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Buzz Bakery, Neighborhood Restaurant Group's Pastry Outlets in Alexandria and Ballston


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Buzz officially opened its doors this morning at 6 AM. The cupcakes, chocolate bombs and pies look amazing in their shiney new cases, and the morning pastries were hard to resist! I'm looking forward to several morning stops in on my way to work (even if it's not on my way).

The shop is open every night until midnight. If you don't want to make dessert for Thursday, stop by and pick something up (or call & place an order!).

The website is www.buzzonslaters.com.

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Really good coffee! The pastries looked seriously delicious too. And they have the cutest little kids' nook complete with a fantasy toy kitchen in which the children can play make-believe pastry chef while mom and dad (or au pair) pilfer their sweet rolls. It is a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere - about what you'd expect to find in a coffee and pastry shop in this upscale neighborhood. I do hope they will lower the menu boards from the ceiling a few feet - it's a real neck craning exercise to see them when one is trying to decide on one's coffee order. Ask for your breakfast pastry to be warmed and they will oblige. The deep dish quiches looked especially enticing.

post-46-1164575802_thumb.jpg . . post-46-1164575833_thumb.jpg . . post-46-1164575868_thumb.jpg

eta: Welcome Angela!

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wi-fi--nonexistent (I iwas able to discern a very weak signal from Rustico across the street, but not enough for a connection).
Will this area be covered by the future Alexandria municipal WiFi reported in today's Washington Business Journal?
EarthLink says it has been selected to build and operate a wireless network that will cover virtually all of the city of Alexandria.

The city launched a wireless initiative this summer that blanketed an eight-square-block area of Old Town with a WiFi network available for free to residents and visitors. The expansion would include a 16-square-mile WiFi mesh network.

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Really good coffee! The pastries looked seriously delicious too. And they have the cutest little kids' nook complete with a fantasy toy kitchen in which the children can play make-believe pastry chef while mom and dad (or au pair) pilfer their sweet rolls. It is a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere - about what you'd expect to find in a coffee and pastry shop in this upscale neighborhood. I do hope they will lower the menu boards from the ceiling a few feet - it's a real neck craning exercise to see them when one is trying to decide on one's coffee order. Ask for your breakfast pastry to be warmed and they will oblige. The deep dish quiches looked especially enticing.

post-46-1164575802_thumb.jpg . . post-46-1164575833_thumb.jpg . . post-46-1164575868_thumb.jpg

eta: Welcome Angela!

Are the pastries and cakes served cold?

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Has anyone tried Buzz yet? It's right around the corner from my apartment, but I've been away for Thanksgiving. Is it worth a trip? Thoughts?

I believe that Buzz is a great addition to the neighborhood, but all being said, I think just about ANY new business is almost always worth a trip "around the corner". :P

More seriously, we're thrilled with the way the place came out (we still have quite a bit of touch-up stuff to do), the delicious patries, the brand new staff and the coffee & dessert wine (19 by the glass!) programs. Come by and check the place out. It's open from 6 AM to midnight 7 days a week!

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I believe that Buzz is a great addition to the neighborhood, but all being said, I think just about ANY new business is almost always worth a trip "around the corner". :P

More seriously, we're thrilled with the way the place came out (we still have quite a bit of touch-up stuff to do), the delicious patries, the brand new staff and the coffee & dessert wine (19 by the glass!) programs. Come by and check the place out. It's open from 6 AM to midnight 7 days a week!

I am looking forward to checking out some of your hopefully room temperature desserts tonight. Thanks for the update!

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I scooped up a box load of pastries and muffins last Wednesday to bring to the office. They were a huge hit, particularly the cinnamon rolls and the coconut-pineapple muffins. The one thing I particularly appreciated was the "right-sizing" of the pastries, pardon the doublespeak. You know, I don't want a muffin as big as my head. Their muffins are similar to the size you would get if you baked in a muffin tin at home, wrapped in paper somewhat resembling a pannetone, and the perfect crumb and consistency. Next time, I'm going to try the breakfast brioches!! (Looked like they had scrambled eggs and bacon baked in...)

