The Observer, September 21, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 4
Local coffee- and teahouses have much to offer
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For some students, the best way to scope out nightlife around campus is with a pub crawl. Still, most of us, loaded down with tests, papers, and reading, have trouble staying awake long enough to enjoy any sort of nightlife. The best way to cure this Case-induced coma? Coffee. This weekend, I went in search of the perfect energy boost. After all, the only way to find the best place for coffee is a coffee crawl.
My first stop was the most obvious choice: the Starbucks on East 115th Street. As a favorite of Northside residents, almost all of my freshman-year CaseCash evaporated into white chocolate mochas. Open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., Starbucks is perfect for quick caffeine fixes at any hour of the day. Somehow, espressos are more delicious at one in the morning the night before a grade-determining final. However, drinks are sometimes inconsistent, with each barista making drinks differently: a caramel frappucino once tasted like watered-down coffee with an afterthought of caramel, but on a different occasion resembled coffee-less sugar/caramel overload. Because the Starbucks on 115th St. is small, seating can sometimes be limited, and the popularity of the place sometimes makes it too noisy for effective studying.
Located on Juniper next to the new Alumni Building is my favorite freshman discovery: Arabica. Unknown to many, Arabica is perhaps one of the best study areas on campus. The second floor is full of study rooms, almost as quiet as KSL but much closer to the Northside dorms. Spacious and comfortable, Arabica has more of a quaint, coffeehouse feel than Starbucks. They also offer a wider variety of teas and straight coffees as opposed to coffee drinks. Still, their white mocha is one of the most wonderful items I have ever consumed, even better than my beloved Starbucks white chocolate mocha. The coffeehouse is also well-stocked with newspapers and magazines for those who want to stay in touch with the world over a cup of coffee. Arabica truly has the quintessential coffeehouse aura, even if they are only open until 11 p.m.
My final stop on the coffee crawl was one a little closer to home for those who live on Southside. Algebra Teahouse, hidden on Murray Hill Road near Little Italy, won easily as far as atmosphere goes. The joint's soft lighting, interesting seating, and eclectic decor exuded calm and clarity. I felt my productive aura growing as soon as I walked in. With friendly service and the widest myriad of teas, there is a drink to satiate almost any mood or craving. While certain beverages, such as the cappucino, taste exactly as expected, Algebra often adds an element of surprise to their drinks. The hot chocolate, for example, included a delicious hint of rosewater, which apparently is the secret to turning good hot chocolate into glory. Although it was a little farther to walk and portions are a little smaller than Starbucks, Algebra Teahouse seemed much more warm and intimate as a coffeehouse, thus making it a new favorite for paper writing.
The fact is that caffeine is a necessary ingredient for life at Case. Starbucks is great, but there are so many other coffee and tea establishments on and around campus from which to get an energy fix, whether it be for a late night of studying, or a long weekend of anything but.
