Why: Looking for a place to sit back and escape the bustle of holiday fervor?
River Maiden’s flagship Vancouver store provides an unruffled space to kick back and enjoy a cup of joe while you regroup. It serves Stumptown coffee, Nuvrei Pastries and Voodoo doughnuts — all of which hail from Portland.
Where River Maiden excels is in its personal touch. The lattes are made with care and the shop also touts its Clover brewer, a vacuum press machine that enables a barista to control all the parameters of the brewing process.
Atmosphere: River Maiden is divided into two rooms and the overall look is more homey than trendy.
There’s the brewing room, where orders are placed, and a sitting area with bistro-style tables, a selection of newspapers to read, board games to play and a book exchange. Photography of landscapes decorates the walls and there are a few soft-upholstered chairs for lounging in.
What I tried: On my visit I ordered a latte and the Clover-brewed coffee. To go with my coffee, I tried a Pear and Apple Danish and an Almond Croissant.
The latte was artfully adorned with a flower drawn in the foam topping. A good balance of milk and coffee allowed the coffee’s flavor to come through with a mellow presence.
Customers who order the Clover coffee get to choose their bean. I chose to have mine brewed with Mordecofe, an Ethiopian blend.
I was expecting the result to be similar to the thick, rich experience of one of Starbucks’ VIA Ready Brew coffees, due to its somewhat opaque appearance and the ring of tiny bubbles at the rim. However, I found this coffee to be pretty light until I got to the last third of the mug where it was richer as well as thicker in flavor and consistency. There was even some coffee mud left at the bottom of my mug when I finished the drink.
I was told by the shop’s owner that the Clover brewing machine uses a more natural process that allows the flavor of the beans to come out. The Mordecofe beans are characterized by a blueberry flavor, which I could distinguish.
The pastries were both fresh and expertly crafted and made the perfect morning accompaniment to coffee. Of the two, my favorite was the Pear and Apple Danish. It had a perfectly shaped disc of pear in the center which was topped with a mound of shredded apple. The pastry was very flaky.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: During my visit, River Maiden was offering a selection of seasonal drinks including an eggnog latte, peppermint mocha and gingerbread latte. The selection of doughnuts included some of the more adventurous offerings from Voodoo Doughnut including the Bacon Maple Bar.
Other observations: I enjoy the convenience of chain coffee cafes that offer a to-go boost of caffeine. But try as they might, they seem a bit impersonal by comparison when I step into a place such as River Maiden that serves its brew in coffee mugs. River Maiden is also more restful. There was a steady stream of customers at the time of my visit, but not the long lines which can form at chain cafes.
River Maiden also has a downtown Vancouver location at 701 Main St., but the hours differ. It is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and occasionally on Saturdays during the summer.
Cost: Drip coffee costs $1.50 for 12 ounces or $1.75 for 16. Clover coffee is $2.50 for 12 ounces and $3 for 16. Lattes are $2.75 to $3.25. Other drinks range from $1.75 to $5.25. Pastries are $1.75 to $3.75. Donuts $1.50 to $3.75.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Where: 602 N. Devine Road, Vancouver.
Information: 360-694-7500 or rivermaidencoffee.com.
Health Score: River Maiden received a score of 0 on April 13. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants that score 100 or higher.
