Cupid On The Go: Black Coffee and Waffle Bar
This blog, everything about it, is centered around one concept, coffee. I will only ever publicize this once and if you miss it that is your own fault. The key to J.Cupid’s heart is coffee. A good cup of coffee will turn my frown upside down, bring the sunshine to a rainy day, and will warm my soul.
So you guessed, for edition of Cupid on The Go, I visited a place that serves coffee. But not only did I get a great Macchiato, I also got to experience a great waffle as well!
Meet Black Coffee and Waffle Bar, located on the corner of Como Avenue and 15th Avenue Southeast in the Como neighborhood of Minneapolis. The shop lives up to its name offering customers a full size bar to enjoy a delicious waffle with an authentic espresso drink, and as an added bonus you can watch Netflix as well on the big screen.
Lets explore…
Location: 7.2
For some it’s a little hard to navigate Minneapolis, especially if you’re not in the city regularly, it’s a challenge. Luckily the Waffle Bar isn’t far from Highway 280 and Also Interstate 35W, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get to the area., getting through the area might pose the greater challenge. If your directional challenged, you’ll need to break out the GPS for this trip.
Ambience: 8
Black choose an interesting décor for the shop, opting to go with a 1970’s grey feel but ultra modern influences could be felt through out as well. The shop had a very cozy feel to it, but also felt open. One bone I have to pick, and its one that I have with a lot of coffee shops, is that the tables are too close together. This makes it cozy, but lets be honest do you always want to hear the conversation next to you in full detail?
The full size bar offers a nice 60’ T.V. that also has Netflix running on it, and who doesn’t like Netflix? Black also has an additional seating area, giving customers more room to sit.
Food:8.9
For all you coffee/espresso addicts, or even the occasional drinker lets talk coffee.
Black offers a more authentic taste when it comes to coffee and espresso. I discovered that right away when I ordered a Macchiato. The gentlemen at the counter warned me that it was a traditional macchiato, and not Starbuck’s imposter we all grew accustomed to. If you’ve worked in the coffee world, you know this disclosure is very important.
The difference is all in what goes into the drink. A traditional macchiato is one shot (or how ever many you want) of espresso, with foam on top. It usually comes in a very small cup if your taking it to go, or a shot glass. A caramel macchiato, which is sold at Starbuck’s is an upside down latte. The streamed milk goes in first with espresso added last.
The espresso had a nutty but crisp taste to it. The best part was that it didn’t taste burnt. If the espresso shot isn’t poured correctly, that can alter the taste dramatically. And the steamed milk perfectly complimented the flavor of the espresso. A true macchiato through and through, I give kudos to the barista on duty!
All this coffee talk, and I almost forgot about the great waffle dishes I tried while I was there. The Ham and Swiss Waffle, and the Naughty Waffle were our picks this trip.
The Ham and Swiss a waffle size cut of ham with melted Swiss cheese on top and maple syrup on the side. Now, I don’t eat ham regularly, but this cut of ham was perfect. It had the right thickness with a hint of smoky flavor to it. The waffle had a nice buttery flavor to it, while the syrup offered the cherry to top this cake or waffle I should say off.
Our other option, The Naughty Waffle offered a completely different experience. This dish is for those who might want a healthier option, while indulging in the wonders of the whipped cream and syrup. This waffle is topped with almond butter, granola, blueberries, strawberries, and bananas with syrup on the side.
Sometimes you lose flavor when you try to go with the healthier option, which just happens to be one of the tradeoffs with eating health. But Black did a wonderful job bringing together a solid mix of good fruits and oats, with the almond butter providing excellent amounts of protein. The whipped cream makes it naughty.
Overall: 8.03
I would highly recommend this place, especially for the coffee addicts out there. If you’re in the area stop by for a great cup of coffee, with a waffle to fill your tummy.