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| - A little box in Tempe serving pretty cheese, air, and goo. Read on.
BACKGROUND
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Lunch. Me. Bonnie G.
We're strung out on Cartel caffeine (or at least I am), hit a museum, and start becoming pretty listless and hungry as we trudge through 101 degree Tempe (or at least I was).
I had one dining option in mind. But Bonnie had another suggestion. And I bit. Because Essence was close. And did I mention I was listless and hungry? Onwards.
SETTING
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Not a big place at all. One side is all windows which brightens up the place, with some patio seating facing University. No misters outside though. A bunch of two and four-tops, with some one-tops to boot. Counter to the right, with a display case of all the baked goods, including a variety of macaroons.
Current art selection: a bunch of San Francisco neighborhood photographs plus a great one of the Golden Gate. Not bad.
Clientele: definitely not ASU undergrad Cheba Hut Tempe. More like ASU grad student Tempe, professors, professionals, health nuts, and ladies who probably lunch here after tai chi and painting still life. Definitely bring your mom here for brunch. This has her name all over it.
FOOD
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I go for the croque madame ($6.95) because I like saying the word "gruyere!" in an exaggerated Three Musketeer accent. I also like to eat gruyere, coincidentally.
I then decide to also order a mashed potato cake, simply because I've never had before.
Also? Two macarons* - the mint chocolate and the espresso. They're apparently the stars of the grand Essence Bakery show, so when in Tempe...
* I'll disclose now that I've never really liked macarons before but I thought I'd give them another try. Bonnie G hinted they were like crack. And I usually trust what she says, for there's a galaxy of smart behind those glasses.
VERDICT
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First: the macarons. Or as I call them: frothy discs of air and goo. The mint chocolate was an Incredible Hulk green color which I didn't think was all that necessary, but as a huge fan of this flavor combination in general I thought it was a really good bite. Also thought the espresso was tasty - somewhat like tiramisu in pseudo-cookie form. So yeah, I enjoyed them, even though I usually really hate anything that has a lot of frosting or icing. However, at $3.25 a pop I highly doubt I'll ever walk out with a dozen of these puppies (although the price didn't seem to stop a whole stream of people from walking in and buying just that).
Second: the mashed potato cake. So basically it's buttery mashed potatoes formed into a cutlet, sans gravy. Or, as I see it, an unadorned, un-spiced aloo tikki. It didn't look all that great on the plate by itself, and it tasted, naturally, like mashed potatoes, just slightly crispy. Now I'm a massive fan of the mashed potato, but this didn't have much flavor (whether it was lacking salt, pepper, herbs, garlic, or whatever), and I don't think it was remotely worth the $4. It wasn't bad, for sure, but still kind of the disappointing part of the meal. I'd recommend getting something else as a side.
Third: The croque madame. Apparently at Essence the croque madame is meat-free, but still hearty: grain toast sandwich filled and baked with gruyere and diced tomatoes, then topped with a fried egg. I thought this was excellent and I would order it again. The cheese and tomato were a perfect complement and the egg on top was fried just right. It doesn't look all that hearty when you first get it, but this will definitely keep you satiated for some time. And also completely negate the caffeine you had earlier. I wanted to crash so bad after this you have no idea.
Fourth: Samples of Bonnie G's food - a caramel macaron (tasty) and the special of the day: a Belgian waffle with strawberry-rhubarb sauce and creme fraiche. Holy crap. That was awesome.
AND THUS, THE FINAL JUDGMENT
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As a well-run cafe serving organic ingredients with friendly and efficient service, I'd say Essence is a nice place with great food. Mostly because I was a big fan of the croque madame and Belgian waffle, and in spite of the somewhat disappointing mashed potato cake. The macarons were definitely tasty and I can tell Essence takes great pride in their quality, but I'd probably take a really good, hearty oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip cookie over a macaron any day. I'm a guy with a solid appetite, and thus I have some needs which airy French-style macarons can't simply fulfill (no offense to the French, Essence Bakery, or macarons).
That said, the rest of their breakfast and lunch menu looks great (from the oatmeal with flax, pecans, and soy milk to the open-faced steak sandwich) , and I definitely would eat here again. But not when I'm in a mood for some coulette steak & eggs at a tried and trusted greasy spoon. This place and its menu are too pretty for that.
Still, 4 stars.
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