. So when I saw that the Edmonton Journal named Crum Coffee Bar (a cafe I'd never tried) as Favourite Coffee Shop 2022... I had to visit! I'd driven by this coffee shop one million times due to their prominent Empire Park location right on Calgary Trail but for some reason I had never stopped in. This all changed on a sunny Tuesday morning, eager to find out what they're all about. The space itself is much nicer than I expected! The room is gleaming, right down to the beautiful floors. There's a lot of white tile and brick playing with the contrast of black chalk board walls. The cafe feels urban and laid back. There was a lot more personality in this shop than I ever would have guessed. Open since 2017, Crum is owned and operated by two sisters, Mila and Christine. Their vibe is all over the place, right down to Mila's very distinctive abstract art. It's really cool to see two women adding such care to their business and really making it something unique and special. The beverage menu was interesting to me because they offered more than just the usuals. I know that there are many people who prefer straight-up coffee. The Americano or drip coffee people. I am not those people. I require a latte at the very least with a strong preference toward "fancy coffee." Crum had me covered. Their mocha sounds wonderful, the lavender London fog caught my attention, and the matcha blossom latte seems really special. And don't get me started on the salted caramel mocha (which is a feature drink) because it sounds to die for and I almost bought two drinks because of it. My mind was made up and I ordered the Dirty Chai Latte ($5.85 for small).
I simply had to get the dirty chai because it's the cafe's most popular drink! In the past, I haven't been a fan of a dirty chai because somehow the presence of coffee would always ruin the chai experience for me. However, I was willing to give it another shot, especially for a version that lots of people seem to like. The friendly staff member made my beverage (I think it was Mila) and I found a seat by the window to drink it. I was so surprised by this dirty chai and by how much I enjoyed it! The chai and the coffee were in perfect balance, each complimenting the other instead of one being too overpowering. The chai brought the warm spices that it is so known for and the coffee added the desired hit of caffeine. The entire mixture was creamy and delicious! This was literally the first time that I have ever been happy with a dirty chai latte and now I'm questioning everything. Another drink that sounds really good is the exclusive Caffè Freddo, which is a cold drink. (It's winter, so I'm more into hot beverages at the moment.) It sounds a lot like the frozen crema coffees that you can sometimes find in Italian cafes. I need to try this as well. I also got some snacks! My eyes landed on the freshly baked Chocolate Pretzel pretty much immediately and I needed it. It looked really unique. Crum is also pretty proud to offer a whole lineup of gluten-free, vegan, and paleo items. The CRUM Cookie falls into this category and I wanted to experience it based on the self-titled signature cookie of it all.
Both of these items were great and way better than I would have expected. The pretzel, flaky pastry dough with chocolate swirled into the twisted pretzel and topped with crushed hazelnuts and coarse salt, was definitely more danish-like and less like an actual pretzel. (Other than the shape.) I'd never seen anything quite like this and I absolutely loved it. The pastry was buttery and fresh while the chocolate was almost custard-like. Plus hazelnuts on top?? I will be craving this sweet treat. The cookie, almond butter chocolate chip, was delicious as well. The use of almond butter in a cookie was such a departure from the typical peanut butter and I liked how decadent it made the cookie taste. (They also make a peanut butter cookie and I'm sure that it's great too!) The chunks of chocolate were never lost and I loved that it wasn't too sweet. I didn't want to leave a single crum(b) behind! I ended my visit at Crum feeling impressed, pleasantly surprised, and eager to return. There's so much more that I want to order! I can't believe that they've been sitting there all of this time and I hadn't tried them sooner. Add Crum Coffee Bar to your cafe roster and visit them immediately if you haven't already. This not-so-hidden gem is serving delicious drinks, fresh bakery items, and the vibe is super cool... Need I say more?
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