Tartine - Guerrero at 18th

I have written last year that there are different types of cafes, and there are also different establishments that serve coffee that do not qualify as a Coffee House proper. A coffee house features coffee as the main attraction that may serve other food, but this food complements the coffee drink which is the center of attention. A bakery, a breakfast place or a bar that also happens to serve great coffee will typically not be the focus of this blog. Nonetheless, from time to time, I have been caught eating food at other places besides cafes, that happen to serve coffee, that may very well serve a particular roasters bean, or advertise that their barista has been trained by one of the local coffee houses. And since coffee drinking should not always be a solitary affair, I have invited friends to coffee at places that make other things besides coffee.

Since my two friends from LA have been here, we have gone out to several restaurants, including coffee to a different cafe every morning, much to their delight. As the week progressed we all agreed that it was futile to try to maintain a diet. Since their BnB was just a few blocks from Tartine Bakery, renowned as a top bakery in the US, I convinced them and myself, that it was worth 1000 calories to visit this culinary treasure.

Normally, I would never get coffee at a place that has twenty five people waiting in line around the corner for incredible baked goods and for a cup of coffee. Fr the record, it was possible to buy coffee at a separate cashier near the espresso machine, but that was not why one would actually bother to come here. We waited along with tourists and several must be seen types to put in our order. Bread, muffins, croissants, tarts and quiche all were available. I ordered a chocolate croissant, heated, which was about the same volume as a small baguette. It was incredible, probably using at least a half of a stick of butter for every flakey bite of incredible philo dough type crust. This was the place that if I came here again would be the end of a diet that has had an inglorious past this summer.

The coffee, despite the Four Barrels roasters contribution was very lightly roasted in my small double cappuccino. Besides the milk, there was almost no flavor of the coffee. Now, this exposes this reviewer to a bias for medium and dark roast coffees. And readers should know that about me. I like my coffee strong tinged with a cocao aftertaste, but a cinnamon, chicory or oaky aftertaste will also satisfy. I find a pleasurable berry or slight floral aftertaste in medium roasts, but what I assumed this morning to be a light roast, no after taste was discernible. But this is why I wouldn't consider this a coffee place: the people that come here are not used to dark roasts per se, sitting next to several patrons who brought their kids as part of the tourist in the know category to get a taste of heaven a bus ride away from their downtown hotel.

Baked goods  great, coffee