28 October 2008 by Melinda Johnston
Buon Amicis: Yummy Lattes in Victoria
Thanksgiving weekend, we went away for a beautiful weekend in Victoria. Since we were already there, of course we had to make a pilgrimage to Buon Amicis, owned by Derek Lucas, the winner of the 2007 Western Canadian Regional Barista Championship. Buon Amicis, at 110-645 Tyee Rd., is about a 15-minute walk from downtown Victoria, across a cool jackknife bridge.
The atmosphere is cosy and warm. The walls are mustard yellow, with coffee sacks draped everywhere, and a display of local art on the wall.
Buon Amicis bills itself as the “Originator of the table-poured latte,” and sure enough, the barista came out and poured the latte at our table. He made a lovely heart pattern. You can see a video of a perfect latte pour on the Buon Amicis web site. It’s just beautiful.
Mmmm. The latte is luscious, silky, the foam just melting on the tongue. The coffee is rich, sweet, no bitterness. Really good. The coffee is served with a chocolate covered espresso bean.
If I lived in Victoria, I’d be here all the time. It has the look of a neighborhood hangout. The table next to us was full of runners who’d clearly gathered here after their morning jog. It was a beautiful day to be outside. It was too cold for the elderly woman at the next table to be wearing short shorts, though. And a couple of decades late. Note to self: when my hair matches my veins, time to wear pants.