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I scooped up a box load of pastries and muffins last Wednesday to bring to the office. They were a huge hit, particularly the cinnamon rolls and the coconut-pineapple muffins. The one thing I particularly appreciated was the "right-sizing" of the pastries, pardon the doublespeak. You know, I don't want a muffin as big as my head. Their muffins are similar to the size you would get if you baked in a muffin tin at home, wrapped in paper somewhat resembling a pannetone, and the perfect crumb and consistency. Next time, I'm going to try the breakfast brioches!! (Looked like they had scrambled eggs and bacon baked in...)

What are the prices like?

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What are the prices like?
A sampling of the menu pricing:

Savory scones, cinnamon rolls & filled croissants are $2.25; muffins are $1.70; the breakfast brioche is $2.25 and $2.75 with bacon in it.

Quiche & Savory Pies run between $4.50 and $6.

Biscotti, cookies and brownies range from 85 cents to $1.75 and cupcakes are 2.25 a piece.

Mini cheesecakes are less than $4; individual pear frangipane tarts are $2.75; and small pies are $4.50. 8 or 9" pies and tarts are all under $16.

Coffee is less than Starbucks and tastes a whole heck of a lot better! :P

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i think they're pretty reasonable. we got two cupcakes and two brownies (all delicious) for about $8. considering a crappy piece of cake from cakelove can cost $5 or $6, i think this is a pretty good deal.

I did not get a chance to make it last night, will make an effort today. Were the cupcakes ready to eat, or will they need time to warm up much like those at cake love.

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What a great place!! Cozy, cool, hip for us and the kids. I love the the American vibe in the creation

of desserts. Well done!! Eve, Eamonn and I were there the other night. Brought home loads

of cupcakes. Coconut, lemon, red velvet, chocolate. Just right! Flavor & temperature.

Thank you Lisa-I love your way. We will be there often.

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Stopped in last night after dinner at Mandu for some dessert. I like the space and the free wi-fi will keep me (and others) there grazing through the pastry case. The slice of apple pie was very good, although it had almost no structure on the plate. The individual frangipane pear tart was good, but could have used a little more time in the oven.

Because I can never have enough dessert I bought 2 cupcakes (red velvet (?) and the coconut) to go. The put them in the little boxes that you typically get with Chinese take-out. I really enjoyed the coconut one, but they were a little on the dry side.

Looking forward to stopping in some weekend morning for a Belgian waffle.

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My girlfriend and I stopped by buzz (I will respect the intentional lack of capitalization) around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday night after dinner at Restaurant Nora. I’d been looking forward to one of the plated desserts, as the sample list on the web site notes some potential winners. When we got to buzz, however, it turned out that they weren’t yet serving the plated desserts, and did not have any ice creams available to go with any of the displayed desserts. We did not particularly mind, as the display desserts looked plenty luscious without added ice cream or whipped cream. We ordered four cupcakes and two small truffles to split. The four cupcakes were carrot cake, red velvet cake, lemon cake with yellow curd filling, and yellow cake with chocolate filling. The truffles were labeled “salted dark chocolate caramel truffles.”

The truffles were far and away the best part of our dessert. I could have done without the bittersweet cocoa dusting, but the not-too-solid exterior was judiciously studded with a few bits of salt, and gave way to a creamy, rich filling. The filling, though, was not caramel. It was chocolate. I was surprised, and even double-checked with my girlfriend, who said that the truffles were definitely labeled “caramel.” Regardless of the little surprise, the truffles were high-grade.

The cupcakes were unimpressive. The carrot cake cupcake was possibly the greatest disappointment. Either the cake or the cream cheese frosting was too salty, to the point that we both almost simultaneously vocally identified the problem. The red velvet cake cupcake was dry, and the frosting (which also seemed to be cream cheese-based) was not as rich or sweet as it should have been. The lemon cupcake had good flavor, but, again, it had a parched texture, and the lemon curd filling was a faint note, and weirdly lacking in moisture. The yellow cake was (sorry for the repetition) dry and not very sweet, though the pudding-like chocolate filling was fine.

