Boston Special: Loving L'Aroma

 

Hey Coffee Friends,

 

I have to apologize for the lateness in my writing, I've been on a bit of hiatus with Spring Break. Whilst in Boston with my lovely friend Aly, I tried the most delightful little coffee shop, L'Aroma. Although this is no formal review (I can't judge non-New York coffee, surely you know that by now), I have some thoughts on L'Aroma.

 

It's a very classy, quaint little shop. There are two of them in the Greater Boston area, I visited the one on Newton Street. It was definitely a hen party inside, all women. If I were a middle-aged man looking for a lady...nope, not going there with you. You thought I would, didn't you? You got all excited and that's why I had to stop. I'm not sorry, I would do it again.

 

I told Aly to pick something off the menu for me because I am very spontaneous and wild. She brought back a Snicker's Cappuccino. I won't insult your intelligence by saying it was INCREDIBLE. That would be expositional, but I will say that if you melted a Snicker's into a cup of coffee and stirred, this is the symphony that would arise. It's like a happy little accident that I drank all of with no remorse. L'Aroma Link: http://www.laromacafe.com/

 

Next up, I'm on a mission to try out some of the finer coffee in the Midwest before returning home. Please don't use this information and attempt to find me because I am very illusive and I have seen enough Lifetime Movies to know how this ends. I refuse to be the sad-eyed protagonist.

 

I'll write soon though!

 

Emily  

This tasted exactly like a melted Snicker's in coffee.

This is my stalker photo of Aly, and of the quaint setting that is L'Aroma. 

Joe Coffee: Not Feeling It

The sad thing about Joe Coffee, is that it has so much lost potential. It has all the right elements to knock it out of the park: a quaint, well-decorated setting. Festive Spanish music. Coffee bean-shaped designs on the tiles, funky mirrors... the set-up is classy, and the location is nice (I went to the Upper West Side stop). But there's really nothing notable about the coffee. It tastes like office brew, blegh!  My decaf blend was stale, boring and dull. The best part of Joe's is the adorable designs on the to-go cups. You know the coffee is bad when cardboard art is the most stand-out quality. 

    Joe came to me with the highest of recommendations from friends and even, The New York Times. But they are all liars! LIARS I SAY. My experience at Joe's was so negative. I originally came not only because of those high remarks, but also because they offer coffee courses. For $120, you can attain the basic know-how of a barista. Additionally, you can take mini courses in specialty skills for $30. I asked the grumpy barista about these courses and he told me not to bother, that it was just better to work there. I told him he sounded jaded, and he asked me what that meant. Was I accusing him of being privileged? "No," I stammered, "Jaded means you're not... super encouraging." This was the nicest way of telling him he sounded burnt out. "Oh," he said, "I'm just giving you my opinion. That's just my experience." Okaaaay...Well, that was uncomfortable.

     And speaking of uncomfortable, in New York, I've come to accept that coffee shops are generally pretty small. But this place has way too many tables for such a condensed space.  I felt like I was standing on top of the other customers. I had to use my vulture techniques to snag a table. And when I did, an elderly couple gave me crusty looks. The woman whined, "Well, I guess there's just never any available tables!" Then looked straight at me. I know she thought she had this table first, but I had dibs on it. Dibs! I had patiently waited for two middle-aged friends to finish up their conversation. No sir, I had the table first. It's my table. Remember the principle of dibs! 

     Not that dibs compensate for the fact that I probably should have let them have the table... because the man was using a cane. A nicer, more altruistic person would stand up and say, "Go ahead, I can wait." But I suppose I'm a bit of a wild rebel. The kind that wears a leather jacket and drinks her coffee with no remorse. Yeah, I like that. 

Coffee: 2/10 Not memorable 

Location: Upper West Side (85th and Colombus) 

Atmosphere: Well-decorated, but good luck finding a table 

Cost: $2.50 

Recommend: No, sir! 

Incredible Desserts from Two Little Red Hens

One of the great loves of my life is pie. It's a problem solver, a friend, and a social advocate. I made up the third thing.

The best pie I've had in New York (and in a long while) can be found at Two Little Red Hens Bakery on the Upper East Side (http://www.twolittleredhens.com/). I had the apple crumb, which was divine on every level. My mother tasted their chocolate pecan, also a killer. One must also try the Brooklyn Blackout Cupcake, one of their most popular items. I easily could eat everything in that bakery. In fact, should the world be coming to an end and I cannot return home, you will find me at Two Little Red Hens. I will be the crazy girl attacking the scones, cookies, and pie. This is becoming more and more a set plan as I write this. Yes, I like this idea quite a lot. Yes.

