Andrew B.
Yelp
I've been coming here for many years... you might say Elemental was my first coffee love. I didn't know coffee could taste like this, frankly.
I remember the first time I went there, they were serving 228, which for me is the gold standard for espresso - I've yet to have an espresso that matched it. I had watched a documentary (trust me, I'm super smart now) and saw that a double espresso is the best way to determine if you have a good barista. Up to this point, I had never been to a serious coffee place - I was used to the barista pushing a button and espresso pouring out of a giant machine. That's not how they do it here. I watched the barista grind the beans, weigh off the perfect amount on a digital scale, delicately level and firmly tamp them down, then closely monitor the pour as it dripped into the demitasse. Such precision, such consistency and dedication to making every cup perfect. I saw scales being used to measure hot water for pour overs also - these people aren't messing around, and the result is a perfect product each time you go in.
The espresso was so lively - not the burnt, bitter brew I was used to, but sweet, tart, acidic, fruity, bursting with aromas and sliding across your tongue like velvet. A very sensual experience that is the product of high-quality bean sourcing, on-site roasting, and well-trained baristas. A lot of people had to do a good job for the coffee to be so tasty, and I think that's the reason Elemental reigns supreme over OKC coffee.