Why hello there, remember me?! What an unintentional hiatus that was! My sincerest apologies, dear readers, for being so out of touch for so long. Tssk tssk, Kate. It’s been a crazy busy whirlwind couple of months, traveling often and living in Boston temporarily for work. But now I am back in Connecticut and ready to bring you up to date on all of the mochas I have tried during Spring-Summer 2012.
I will start with Paul. On a weekend trip to DC, my family and I stopped into Paul Bakery & Cafe on Pennsylvania Ave NW. I had been eyeing their chocolate croissants for months and figured a mocha latte would compliment the croissant nicely. The croissant was a kepper. The mocha on the other hand… well, read for yourself:
Taste: 1
BLACH! I asked for a mocha latte, not straight chocolate syrup. Come on Paul, you’ve been doing this since 1889! This was a huge glass (a small mocha latter for here, mind you) and it basically tasted like the chocolatiest chocolate milk you could think of. I would have loved to have tasted a little of the espresso… maybe next time I will just go for an espresso… or a mocha cappuccino?! Mmmm.
Appearance: 1
Do YOU think that looks appealing? No, no you don’t. I am not drinking a chocolate milkshake, so why is this mocha latte in the tallest glass ever? This mocha would be so much better served in some 19th century, country-esque patterned cup and saucer. Paul has been a family owned and operated bakery for over 120 years! How amazing would it have been to have saved and passed down some of the original plates, cups, saucers, everything?! I am starting to dabble into antique-ing… thinking of this stuff often, always on the look out. 🙂
Store Ambiance: 4
Loves: overhearing conversations in French from other customers… or maybe they were visiting from the Paul in France?! We went to Paul for a Monday mid morning mocha (and baguette, croissants, pie, and other pastries), so I imagine Paul was quiet because most folks were at work. That was fine with me though… more sample pastries for me!
Not so loves: not the cleanest of bakeries and not one of the most delicious bakeries. But now I know what to get (plain baguette, cappuccino) and what not to get (everything I ordered originally). So if you are in the neighborhood, for sure check out Paul, but less is more when ordering.
Del Mocha Vista 