I have had the occasion to sip an espresso at most of the local coffee houses in the Cincinnati area. I rate Coffee Emporium on Central Parkway and Koka in Mt. Adams to be among the best in the area. Their shots are rich, aromatic and flavorful. The espresso at Blue Chip cookies is just plain bad. Though my preference is for a straight-up double shot, it is the foundation for most of the popular coffee drinks, and as such, must be of the highest quality for those drinks to be of high quality.\r
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The double shot at Blue Chip is very tiny, muddy, and without any of the very important crema. This probably comes from poor training of the staff. There is a burnt aroma and taste to the drink. It is simply not worth the $1.75 (the avg price of double shots in the area, excluding Starbucks). \r
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I strongly suggest that the owners of Blue Chip go out and sample the espresso at any number of establishments. While on the bike trail today, I had a very good double at Branch Hill Coffee (not an endorsement as I have had substandard espresso there as well).\r
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I hope this has an impact as BCC is VERY convenient to the bike trail and could attract a following IF their shots were any good.\r
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Wesley Woolard
Pros: Location
Cons: Very poor espresso
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