HOME CENTRAL TAIWAN TEA & COFFEE

COMPASS MAGAZINE July 2008
　

Crown & Wake By James Su Translated by Ann Lee (04) 2320-7357 83, DaDun 18th St Hours: 10 am-10 pm ( Closed 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month.) Blog: blog.udn.com/crowncoffee From the outside, Crown & Wake looks like almost any other cafe one comes across in Taiwan--there's no shortage of plants, the atmosphere is quite relaxing and it's nicely decorated. But it is truly a special place that stands out amongst other coffee shops in its niche. The management here refers to themselves as a sort of "grad school for coffee lovers", a place where people can come to learn more about the bean. When Crown & Wake started out, it was an ordinary coffee shop. However, they soon learned that, to stay afloat, they needed a competitive edge. This is when the owner decided to start teaching "classes" about coffee and educating people about everything from roasting and picking to bean cultivation--whatever you want or need to know about this drink, they've got something to share with you. heir store manager explains that everyone from students to coffee connoisseurs--even five-star hotel mangers--comes to the shop to learn more about the well-loved tradition of coffee. Their classes are small and professional; there's a maximum of six people per class and everyone who participates receives their own set of coffee-making equipment. One-on-one classes can also be arranged. Besides the classes, the shop still sells top-quality brews from around the world. They boast more than 30 varieties of beans that they will happily roast and brew to order.