The Coffee Grind
Finals suck, coffee shouldn’tTiffany Huan
Associate Features Editor
Salim Westvind
Opinion Editor
Corrado Bakery
Northwest Corner of 70th and Lexington
One could be excused for having never been inside Corrado, the conservative looking café bakery on the corner of 70th Street and Lexington Ave. Students could pass this gem countless times during walks around Hunter without trying it, put off by a stuffy-looking clientele and an assumption of overpricing. But upon entering Corrado, even the most value driven Hunter student will be pleasantly surprised. This café serves solidly good coffee at area-average prices. This may not, however, be the place for coffee explorers—the grind is unmarked and generic. That’s alright, though, because the espresso is the true selling point of Corrado, anyway: deep, flavorful and under $3 for a double.
While a cost-conscious customer would do well to avoid the pre-wrapped sandwiches under the glass ($8.50, for Egg Salad! What is this, East Germany?), look atop the counter for some truly tasty sandwiches prepared on house- made bread. For under $5, there’s a tasty prosciutto, tomato and watercress on baguette. To top it all off, they have a nice little outdoor seating area; as the weather warms up, I’ll be there.
Joe
Lexington between 74th and 75th Streets
This small chain’s Upper East Side location is well decorated, can be calm and quiet in the afternoons, and is run by a friendly staff. They offer three daily rotating pour-over brews, listed on small cards that include information like flavor profile, producer, and elevation. The resulting coffee is any coffee snob’s dream: excellent nuanced roasts. However, at $3 for a 12oz cup, it’s a pricey treat. True, they have regular, less-expensive coffee and espresso as well, who wants to walk six blocks for that?
Joe may be the dream shop for those coffee geeks that have the time to savor the clarity of a well-made pour-over, and love to know exactly where and how their coffee was grown. Ultimately, for students, Joe might have be a nice occasional indulgence - most of us don’t have enough time or money to frequent this java spot.
Java Girl
66th st. between 1st and 2nd aves.
Java Girl has somewhat of a cult following on the Upper East Side. This locally owned coffee shop has a rating of 94% on Urban Spoon, while our last review’s favorite spot, Oren’s Daily Roast, shadows at 70%.
Unlike the typical high-brow décor of most coffee shops in the area, Java Girl is cozy, inviting, and intimate. If your ideal coffee experience has less to do with Japanese engineered glassware, and more with stacks of pillows and exposed brick walls, this might be your new hang out. Java Girl serves drip coffee according to boldness of flavor (strong, medium, light) in their own packaged roast. While the “strong” roast can be a bit too bitter, and the “medium” roast was a bit too watery. The espresso, however, was surprisingly bold and not exceedingly bitter. It was the perfect “medium” for a good latte. Java Girl also serves loose-leaf teas and loose coffee beans priced by the ounce. Credit/Debit cards are accepted with a $10 minimum.
