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| - Ack. Ugh. I don't know how many stars to give Helvetica. 4 seems high, but 3 would be too low. I tend to think it's a place that has a lot of potential, but maybe isn't quite achieving as much as it could -- and hopefully will.
The food is tasty (though sometimes a bit lukewarm, when I would expect it to be hotter), the coffee is good, the juices are refreshing. So... what's the problem? It's just not really run very well.
I don't think I've ever seen a manager or authority figure when I've been there and it shows. I've seen a table of two have dishes come out at very different times, without telling diners that the rest of the meal is coming up (which just reassures diners that nothing has been forgotten). I've been served milk with my coffee instead of cream (I know that sounds petty, but when I'm asked if I want cream with my coffee and am served milk instead, it's worth noting). The space is pretty cool, with good decor and plenty of seating -- mostly because there are very rarely more than a couple of people in the cafe. The tables, however, are clearly VERY cheap and none of the are sturdy. Again, it may sound petty, but when half of their business is coffee and juice (ie, beverages), it's fairly noticeable when the tables wobble to and fro.
I hate giving a sort of negative review, because I really do like it there and I've happily gone back repeatedly, which is why I'm leaving the star-rating fairly high. Generally speaking, I think they just need some management with stronger experience running a cafe.
p.s., I completely agree with the other reviewer(s) who mentioned the late open time for Helvetica. Maybe I'm overestimating the importance of coffee to their business plan, but 11am is unheard of for a coffee shop. I wish they would give morning service a try for a least a few weeks and see if it takes off.
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