The experience was not wholly unpleasant. The two gentlemen who helped us were welcoming and friendly. Our cappuccinos were delicious. The interior has a fun, retro-hip feel, with its bright colors and wall-sized art. And we essentially had the place to ourselves late on a Thursday night.

I gather from other posts in this thread that people have generally had good experiences at buzz, with some reservations, and the implication I draw from one or two posts is that people are taking a wait-and-see approach to the young coffee shop. I think this is wise, as the Neighborhood Restaurant Group has not yet had any misses (though I say that with the caveat that I’ve not yet tried Rustico), and buzz is still getting itself off the ground. But, to the extent that buzz intends to make cupcakes one of its marketing strengths, it may want to reevaluate whether great concepts are translating into worthy treats.

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Went there for the first time today. What a lovely cafe! Everything from the kitch to the little kiddies area to the comfy sofa is wonderful. We just got take out, but will stop by again for a nice breakfast, or dessert one evening. We got a blueberry muffin and a steak and cheese pie. I think you could make a bundle just selling the muffin tops! They were delicious with all the crunchy oats. I popped the pie in the micro for a minute and a half and out came a melty, gooey and dough -wrapped philly-esque cheesesteak pie. I little marinara to top and I was in heaven. I will definitely get that pie again, and will probably work my way through the other pies (jambalya, bbq....)as well.

The staff was very friendly too and I like that you can check out the kitchen as they bake and decorate away.

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Tried Buzz for the first time yesterday morning. It is a very nice space. My wife and I both had the banana waffles, which were good. We took three cupcakes home for later. The frosting was very good, however the cakes were a little on the dry side: they were nothing special (my search continues for good cupcake in this town) I may try the cookies on my next visit.

What is the deal with all those unused expensive Illy expresso machines on the wall?

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I ended up buying two dozen assorted cupcakes from buzz on Saturday for my husband's birthday party and they were a huge hit! At $2 a cupcake, at first I thought it was a little expensive, but it was well worth the price. My friend and I purchased two cupcakes to do a taste test beforehand; she had the red velvet, I had a lemon-filled lemon. Both were good, nice and dense, icing was not overly sweet, but it was just a teensy weensy bit dry. I asked if they could get me 2 dozen on the spot, and they happily obliged.

My friend lamented that there wasn't such a cool, hip bakery in D.C. proper, and I agree. Much better and cheaper than nasty Cake Love cupcakes. I'll make the drive out to VA again for such high quality baked goods.

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It's hard not to stop into Buzz Bakery after an evening at Rustico. A Peanut Butter Chocolate Bombe ($4.95) is the cupcake-shaped work of demons, with a dense, fudgy cake succumbing to the medium-dense peanut-butter swirl on top. It's rich at first bite, but really very well-balanced and just the right amount to cause a fork-fight on the benches outside.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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Went yesterday to get Max a doggy cupcake, which he loved. He licked every bit of frosting off the grass that he was eating the cupcake off of. And really loved getting to eat a faux chocolate cupcake. We enjoyed the Buzz cupcake and turtle cheesecake. Their cheesecake is really light and airy which is how I like it, if you are a big NY cheesecake person it might not be your thing, but I really like the light fluffiness with the decadent toppings. Matt said his Buzz cupcake was really good.

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Got a dozen cupcakes from Buzz, four gluten free, and two cheesecakes. The cupcakes are very tall and a little hard to eat, but the gluten free ones were pretty tasty and it is hard to find gluten free cupcakes and we are not in Hello Cupcake delivery zone. Overall I was happy just to be able to have a semi normal tasting cupcake, and vanilla was much better than chocolate FYI. Hubby would have much rather had Georgetown which he loooves, but they don't make gf yet, said they were working on it though.

Unfortunately I was also underwhelmed by the lemon cheesecake it was lacking in creamy texture and I thought the lemon curd in the center wasnt great so I avoided it. I think they just lack some cheese flavor and are too soft in texture need to be a bit more sturdy. But still happy they are coming to Ballston because they make more gluten free things than any other bakery I have been to yet and we need a good little cafe in Ballston.

