1. Drip coffee: Potent as espresso with none of the bite on the backwash. Worth the wait. Pulled coffee is superb, but I prefer the less violent touch of the slow filtered brew.
2. Sweet side: Olive oil is more of a mystery ingredient here than an overwhelming front note. This type of cake is now ubiquitous in the city, but this is still the best I’ve encountered. Compares favorably to the greasy number at Café Pedlar. NB: Orange blossom pound cake is also a worthy option.
3. Service: Jamie is a one man cult of personality backed up by hard skill competence. He’s also one of the least condescending and most hospitable people in the coffee business. Easy for just about anyone to feel welcome here.
4. Music: Brazilian tunes hummed and sung along to in NoCal inflected Portuguese. It’s hard to argue with the double mellow whammy of Samba and San Fran.
5. Savory: Sandwiches and soups are always a surprise and nearly always delicious. Like the baked goods, they also hold up well throughout the course of the day. A nice contrast to the typical day old by midafternoon sandwiches you find in many coffee shops.
Conclusion: The combination of stellar baker, savory chef and barista gives Rush a run for their money in the power trio business. I hope and fear this place will open more branches beyond its 7th st./btw 1st and 2nd Aves original.
Gray and Grizzled Food Fan 
January 22, 2010 at 8:32 pm |
Customers look like they’re at a methadone clinic on the way in and like they’re coming out of an eighties disco bathroom on the way out, but it’s all legal and organic, so what’s to worry about?