Coffee & Tea – Page 9 – The Celiathlete

February 15, 2011February 20, 2011

A Toast to Good Food!

There is this little café in downtown New Albany, Indiana that I love to take people when they come into town. Their hours are ideal for breakfast, brunch, or lunch only so it’s usually an early stop. But the food has always been super good.

I’m taking about Toast on Market. And the New Albany location is the satellite restaurant of the one that is located on Market Street in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.

And this is one of my favorite places to go…and to take people.

I have yet to see any of my friends, who admit to being picky eaters, walk away without falling in love with this place. The atmosphere is awesome. The servers are all very friendly. And the food…well, for me, the food beyond fantastic.

I have yet to find a place that makes a fluffier omelet. And you can build your own if you don’t feel adventurous enough to try the South of the Border, Mediterranean, or Atlantic. If you don’t want the garlic aioli sauce on your BLT scramble…no problem. If you don’t want “all that stuff” in your French toast…hey…they’ll be more than happy to serve it to you with only what you want. No request is too big, too small, or too weird. You get your food how you want it and that is a wonderful thing.

The fact that everything I’ve had there has been delicious speaks very highly of their products. One of my friends tried the lemon soufflé pancake, one of their signature flapjacks, and now she’s hooked. For the first time, I had their sugar-free caramel soy latte with my breakfast and it was one of the smoothest lattes I’ve ever enjoyed.

Toast on Market Latte — Sugar-Free Caramel Soy Latte from Toast on Market

If you don’t like your American standards for breakfast/brunch/lunch…well, maybe this place isn’t for you. But don’t discredit it without trying it. I mean, the menu has four different types of grilled cheese to accompany a bowl of tomato soup. There are hot and cold sandwich offerings. French toast, eggs, pancakes…served up with different flavors, different toppings, different…from anything you would get at Waffle House, IHOP, or Cracker Barrel.

Why go to a chain when there is a local business that serves up far superior food of better quality for a better price in a far better atmosphere?

Never again for me, my friends. I’d prefer to eat at a local place. Thankfully, we have Toast on Market. And thankfully, they have the perfect ambiance and the perfect blend of food that blows those big pancake houses off my foodie map.

So…who wants to come into town to visit? I know this great breakfast place…

Breakfast at Toast on Market — Wheat toast with apple butter, fresh fruit cup, and a 3 egg omelet with red pepers, tomatoes & spinach from Toast on Market

February 10, 2011February 24, 2011

Mmmmm…Scones!

HobbKnobb Roasting Company — HobKnobb Roasting Company, New Albany, Indiana

What everyone says is true. When you find someplace you like going…you’ll go back.

I know I just blogged about the HobKnobb Roasting Company two days ago. But this warranted another blog because I went in yesterday and treated myself to one of their baked goods.

You see, ever since returning from Ireland over the New Year, I’ve been craving a scone. And no one does a scone better than the UK, right? I mean, isn’t that their national food? Serve it up with some tea, a little butter and some preserves…a little slice of heaven, right?

I love scones. I have an unhealthy obsession with these treats. But try finding a good one State-side.

I managed that yesterday.

The HobKnobb Roasting Company, with their fine line of delicious treats in their bake case…served me up a delicious cranberry-walnut scone. I took it back to the office, heated it up in the microwave and sat down with my big, big, latte (yesterday was a large sugar-free chocolate soy latte kind of day!) at my desk and savored.

And it was worth savoring. Divine doesn’t even begin to describe this scone. It was better than the one I had at Malahide Castle in Ireland. So…it topped a scone from a country that basically invented the scone, right? In fact, I enjoyed it so much, it wasn’t until I was a few bites in that I realized I forgot to snap a picture. Then, I was craving another one all day. I resigned myself to not running back down there for more…but today is another day…and I might just cave and do it all over again!

And if you get down there, have a little treat with your coffee. Support a local business…and treat yourself. How can you go wrong?

It’s simple…really. You can’t!

Bon Appétit!

scone — HobKnobb Roasting Company's Cranberry-Walnut Scone

February 8, 2011February 24, 2011

A Whole Latte Love

Sometimes…it’s all about the coffee.

Welcome to my little corner of caffeinated bliss. The HobKnobb Roasting Company in New Albany, Indiana. This little café is located just around the corner from my office and, out of necessity for something better than the gas station coffee offerings, I stopped in one day…and have been going back ever since.

It’s an unassuming little coffee shop with nice people who work there. My favorite barista, always good for conversation or suggestions, is Heather. She’s not only good at making drinks, she’s good at guessing what you might like. I’m not a big fan of coffee…but I can handle espresso. I can’t have milk, but I can do soy. I don’t want drinks that are laden with sugar.

Her suggestion: A sugar-free chocolate soy latte.

Sounded good to me. You can’t go wrong with chocolate. You also can’t go wrong with the double-shot of espresso you get in their small drinks. No skimping on the beverages here. You definitely get what you pay for. Even better…it’s delicious. The espresso isn’t over-processed and over-roasted like your corner Starbucks. It’s light, delicious, and compliments the steamed milk perfectly.

HobKnobb Roasting Company doesn’t just serve a good latte. They have a wide variety of coffee, espresso, and tea drinks for your choosing. If you like it hot or cold, they have it. And they know how to make it so you won’t walk away unsatisfied.

This little shop also offers up delicious pastries…scones, cookies, muffins, and even New York bagels (yes…they come from New York! That’s something this former New Yorker can get behind!). They have regular patrons. They know their customers. And, yet, they welcome new ones openly. People like me, who wander in on a cold day in search of something that doesn’t taste too much like coffee…but is sugar-free. This coffee shop knows it’s stuff and serves it up just as you like it.

So…should you find yourself in the New Albany, Indiana area…swing by HobKnobb Roasting Company in one of their two locations…on State Street or in Floyds Knobs.

I promise…you’ll keep going back. Not just for the coffee, but for the friendly service you receive as well.