Entries Tagged 'Uncategorized' ↓

tbsp (Spoon) – New York

In the spring we met with a broker to find our new home in New York. He had a line up of places and a driver. After a hectic few hours in Chelsea the driver dropped us off and our broker said ‘coffee’? I’d tried to drop hints throughout the morning that I was coffee snob and we’d been plopped at 6th and 23rd and I had no idea what was around there – his suggestion, ‘Spoon’. Apparently good.

Tbsp Cafe

It looked like a little New York deli-cafe, I was a bit suspicious. Don’t judge a spoon by it’s cover! It was a typical salad/sandwich place with people lining up for plastic boxes of take out, but they had Stumptown beans so some hope … declined somewhat as we got closer to the register and I couldn’t see any 8oz cups and once we’d ordered and moved down nearer the machine, this rather alarming sign on the bean hopper …

Tbsp Cafe

… shouldn’t that say ‘Refill at start of day’?

However, despite the beans possibly sitting around for a day and the giant 12oz cappuccino with a bit to much air on top it was a surprisingly good temperature and flavor – I definitely drank most of it. The ginger snap cookie accompaniment was not too gingery, and was nice and moist. Something to remember if desperate and in that area and probably quite a good spot for lunch in the end.

Tbsp Cafe

Tbsp Cafe

Spoon & tbsp, 17 West 20th street (between 5th and 6th avenues) @Spoonfednyc

Visited: April 2013

Curbside Coffee – San Francisco

One cool November day I was working at home, drizzle was threatening and I didn’t think I’d have time to get down to the Ferry Building for a coffee. But I thought I’d try – and if the drizzle or rain did come, I thought I’d stop off at Curbside Coffee, a truck I’d seen parked on Spear Street during a week day once before. Food trucks are a San Francisco staple so I did hold a glimmer of hope that the coffee would be drinkable. And it did have a table of condiments, social media badges, an actual coffee machine and white cups with a hand stamped logo.

Curbside Coffee

There were a few people milling around and regulars who didn’t need to order because the barista knew them.

I should’ve trudged on through the rain (yes, by the time I got there drizzle was turning to rain) to the Ferry Building. They didn’t have 8oz cups – if only I’d been able to spot that without having to ask then being stuck in that awkward situation when they said no … a turmoil trying to summon the courage to exclaim ‘What?! How can you make me a proper cappuccino then? Just forget it” but instead being too embarrassed, knowing that you’re not actually desperate enough for any old coffee to drink theirs and the drip at home is better, but instead saying “OK, I’ll have a latte please.” Eyeroll. So that’s what I got. A giant mug-o-searing watery latte which I had 2 sips out of when it had finally cooled after 3 blocks but carried all the way home (because I like carrying coffee (makes me feel all bouncy and famous like Ally McBeal)) only to tip it down the sink and make myself a drip coffee. I’ve since read on Yelp that Vietnamese iced coffee is the drink of choice for regulars and they rate it pretty highly.

Curbside Coffee

Shame their Twitter account is nothing more than a stream of dates they’ll be closed.

Curbside Coffee, 298 Spear St, San Francisco @curbsidesf