This might be the best coffee shop in the area, except that they don't have any food, that I'm…read moreaware of, other than a small selection of baked goods. But why would you want to eat food from a coffee shop?
I've been visiting coffee shops on the reg for the past several weeks, and I've repeatedly made the mistake of ordering breakfast sandwiches, burritos and what have you. I have no one to blame for this but myself. I knew going in that it wasn't a good idea. I just couldn't help myself. This must be how people end up on drugs.
There was a race going on nearby, when I visited 23 West yesterday. I wasn't involved, though I was there in a running capacity. My running group just happened to be meeting there. We ran a few miles in the neighborhood before our visit. By the time we got there, there was quite a crowd.
The contrast between the sweaty, disheveled runners and the sleek, modern decor was striking. This place has an interior like some showroom where you're pressured into taking out a high-interest loan to purchase jewelry of questionable provenance. Are they in cahoots with the bank next door? Both buildings, I notice, have a similar facade. 23 West is painted the same shade of gray as a post-McPlayPlace-era McDonald's, when they started trying to look like a Chipotle.
Some girls on apps prefer it if you didn't take them to get coffee. It's not expensive enough. If you can get one to agree to such a date, you might consider bringing them here. It's classy.
The coffee is good too. I went with the Raspberry Cheesecake Cold Brew, a seasonal item. It was magnificent. I ordered mine to-go, so I could enjoy it at the tables out front, and in case 12 showed up. They give it to you in a tall plastic cup with no lid, filled to the point where it's nearly impossible to carry without spilling, presumably so you can sample the delicious cheesecake-like froth and probably get a little bit of it in your mustache. You can't really sip it with a straw. The coffee itself is surprisingly robust, given the depth of the raspberry flavor. It's an odd idea for a drink, and not something I'd usually order, but the execution was on point.
I also went with a Cherry Almond Scone. I had to eat something, for emotional reasons, and it looked interesting. I'm no expert on scones, but I enjoyed it. It may have been the most dense baked good I've ever eaten, to the point where it could probably be used as a weapon, in a pinch. I know it's supposed to be similar to a biscuit and that in England, where they're consumed on the reg, a biscuit is known as a cookie (why?). It's a lot dryer than even the biscuits at a Lee's Famous Recipe, but intentionally so, I guess because it's designed to be eaten with a beverage. A hot beverage is probably ideal, but I made it work with a cold brew.
It's the kind of thing you don't realize until after the fact. Next time I'll know. If and when I do return, I'll be dressed as a magician, possibly with a young lady in tow.