Dan Pitt’s Opinionated Compendium of Downtown Palo Alto Restaurants
Dan Pitt’s Opinionated Compendium of Downtown Palo Alto Restaurants
Fraîche Yogurt, known for their truly hand-made fresh yogurt (both frozen and non-frozen) has moved to a more visible and much more accessible location at 200 Hamilton. This spot on the corner of Emerson, formerly occupied by A.G. Ferrari (the Italian grocer), not only gets much more traffic but also offers much more room, and more light. The old location, down on Emerson across from the Empire Tap Room, was so narrow that queuing up to order interfered with some people’s eating. I’m sure the rent is a lot higher but I hope turnover ramps up to match. I don’t really see a lot of genuine quality in the come-and-go fro-yo chains; Fraîche has it.
Meanwhile, I finally got into Philz Coffee on the corner of Forest and Alma. I had not ordered coffee there before so I made a total fool of myself. Not being a caffeine drinker, I am not a coffee afficionado. I stay away from Starbucks because I don’t know the vocabulary. I thought Cafe Venetia (formerly Caffe del Doge Venezia) was complicated; then I tried Philz. In case Philz is new to you, be prepared to be confronted with actually having to specify exactly what beans you want and in what style, because every cup is ground and brewed individually. So my first time at Philz I ordered at the wrong place (the cash register) and then I showed my utter stupidity by asking simply for a decaf cappuccino. But the kind and sympathetic (or perhaps pitying) staff calmly guided me through the process. They weren’t even condescending, though they certainly had grounds to be. Oddly, you order a drink by size and there is no price difference between styles (straight, au lait, latte, cappuccino), only by bean type.
Once I got my drink (and avoiding eye contact with other patrons to hide my deserved embarrassment) I settled down to a table to work. I can’t say why, but I found it a very comfortable place to be. The chairs were nothing special (and there are sofas, too) but something about the vibe made me feel welcome. There was a lot of light from the southwest exposure and there was music. Worth a visit, even for the bean-challenged.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Fraîche Yogurt has moved, and I’m a fool at Philz