Checking Out The Hype

(Flickr pic by The Gourmetro.)

We hit two recently opened food hotspots on Monday -- and discovered that one lives up to the hype; the other, not so much.

First, the one that does: Intelligentsia Coffee, a recent transplant out of Chicago, boasts some of the best-tasting coffee I've had in a while. What's more, the store's urban decor fits in perfectly with its Silver Lake neighborhood. Place was crowded, but not too packed, for a Monday afternoon.

I ordered a coffee: Flecha Roja, from Costa Rica ($2.05); Maria bought a Macchiato ($2.50). The coffee is a little more pricey than most places, but it was the best coffee shop brew I've had in a long time. (Sorry, Swork!)


(Flickr pic by zomgwtf.)

Then there's the new Pasadena Whole Foods Market, located on Arroyo Parkway. Yes, the scope and size of the building is impressive, and the huge array of food stands and grocery aisles impressive. But given the hype, it just came short. The store is laid out strangely -- after checking out, you have to turn around and go through the store to get to your car. Also, there's probably a few too many food stations.

But most key, those prices are just too steep.