Today was too gorgeous to stay indoors, so we did a wander through Old Strathcona and ended up Transcend Coffee by the Garneau Theatre just off the High Level Bridge, on 109th Street, south of Saskatchewan Dr.

This location is busy, and can often be difficult to find a seat. We always manage to get a seat. But I still get seat anxiety every single time I go. Michael and I tag team. One orders coffee, and the other scans the joint looking for a vacant table, looking at customers who are getting ready to leave, and measure up the competition to see who we will be fighting with for a valuable seat. So far, it’s never been violent or impolite. In fact, it’s never been competitive, but then, other seat-finders may have seen the determined manic whites of my eyes and stood clear. 😉

Transcend is now selling their own pastries – things like Cuca de Banana (think banana bread in a muffin form, but much, much better), and the eyebrow raising Savory Squash Brioche. We didn’t try either today, but did notice the man’s beside us, who ordered the Savoury Squash Brioche. The pastry has squash seeds on top. Just saying.

At this location we love the availability of water-on-tap, both fizzy and still. It’s nice and refreshing to have this while waiting for coffee, and as palate cleanser while enjoying the coffee, and to have one more, just to sustain us for the walk home.

Michael had his favourite, the Flat White. This is an Australian/New Zealand invention. Best way to describe it is a small latte served in clear glass. Michael grew up with milky coffee – hot milk with instant coffee and sugar. A Flat White would be a gourmet version of this. Here’s an interesting article about the Flat White as written by the Telegraph that helps explain things a bit more.

I always have Transcend’s regular coffee, and today picked the I.P. a favourite. But dear Transcend people, inasmuch as I love your coffee, love your shops, and adore your staff, PLEASE get decent coffee mugs. Your thick, heavy ceramic mugs are akin to serving champagne in a plastic sippy cup.

At $3.50 for a cup of coffee, and with all the love, care and attention put into the bean and brewing, I would expect a bit more thought behind the mug.