A Nice Cuppa - in Oakland
West Oakland is not exactly hopping. The nearest place to get a cup of coffee is the mini-mart around the corner. Not exactly my idea of a decent cup of coffee. (More often than not the brew is so old and tasteless, that when you have no other options, you find yourself pouring in Irish Cream-flavored Coffeemate?? just to choke it down).
I used to work for a large non-profit in downtown Oakland. It was there I discovered Aroma. I???m usually a home-brew kind of girl, but happened to run out of beans one fateful day. I stumbled to work, sat down at my desk, and promptly dozed off. A coworker found me and whisked me off for a caffeine fix. Across the street we went. Aroma is a tiny caf?? and bakery located at 19th and Franklin in downtown Oakland. I first fell in love with their cookies during afternoon snack runs. But that day, I was in need of coffee. Ever the sweet tooth, I ordered my safety order: small mocha. Abraham, the owner, quickly set to work, and in a few minutes, I had a beautifully crafted mocha in my hands.
Well.
The chocolate was rich and creamy, and in no way overpowered the double-shot of espresso. It was piping hot, and delightful to the last bit. No grainy residue left at the bottom of the cup (which might have been a testament to how quickly I drank it, rather than the all around smoothness.)
I was hooked. I eventually started testing out their other delicacies, lattes: fabulous. But what became my standard order was a large cup of their house blend with a splash of milk and a hunk of brown sugar. Smooth, bold, a little lighter blend than I was used to, but so flavorful I tried to buy a pound of the stuff to make at home, but Abraham just smiled indulgently and shook his head. Not willing to give up the secrets.
As good as the coffee is, the service is even better. Abraham remembers you within two visits, and knows your order even sooner. Sam is the deli guy, and do yourself a favor: chicken-apple-sausage and cheese stuffed croissant. It quite simply does not get better than that sandwich with a cup of the house blend.
