My Dr visit this morning said my blood pressure is good and cholesterol is down 70 points from 161 to 90 in 6 months with just fish oil, so I deserved a treat. I found out this place existed about a month ago and hadn't tried it yet, so today was the day.
We walked in and were promptly greeted by a chipper hostess tucked in on the left, and her peppy attitude was a welcoming surprise as I didn't see the stand there. She seated us in a nook by the kitchen in a setup that had a small booth and a chair, as we were a party of 2. I took the chair, so hubby had to sit with my purse. Not a problem.
The atmosphere was upbeat and inviting, with cool light rock playing at a reasonable volume and happy diners in the spacious main seating area. Some kind of ruckus was going on in the kitchen, we guessed major coffee grindage, industrial batter mixing, or minor carpentry, but it wasn't crazy loud and the staff didn't seem bothered.
Since I looked new, someone asked if it was our first time and I said yes, and she said, "The coffee bar is self-service", which was all I needed to hear. The coffees I tried were all excellent. The Jamaican Me Crazy was smooth and bold, the Sunrise House was light and tangy, the Solo Colombio was rich and not bitter, and the Dark Roast had that oomph. I mixed the Jamaican and Colombian and added a little half-and-half and sugar because I deserved a treat.
They roast their own beans here, so I ended up buying a bag of the Jamaican beans to take home. Full pounds, not those 12-ouncers people keep trying to pass off. The coffees are non-flavored, which earned my immediate respect. The coffee bar comes complete with almond milk, half-and-half, all the sweetener options, plus several flavored syrups including Chocolate-Hazelnut and French Toast. I didn't know it was $4, but I drank 4 cups, so it was definitely worth the price of admission.
Our server was Valentino, sporting some sparkly bling and an even brighter smile, and he was attentive, informative, and hustling himself without making us feel rushed. We ordered and enjoyed our coffee and the music. Food arrived quickly and was beautiful. Hubby chopped up his perfect eggs before I could take a picture but I did anyway.
Yummy Bistro Eggs Benedict for me, with huge slabs of ham, fresh spinach, and halved grape tomatoes. I saw someone complain in their review that these veggies were not cooked on their Benedict, and yeah, that's intentional. The fresh veggies bring necessary acidity and earthiness to counter the salty ham, luxurious sunny-side-up eggs, and creamy Hollandaise, adding brightness and contrast to a meal that could have otherwise been overly rich. Hubby's chicken-fried steak was excellent. A real cut of steak, not a ground beef patty. The sausage gravy put the SAGE in sausage, which was a perfect foil for the steak.
Such a hearty meal, I brought half home for later. This is a hidden gem in plain sight on St. James, where St. James' Place was forever. I am thrilled to have them so close to home, and will definitely be back to treat myself again. Great food, great coffee, great people, great music. You can't beat that. read more