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| - I laughed long and hard when I found out that the business that was going in the corner where Aroma now sits was going to be a coffee shop. What I've termed the Annex "coffee klatch corner" includes a Starbucks (NE corner), a Second Cup (SE corner) and now, Aroma (NW corner). The fourth corner is Paupers, where you can also in fact order coffee, though not their specialty (unless you want it Irish). A stones throw away is a specialty coffee supply cafe, Green Beanery, and in the other direction, a fancy tea shop. I guess Annex-ites just love their caffeine in any possible form.
Nonetheless, this Israeli coffee house seems to already have a steady group of loyal patrons, especially those of us who appreciate the little touches. And Aroma has the finer details down to an art form. Both the interior and patio seating areas have lovely design and furnishings, ample amounts of breathing room between tables, and inside there is also nice lighting schemes (including natural light from the huge windows). Their cups, napkins, etc, feature their bold color scheme and design. They take down your name so you can rest your bones while you wait for your coffee or food, and call you in a civilized, non-drive thru way over the PA system. They give you a delcious wrapped chocolate with every purchase.
While I mainly go for the coffee, I have occasionally eaten there as well. Their sandwich and salad selections are top notch, and the salads are positively huge. A big marketing push seems to be their "power breakfast" but a friend complained to me that there was too much salad and not enough substance. The service is incredibly efficient but still human and friendly, and in the hot summer months when I cheekily asked for an extra side cup of ice for my iced coffee (so I could keep meltage to a minimum on the patio), they were more than happy to oblige.
The free wifi is also a boon, with each receipt you get a temporary internet code which will work for the duration of your stay. It's a pretty common sight these days to see a row of laptops lined up on the East-facing windows.
The main downer for me is that slick coffee joints are a dime a dozen in this caffeine fueled student neighborhood, and I can only hope that Aroma makes it in the long haul against the larger monolithic chains with a half dozen locations within blocks. But much like falling in love too fast, getting too attached to Aroma could lead to eventual heartbreak. Hang tough, Aroma!
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