Coffee, Coffee Cart Everywhere

Almost every Wednesday morning for the last year and a half I approach this statue of the composer, Verdi, in the square on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, that is named for him. Sometimes I am walking down Broadway and other times, like this morning, I am coming out of the subway station on the right. 

I cross two streets and approach this majestic building. I am en route to my Weight Watchers Meeting on the second floor of the Ansonia. This building has had an illustrious history, and at various times residents have included Babe Ruth, Walt Kelly and Stravinsky. But my sights are set on the coffee cart on the corner, just like a thousand coffee carts everywhere -- or so it seems -- in New York.

 

This is my cart. Though I'm only here once a week -- sometimes less -- the operator knows that I don't use sugar in my coffee. I've broken my pattern of ordering iced coffee, and he now asks me what I'd like, but until this winter my order was always iced coffee, light. If there were no other customers it might be waiting for me when I approached the cart. I'm in awe of the cart folks.  Despite the cold, the heat, and the cramped quarters it's rare to receive poor service.

This morning I decided to approach my cart coffee in the same manner I've been assessing much fancier places. It was cold this morning and I ordered hot coffee, light. I sat down at my meeting and opened the plastic lid and I took a sip. The coffee was good. Judged strictly on the flavor, friendly customer service aside, the coffee was good. It is a "B," and worth drinking. I've found most cart coffee good. There is one cart near my gym where I once bought a cup of coffee and alas, half of it was thrown away. Perhaps it was the bottom of the urn, but it didn't pass the taste test and I've never stopped at that cart again.  

This is the menu for this cart. Some coffee carts are strictly cold breakfast, but this operator is able to cook on the smallest grill imaginable. I've never ordered eggs here -- don't think this is the food to bring up to a Weight Watchers meeting -- but they look and smell good.

 

I know "everywhere" is a big stretch for "E" in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, but I prefer to think of it as creative. Tomorrow we travel up Broadway for another coffee experience.

 

So much coffee, so little time. As ever, thanks for visiting and enjoy!