I moved here from California, but before that I lived in Seattle Washington. My friend is also originally from Seattle and moved to California as well, about a year after me. She then proceeded to move to Montreal for school after I had done so. She's a painter.
We were talking about sexual politics the other day and Cafe Myriad came up. We enjoy it here. From the dark wood furnishing and the staff who seem to have only two modes of personality, oversassy or overfriendly, the emergent ambience is somehow the perfect balance of calm and engaging. My friend pointed out that we probably like the place so much because it reminds us of home. Specifically, a cafe on Pike street in the Capitol Hill district of Seattle, Cafe Vita.
Cafe Vita was cozy, if not a little too dimly lit. It's a Seattle classic. Regardless of the season Seattleites pack in and sit with their legs crossed on wooden chairs each with their own copy of The Stranger, the city's most emblematic newspaper.
The coffee at Vita was too dark. It tasted bitter and burnt. This may have been intentional. I can imagine confiding in a cup of burnt breadcrumbs soaked in 2 day old black tea might not be the worst thing for the sadistic soul of an ex Sub Pop employee who has year after year withstood the slow rot of 9 month winters where the cloud bank is so thick that not even the most vivacious of the sun's rays can get through. But for me, it was too dark. The coffee is much better here at Myriad. It is also well-lit here which I appreciate.
I'd give Vita 3 stars.