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Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Comfortable places
» Posted by Jon at 9:31 am :: Comments (4)
I'm sitting in one of my new favorite places. I don't think it's because of the brick or the brightly colored walls. I don't think it's the choice of music they play or the variety of espresso drinks they make. Though I'm sure that all helps.
Working my way around a new town, I guess I've been looking for - how do you say, quaint? cute? I guess I've settled on - comfortable places. A good place to buy bread, pick up a good sandwich, flip through music. Not necessarily be a "regular" - I'm not sure I want strangers to know instinctively what I'm going to order. But a place where I can blend in, know what I'm doing and what I'm going to get.
Maybe I'm just trying to replace the comfortable feeling I got from places in previous hometowns or vacation spots.
A couple of weekends ago, we visited some friends in Ann Arbor. We spent an afternoon wandering down old familiar streets, trying to remember what was there during our years around campus. But we also slipped into Stucci's for some ice cream. They make some flavors you just can't get anywhere else. After a hockey game (another place of fond memories and singular smells), we met other friends at Red Hawk. Maybe it is the brick and wood interiors that draw me in.
But mostly I think it's the local offerings. I've yet to find anything that replicates the Carolina Turkey sandwich at The Bread Garden in Iowa City, or for that matter the entire menu at Z'Marik's. Oh sure, Shanghai Mama's has its own excellent dishes and the deli around the corner makes a solid sandwich, but it's not the same. I've not found a spot like G.I.'s Prufrock's martini bar or an array of offerings like the Wave Pizza Co. anywhere else.
Maybe I haven't been looking hard enough. I remain convinced that in a giant metropolitan area (well, at least a good-sized one, there's 2 million people here) there should be little unique offerings, maybe not exactly like the places I fondly remember from elsewhere, but close approximations of the genre. If you know of any, point me their way.
*****
You may have noticed a new section/topic/category designated for this entry. When I was thinking about the new blog, I wanted a way to tackle longer, more thought out topics. I was going to call it "Conversations" - the kind of thing you might have sat up half the night talking about with your roommates back in the day. But as I was mulling this post about in my head, I decided the self-mocking "deep thinking" would be a better name. So have some fun with this, contribute your thoughts and welcome to my new area for deep conversations.
» Filed under: Deep thinking
Comments
Jon, try Shadeau Breads on Main Street if they're still there (about 13th St.). Great morning food, and wonderful bread. Also Kaldi's also on Main Street near Jail Alley is a yummy place for coffee and lunch. From what I hear their lunch menu has changed in the past couple of years but it should still be good.
sk
» Posted by: Scott on Saturday, March 26, 2005 at 9:34 am
Kaldi's has been changing its menu, apparently shifting from late-night music to morning and lunch food. I haven't been in to check it out since the shift. And I need better friends. Nobody could tell me where a Shadeau Breads storefront was. I knew there had to be one.
» Posted by: Jon on Saturday, March 26, 2005 at 11:24 am
The visit to Shadeau was a success. We'll try the mini-baguette tonight, but the blueberry muffin was excellent. And the next time we plan pasta, I may have to arrange to try their foccacia, which looked quite tasty.
» Posted by: Jon on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 at 6:10 pm
Shadeau Breads is located in the Over the Rhine Arts District in Cincinnati, it is North of Woodward Street, which is one and a half blocks North of Kaldi's coffee house and bookstore. It is known for it's high quality European breads and pastries that can be purchased on the cheap. This small bakery is simple genius with it's flour-covered floor and pleasant employees.
» Posted by: tom on Monday, June 13, 2005 at 5:43 pm
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