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Stopped at Buzz for an espresso and to read the newspaper on my Ipad. Greeted by a SEA of little table tents and signs reading "no laptops or ipads". Folks lounging with books and analogue newspapers in the "no iPad" zone...... Understand limitations on time spent at tables and perhaps even laptop restrictions but e-readers? The irrationality of it makes my head explode. For a place that clearly aspires to a "hipper than thou" vibe, the Luddite policies are even more inexplicable. Told by nice woman behind counter that she first heard about policy this morning. Sooooooo I made my way to e always-hospitable St Elmos in Del Ray and read my newspaper there.....bye bye Buzz!

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Stopped at Buzz for an espresso and to read the newspaper on my Ipad. Greeted by a SEA of little table tents and signs reading "no laptops or ipads". Folks lounging with books and analogue newspapers in the "no iPad" zone...... Understand limitations on time spent at tables and perhaps even laptop restrictions but e-readers? The irrationality of it makes my head explode. For a place that clearly aspires to a "hipper than thou" vibe, the Luddite policies are even more inexplicable. Told by nice woman behind counter that she first heard about policy this morning. Sooooooo I made my way to e always-hospitable St Elmos in Del Ray and read my newspaper there.....bye bye Buzz!

jeepers! Why don't they just say "no camping" or "30 minute limit" instead? It seems at every place that sells coffee and pastries there are abusers who park themselves at tables for hours at a time to hang out on the web or turn the café into an office away from home. I get that. But what's the diff if you read a hard copy newspaper or read it online?

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jeepers! Why don't they just say "no camping" or "30 minute limit" instead? It seems at every place that sells coffee and pastries there are abusers who park themselves at tables for hours at a time to hang out on the web or turn the café into an office away from home. I get that. But what's the diff if you read a hard copy newspaper or read it online?

I honestly think there's a huge difference between reading a hard copy newspaper and reading a newspaper on an iPad or laptop--a hard copy is finite while an iPad or a laptop is limitless and more likely to make noise. A person with a hard copy paper is less likely to camp out beyond the time it takes to read the paper. But a person with an iPad could go from reading a newspaper online to skyping to playing angry birds to retweeting @justinbieber.

Coffee shops have the inherent tension between inviting people to linger and turning away new customers who can't find anywhere to sit, so I don't mind coffee shops trying different approaches to address this, even if they specifically target electronic devices that aren't always the culprit (ever try to get a table on a weekend in this town a month before the summer bar exam?). And patrons can always vote with their feet as the poster above did so if a policy isn't very popular, the coffee shop should soon realize it in their bottom line.

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I honestly think there's a huge difference between reading a hard copy newspaper and reading a newspaper on an iPad or laptop--a hard copy is finite while an iPad or a laptop is limitless and more likely to make noise. A person with a hard copy paper is less likely to camp out beyond the time it takes to read the paper. But a person with an iPad could go from reading a newspaper online to skyping to playing angry birds to retweeting @justinbieber.

Coffee shops have the inherent tension between inviting people to linger and turning away new customers who can't find anywhere to sit, so I don't mind coffee shops trying different approaches to address this, even if they specifically target electronic devices that aren't always the culprit (ever try to get a table on a weekend in this town a month before the summer bar exam?). And patrons can always vote with their feet as the poster above did so if a policy isn't very popular, the coffee shop should soon realize it in their bottom line.

I might be biased as a former employee of NRG, but I agree completely with the last poster. When BUZZ opened, the owners (parents of more than a half dozen kids under 10) had all kinds of amazingly cool kids kitchen toys etc. You would walk in on any given morning tripping over kids while their moms were having a book club meeting with possibly 5-6 coffees purchased for a ridiculous amount of the available square footage being used. The whole place was packed and it was completely uninviting for non-parents (and it should be noted I do not fall in this category). I can count the number of experiences where I have walked into Paneras on one hand, but I am not exagerating to say in every single one I have been amazed to see people with computers without any discernible Panerra product in front of them. In multiple instances, this has occurred while I'm struggling to find a table for my wife and child to eat the food we've purchased.

