Toย those who are part of the burgeoning coffee scene in Toronto, Momiji Kishi (formerly of Dark Horse Espresso Bar and Detour Coffee Roasters) is a force to be reckoned with. She’s been competingย at a high level for years,ย regionally and nationally, in theย Canadian Barista Championship, and has put inย time managing and training as well. Well-known for her deepย coffee knowledge and assuredย presence, it’s no surprise Kishiย would eventually open her own cafe, something she had been working toward for years. Say hello to HotBlack Coffee.
The cafe, located in Torontoโs West Queen West (touted by Vogue Magazine as one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world), is a partnership between Kishi (acting as general manager and partner) and president and partner Jimson Bienenstock (former general manager of Soho House and Montecito). The pair, who were introduced by a mutual friend, clicked over their sharedย passion and philosophies toward coffee, hospitality, and experience. โItโs not easy to open a coffee shop by yourself and do it right,” Kishi says. “But Jimson and I met, and I felt like he was the right person.โ Together they created an unpretentious cafe setting where regulars can simply experience a good cup of coffee, with service to match.
โAll of the cafes and bakeries [in Toronto] that have opened in the last three months had the same aesthetic,” says Kishi. “We wanted to do something different.โ It shows. The team spent months stripping their new space to its bare bones, aiming forย aย modern and minimalist atmosphere. The cafe, which has red, black, and gray as itsย dominant color palette, features an oversize community table, skylights, copper pendant lighting from Klaus, red and black stools from Emeco, and a large, red concrete bar. In the coming weeks, HotBlack plans to open an outdoor patio with seating for 30. Finally, they made the bold decision not to offer Wi-Fiย and even constructed some of the tables so that they are unable to fit laptops. โThe point is,” Bienenstock explains,ย “we want our customers to talk to one another and bring back the sociability of coffee.โ
Since opening, Kishi has spent considerable time honing HotBlack’sย coffee. Exclusively using Detour beans (Punch Buggy and Brazil Sitio Serra for espresso, and El Vendaval from Costa Rica and Bottle NeckโDetour’s signature blendโfor filter), HotBlackย has also gottenย the opportunity to be an exclusive carrier and user of Detour’sย micro-lot coffees (four batches throughout the year), including their Rosalba Tunja from Colombia. Looking to serve what Bienenstock describes as โcompetition-quality coffeeโquickly and consistently,โ the bar is outfitted with several Nuova Simonelli Clima-Pro grindersย and aย three-group Modbar espresso system. The shop has a Mahlkรถnig EK 43 used for their batch brew and soon-to-come Chemex and pour-over options. To pair withย their drinks, the shop is working exclusively with the Dark Horse Espresso Bar bakery, Foodbenders, and Forno Cultura for sandwiches, salads, cookies, and bars.
With summer approaching, Kishi and her team have created an appealing seasonalย menu, including a coffee-cherry tea (cascara) using Detourโs single-origin from Costa Rica, and the unique Orancicle: an espresso shot over ice with house-made vanilla syrup, organic cold-pressed orange juice, and a touch of cream. Kishi explains that throughout the summer, HotBlack’s goal isย to connectย withย more local producers to create seasonal and natural drinks. One such drink is the Coffee Jelly Latte, a coffee jello over crushed ice served with your choice of milk.
As the shop continues to grow its customer base and team of collaborators, Bienenstock believesย that Toronto will be receptive to HotBlack’sย global and expansive world of coffee.
Amanda Scriverย (@amascriver) is a freelance journalist based in Toronto. Read moreย Amanda Scriver on Sprudge.
Photos courtesy of Britney Townsend.
