El Cafeito

I mentioned it in the last post, but I figured why wait?  I wanted to plug my new favorite coffee spot in the neighborhood, El Cafeito.  Tucked away on the corner of 3rd and Cecil B Moore, it opened up a little under the radar, or at least under my radar.

I’ve been there several times now, and I can safely say that the coffee is good here.  I’m fully willing to admit that I am a coffee snob, and I get really pissed when a coffee shop doesn’t have good coffee (I’m really sorry Rocket Cat, you’re a great place, but…).  I was sad when The Latte Lounge closed; despite the name, they had the best coffee in Northern Liberties.  One Shot was my recent go to place, and they make a decent cup, but for some reason I was never sold.

But El Cafeito pours La Columbe coffee, which is good provided its prepared well.  Which it is here.  And they have the aforementioned mallorca pastries, along with other sweets and sandwiches.  All in all, I’m sold.  Go there, buy coffee, try a mallorca, and stop putting up with poorly prepared coffee.

Puerto Rico

I got back Monday night from Puerto Rico.  My sister Laurie got married there on Saturday.  I can’t say that I specifically wanted to visit there before, but I was excited to go.  Being that Penelope’s due date was 2 weeks prior to the wedding, we had planned on just me going down months ago.  I was certainly sad that I have to leave all 4 of my girls at home, but was excited to explore the place alone.  Unfortunately, a Friday to Monday trip with a full day of wedding activities didn’t leave much time to explore.  I was able to get out a bit though.

I really wanted to experience as much of the food as I could, so that’s the first thing I did.  My first meal on the island was a total score, a heaping plate of Arroz con Pollo, with a full chicken breast, rice and beans, and fried plantains.  My english-speaking-only and culinarily conservative family gawked.  The Americanized offerings were very very dull in comparison.

I also spent some time eating mallorcas.  Something between a doughnut and brioche, heated in a sandwich press, and served sprinkled with powdered sugar.  They are great on their own.  But served with fillings is when they really shine.  Jamon, queso y huevo.  Yes that’s right, ham, egg, and cheese.  On a doughnut.  Uh-mazing.  I know that El Cafeito at 3rd and Cecil B has mallorcas (which are great and the place is great, it will have its own post someday), but I’m going to try to convince them to emulate this sandwich.  Breakfast bliss.

I spent 2 nights in Old San Juan, and 1 in Isla Verde.  Which means that I really didn’t get to see much of the island at all.  This was made doubly infuriating as the rest of my family hopped on a bus to head out to the rainforest, El Yunque, while I got a cab to the airport.  But this small taste of Puerto Rico has just wet my appetite.  I want to head back with the entire family in tow, see the rest of the island, eat Mofongo, speak mas espanol.  I’ll keep it on the list.