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I don't think there is much basic disagreement here.....we've all has that experience of wading through tables occupied by students and telecommuters who have settled in for the day---whether they are doing that by hauling in stacks of books or plugging in a laptop makes no difference. They are occupying valuable real estate and need to make it worth the owner's while doing so and, when it gets crowded and they are forcing people to wait, common courtesy demands that they pack up and move on. Whether it is an iPad, a laptop or War and Peace the standard should be the same. What I think Buzz needs to reckon with is that by plastering.....and I mean plastering...their establishment with signs bearing the word "NO", they risk not only insulting those like me who simply chose the ipad version of the Journal over the "hard copy" to take to Buzz for convenience, but making their space uninviting for ALL patrons. I can say that when I walked into St Elmo's, bustling with families,students on laptops, seniors with their books and sleepy locals reading newspapers, both analogue and digital, I felt comfortable and I felt welcome. So until Buzz revisits their policy, I vote with my dollars for St Elmo's.

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I honestly think there's a huge difference between reading a hard copy newspaper and reading a newspaper on an iPad or laptop--a hard copy is finite while an iPad or a laptop is limitless and more likely to make noise. A person with a hard copy paper is less likely to camp out beyond the time it takes to read the paper.

Laptops and e-readers can be muted by courteous users in the same way that considerate patrons speak in lower voices or move on when finished and they see customers with food/drinks waiting. True that one "hard copy is finite" but hard copies can be of wildly different lengths and nothing stops one from toting several different hard copies. Some folks spend a couple of hours with the Sunday Times and it's not such an unrealistic scenario to imagine a Post reader also packing issues of the NYT, Economist and New Yorker.

I don't think there is much basic disagreement here.....we've all has that experience of wading through tables occupied by students and telecommuters who have settled in for the day---whether they are doing that by hauling in stacks of books or plugging in a laptop makes no difference. They are occupying valuable real estate and need to make it worth the owner's while doing so and, when it gets crowded and they are forcing people to wait, common courtesy demands that they pack up and move on. Whether it is an iPad, a laptop or War and Peace the standard should be the same. What I think Buzz needs to reckon with is that by plastering.....and I mean plastering...their establishment with signs bearing the word "NO", they risk not only insulting those like me who simply chose the ipad version of the Journal over the "hard copy" to take to Buzz for convenience, but making their space uninviting for ALL patrons. I can say that when I walked into St Elmo's, bustling with families,students on laptops, seniors with their books and sleepy locals reading newspapers, both analogue and digital, I felt comfortable and I felt welcome. So until Buzz revisits their policy, I vote with my dollars for St Elmo's.

I'm with wlohmann here. The Buzz policy won't achieve what they're after. Rather, it'll just offend and turn off many customers since hard copy readers can easily hog up a table with a few papers or magazines or a book. I almost think the best policies to manage the tension between readers/campers and eaters/drinkers are just a few gently worded signs on a wall (i.e., please consider giving up your table to someone standing with food or drink if you're finished and the cafe is full) along with diplomatic staff skilled at nicely asking/prodding as needed. Teasim in Dupont sort of works this way.

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The following was posted on the Arlington Now website this afternoon:

"Buzz Bakery will open its new Ballston location on Monday, May 9. That’s the word from Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the company that runs Buzz and its next door neighbor on the 4000 block of Wilson Boulevard, Rustico. Buzz is expected to open its doors as early as 7:00 a.m. on Monday, with plenty of free samples of coffee and baked goods.

The 2,000 square foot shop will have many of the same features and menu items of the original Buzz location on Slaters Lane in Alexandria, but will add treats like breakfast pop tarts, made-to-order waffles, individual serving quiches, homemade ice cream, sorbets, popsicles and “take-and-bake”.

Yum!

TSchaad

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The following was posted on the Arlington Now website this afternoon:

"Buzz Bakery will open its new Ballston location on Monday, May 9."