My Conversion to Light Roast Continues

My wonderful friend, Aly, recently sent me a care package with this incredible light roast from George Howell. I've been drinking it for the last week and it has a very unique, memorable aftertaste. It's called La Esperanza and it originates from Guatemala. It has a complex process of creation that yields a hint of fruit.

I highly recommend it, as does my roommate, Jorge (pictured above).

Mudshop Review: Light, Sweet and Wonderful

    Let me start this review with a confession: I am not a fan of light roast coffee. Throughout my life, I have avoided it whenever possible. Perhaps it's because it struck me as a weakling, despite the fact that it holds more caffeine then it's brother, dark roast.
     Mudshop comes as a recommendation through various friends. There is also a Mud Truck that barrels around the NYU scene, but in this snowy weather, I prefer the indoors. There's a few things that stand out to me about Mud...First of all, total hippie digs. Red brick walls with Christmas lights, mis-matched tiles, vintage artwork. Splashes of uncoordinated colors as the main design scheme. One small, square canvas ironically warns, "Beware of the Square." Indeed.
    Every table has a candle lit. The mellow music vibe is quite eclectic: from Beatles to Indie Rock to  everything in between. It seems like a pretty groovy place to hang out (groovy is still a thing, yes?). They even serve beer here, which strikes me as unusual for a coffee shop. One can imagine a lot of NYU students might hang around here, just trying to be cool. That, and actual cool coffee blog writers. Right, guys? Right. Thanks for that.
    I order a decaf Americano. It's unlike anything I've ever had before. It's light, naturally sweet and foamy. In other words, exactly what I normally avoid from my coffee. But what would normally fail miserablly, totally works here. It's a surprise and I'm slightly intrigued by how these elements function together. It's just perfectly sweet, and the light roast has none of that bitter aftertaste I've come to accept from dark blends. Perhaps, I've been judging light roast all these years without just cause.
   In any case, As I finish up my drink, the winged-eyeliner waitress seems fatigued that I'm not ordering any food. Little does she know, I've already acquired a warm cup of knowledge.

Coffee: 8/10 Bring on the light-roast!
Location: (Off 9th and 2nd Ave.) Right around NYU
Atmosphere: Mellow, hippie-ish. Great to meet a friend or group of friends for dinner, dessert, drinks, etc.
Cost: $3 + tip
Recommend: Yes!

http://www.onmud.com/

You must try a latte and gelato at French Roast (85th and Broadway)! I recommend both within the same visit. Excellent atmosphere as well. Formal review of French Roast to come in the near future!

http://www.frenchroastny.com/

Swedish Import: FIKA in Review

I have never given much thought to Sweden. Their neutrality and cheese are perhaps their biggest claims to fame. But I have to admire the country for their ability to FIKA. That's right. I said it, I think I'll say it again, FIKA. It's a Swedish Verb which translates to "taking a coffee break." The Swedes got it right when it comes to how they respect their coffee. Where as, here in America, we (well, obviously not I) tend to rush around and grab our coffee on-the-go. In Sweden, it is something to be savored and cherished. Also, coffee is usually accompanied by something sweet. Like I said, the Swedes do coffee right.

   Fika, the coffee chain, has been in existence since 2006. I recently ventured out to their Columbus Circle Venue (58th and 6th Ave). The place was interesting... and by interesting, I do mean cool, but not super welcoming. Like that aunt that you never hug because she seems too important.

That kind of vibe. Black and white is the theme, with new age music playing in the background. Metal tables line the walls of the tiny interior. Lots of awesome Europeans inside. I felt like the frizzy-haired, frumpy American in the corner (the title of my auto-biography).

     The coffee is super strong. It's the kind that "grows hair on your teeth," as my mother would say. It has a bitter aftertaste. It's also expensive. A small is $2.50. And it's European small, not American small; meaning that you take three sips and you're almost through. This is the type of place to read a book and occasionally glance at the outside world. It's not an especially homey location. But if you deeply desire to feel cool and artistic, by all means.

Coffee: 7/10 super strong brew

Location: 10/10

Atmosphere: classy, rigid

Cost: $2.50 for a small

Recommend: Maybe. For a strong blend, but not for a warm environment. 

http://www.fikanyc.com/