nice atmosphere for a cafe

Originally uploaded by Liz Henry.

The promising combination of cafe, patio, next to interesting train station, and breakfast food drew us to this crepe place in Menlo Park. I don’t remember its name, but it’s around the corner from Cafe Borrone and Kepler’s Books, and it’s some variant of “Crepe Cafe” or “Crepes Place”. The physical atmosphere was indeed lovely. Alas, the food and service totally blew. There are reasons why this place isn’t crowded on a Sunday morning during brunch primetime.

It was that inexplicable thing where no one takes your order or brings you water and coffee for like half an hour, and then a slow clumsy process involving multiple waiters dribbles out a little stuff, all wrong somehow and with elbows in your face, and then I asked for the coffee they forgot, and some of the food they forgot, and then got up again to ask for cream, and then realized I didn’t have a spoon, gave up and stirred the coffee with a fork. Food and coffee not quite even up to “mediocrity” standards.

However, I think this would be a fine, fine place to have some free wireless and a latte! For breakfast, not so hot. Stick to the baguette with butter and jam, and the perfectly okay latte.

Trains came and went, soothingly. Kids played with the toys on the patio. This cafe could be so awesome! I wish! Next time I’ll go to Cafe Borrone… again… for the millionth time… like everyone else in town.