A subtitling conundrum:

We all love Tiffany MacIsaac as (among other things) the gifted creator of the Birch and Barley bread basket (remember that pretzel bread?) Then, she moved to Buzz. Now, she's apparently going to be running Buzzzzz which I'm assuming will be supplying all of NRG's restaurants, not unlike Best Buns producing the baked goods for GARG.

Lisa Scruggs was (I believe) the opening Pastry Chef at Buzz. She also won a RAMW award for Best Pastry Chef in 2002 when she was at Equinox - she was actually Heather Ackerman's supervisor (and what a team that was). Now, I often go to The Swiss Bakery in Springfield, look through the window, and see this immense talent toiling away in anonymity.

So ... should Tiffany MacIsaac be accredited as the Pastry Chef at Buzz? Or has she just been swallowed up as another (extremely talented) cog in the machine?

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Waited at the door for the opening of the new Buzz at Ballston. The interior is a marked departure from the original, with a single example of each of the available baked goods displayed under various pieces of blown glass like individual pieces of art. You select the items you want, and they get them from the storage shelves under the counter.

It may be just the way all the baked goods are displayed, but there seems to be a greater variety of items from which to choose at this new location. Staff was friendly and enthusiastic, and the muffins I ordered to bring to work were as good or better than those I have had at the original location.

A welcome addition to the Ballston area, and another challenge to my efforts to maintain my ideal weight.

TSchaad

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Glad this is finally open! I am looking forward to some gluten free items and doggie cupcakes! Hope they don't admonish Arlingtonians for reading on ipads or checking email while drinking coffee (but not table hoarding). Arlington is not a hard paper sort of place. That area has a very different vibe.

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Finally! Arlington has a fabulous bakery. Buzz is creative, innovative (the lemony whole wheat poptart put Kellog's to shame), and cute. it will take great restraint to not make a bee line after every workout at Gold's.

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In a panicked pinch this morning, I realized I was on the hook for brunch for ten people, including an egg-loving vegetarian. A half dozen breakfast brioche (egg and cheese) and one whole quiche (sweet corn) later, I am well on my way to memorable vittles.

Gawds bless Buzz.

Brunch for a crowd.

Won’t break the bank.

Alexandria location open at 7AM Sundays.

Guaranteed crowd pleaser.

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And may I also say, I am utterly embarrassed that i allowed this conversation to have a 1 year break in the middle!

Hey, may I respectfully and half-kiddingly say "you freakin' should be embarrassed." You're still under 20 posts here on DR but I remember you because you have real knowledge and interest in coffee. We need more coffee hounds here. :D

Oh, and as much as we clearly agree on the paucity of good espresso (and coffee for that matter) in NoVa, don't forget Buzz. They do both decently; exclusively MadCap. I'm actually not as fond of their baked goods (think I may be a minority on that) but big fan of the coffee. If you haven't tried the espresso/french press/pourovers at Buzz in Arlington or Alexadria, check 'em out.

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Yes, utterly, but not "freakin'".

Ok, well, I like Buzz fine. Buzz is great, good service, well run (and Tiffany is great too). I like their pastries and cookies on occasion, but their cupcakes are hardly standouts in the area, and some of the items are a bit too sweet or too dense.

Regarding the coffee: I should not have forgotten about Buzz. But, only the Ballston Buzz uses Madcap. They told me over a year ago that Alexandria would switch over too, but nothing's happened. Alexandria has always used Illy Coffee, ever since they opened. To switch they probably have to ditch their Illy-provided equipment and perhaps do other training.... Perhaps they don't want the expense or effort.

I'm not crazy about Illy--it doesn't compare with what other *real* coffee shops are using. I've had coffee there many times, and its fine. I'd probably not get a pour over with Illy. Pour overs and espresso in Ballston are fine. Not always good, but ok.

Now, I was just up to The Coffee Bar, north of Logan Circle on S, today. That place is fantastic. As good as any of the high quality shops in DC. They use a coffee roasted in LA for some reason, but very nice. Just more evidence of the problems in the NoVA coffee scene. A handfull of coffee houses have sprung up in DC over the past year. Meanwhile NoVA has nothing new. At least we have the metro.

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