It's crazy how omnipresent Crazy Mocha has become in Pittsburgh, but hell, I'd rather it be them than 'Buck Wild if you catch my anti-corporate drift, knowhatimean, Verne?
Kay and I only came here because of their desserts, something this non-coffee drinker had become well-acquainted with at their Lawrenceville and Downtown locations. After all, Bloomfield Bridge Tavern doesn't do sweets.
Instead of a behemoth of a brownie or a colossus of a chocolate chip cookie to satisfy sweet cravings, I treated myself to a wedge of their Black Widow cake.
Embellished with a gorgeously appointed and decadent, caffeine-laced, chocolate chip-bejewled buttercream icing, the canary-yellow batter was as moist as a wet sponge. One could detect the salt, which augmented the inherent sweetness of this stunner of a confection. Put 40 candles on this beaut in February, and it'll be a very happy birthday indeed.
The Pittsburgh Hot Chocolate was sort of an iced coffee without the coffee, if you follow me. Capped with a turret of whipped cream, the beverage was refreshing and tasty enough even as it lost its chocolatey oomph towards the watery end. I think I'd have rather had a hot chocolate to wash down my super-rich cake, but they didn't appear to offer it.
Drinks and desserts cost me a total of $18! Gasp!
The service was adequate. I encountered no haughtiness whatsoever. I can also see why so many erudite folks loaf about the place; it's as cozy and stylish as a sugar mama's parlor. In terms of clientele, I felt my intelligence levels boost as we overheard conversations about history and art. Hey, it beats sitting on a bar stool listening to guys talk about how drunk they get or how bad-ass they supposedly are.
I'm thankful for Crazy Mocha and her many sisters for countering the Buckstars (to this day I've yet to go into one) of the world.